2 Kings 6:28

28 But then the king asked her, "What's troubling you?" She answered, "A woman said to me, ‘Give up your son so we can eat him today; we'll eat my son tomorrow.'

2 Kings 6:28 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 6:28

And the king said unto her, what aileth thee?
&c.] His passion subsiding, or pitying her as in distress, and supposing that there might be something particular and pressing in her case:

and she answered,

this woman said unto me;
who was now with her, and to whom she pointed:

give thy son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son
tomorrow;
and this was agreed to between them, that first one should be eaten, and then the other, and that they should feed upon one as long as it would last, and then on the other; for it is not to be limited precisely to a day and tomorrow.

2 Kings 6:28 In-Context

26 Israel's king was passing by on the city wall when a woman appealed to him, "Help me, Your Majesty!"

27 The king said, "No! May the LORD help you! Where can I find help for you? From the threshing floor or the winepress?"

28 But then the king asked her, "What's troubling you?" She answered, "A woman said to me, ‘Give up your son so we can eat him today; we'll eat my son tomorrow.'

29 So we cooked and ate my son. The next day I said to her, ‘Hand over your son so we can eat him.' But she had hidden her son."

30 When the king heard the woman's story, he ripped his clothes. And as he passed by along the wall, the people could see that he was wearing mourning clothes underneath.