2 Kings 6:28

28 Then the king asked her, "What's the matter?" She answered, "This woman told me, 'Give up your son. Let's 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 As the king of Israel was walking on the city wall, a woman cried to him, "Help me, Your Majesty!"

27 He answered, "If the LORD doesn't help you, how can I help you? I can't give you something from the threshing floor or the winepress."

28 Then the king asked her, "What's the matter?" She answered, "This woman told me, 'Give up your son. Let's eat him today. We'll eat my son tomorrow.'

29 So we boiled my son and ate him. The next day I told her, 'Give up your son. We'll eat him,' but she hid her son."

30 When the king heard the woman say this, he tore his clothes [in distress]. As he was walking on the city wall, the people saw that he was wearing sackcloth under his clothes.