And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.
2 KINGS 6:26KJVWhat does 2 Kings 6:26 mean?
2 Kings 6:26 describes a moment when the king of Israel is walking along the city wall and a woman calls out to him, desperately asking for help and addressing him as "my lord, O king." This verse shows the king being confronted directly by his people during a time of crisis.
The setting is Samaria under siege, with the people suffering greatly from famine and fear. The king, likely Jehoram, is approached by a woman in distress as he inspects the city defenses. Her cry for help highlights the desperation inside the city and sets up the king’s troubled response in the following verses.
The Hebrew behind 2 Kings 6:26
- "Help" (יָשַׁע, yashaʿ): This word means to save or deliver. The woman is not just asking for advice or comfort—she is pleading for rescue from a dire situation, showing how severe the crisis is.
- "Cried" (צָעַק, tsaʿaq): This verb means to cry out loudly, often in distress or urgent need. The use of this word emphasizes the woman’s desperation and the public nature of her plea.
- "Wall" (חוֹמָה, choma): The mention of the wall places the scene during a siege, with the king inspecting the city’s defenses and the people’s suffering being visible and immediate.
Why 2 Kings 6:26 matters
- This verse makes clear the personal pressure on the king, as the suffering of the people is brought directly to him, not hidden behind palace walls.
- The woman’s plea shows the depth of the crisis in Samaria, preparing the reader for the shocking details that follow in the narrative.
- The verse connects the king’s leadership to the real, desperate needs of his people, highlighting the tension and helplessness of the situation during the siege.