Read 2 Kings 6.24-7.2. In 6.24-7.20: The siege of Samaria. In 6.24-25: In a siege a city was surrounded and its food supply cut off in order to starve out the inhabitants. Thus, food prices within the city soared. A shekel was a measure of weight just less tan a half an ounce. A kab was slightly more than a quart. In verse 27: The threshing floor was a flat, raised area where grain was separated from the hull. A wine press was where grapes were squeezed for their juice to make wine. The king is replying that he has no more access to food supplies than does the woman who was asking for help. His wish, let the Lord help you, seems sarcastic in this context, as he likely blames the Lord for the predicament of the city. In verses 28-29: The woman's complaint is a legal case, since the king is, in effect, the supreme court of the land. The case she brings reflects the separate straits of the city, where people have resorted to cannibalism. It also recalls, in a distorted way, the case of Solomon's judgment in 1 Kings 3.16-28. In verse 30: Sackcloth is a transliteration of the Hebrew "saq," which refers to some kind of garment worn to symbolize mourning. In verse 31: It is not clear why the king holds Elisha responsible for the siege, but it seems to be a classic case of blaming the messenger for the message. The Lord sent the trouble (v.33) and Elisha is the Lord's messenger. In verse 33: The king maybe asking why he should hope in the Lord any longer or what more (punishment) he cane expect from the Lord if he kills Elisha. In 7.1: Compare 6.25. Elisha predicts that the availability of food will dramatically increase and hence the prices be drastically reduced within a day. In verse 2: On whose hand the king leaned was a title for a special assistant to the king. Comments or Questions..
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