And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow.
The king asked her, 'What's wrong?' She answered, 'This woman said to me, Give me your son so we can eat him today, and tomorrow we'll eat my son.'
This verse describes a desperate mother telling the king about a horrific agreement to eat their children during a severe famine that had driven people to unthinkable acts of survival.
📚 Historical Context
This occurred during a siege of Samaria by the Syrian army, which had lasted so long that extreme famine gripped the city. The situation was so dire that food prices had become astronomical, and people were literally starving to death. This conversation takes place as King Jehoram of Israel walks along the city wall and encounters this woman's desperate plea for justice.
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