This verse reminds us that in extreme circumstances, only the Lord can provide the deliverance we desperately seek.
When we read “As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall a woman cried out to him, saying, ‘Help, my lord, O king!’” (2 Kings 6:26), we encounter a moment that highlights the severe distress within the city of Samaria. The city, located in the mountainous region of the central part of ancient Israel, served as the capital of the Northern Kingdom. By this time (circa 852-841 BC), King Jehoram (sometimes spelled Joram), who was the son of Ahab, ruled over Israel. This verse unfolds during a dire siege by the Arameans, and the fact that a woman calls out for help underscores the desperation of the people, who are trapped within the city walls and have nowhere else to turn.
The woman’s words “Help, my lord, O king!” (v.26) echo the spiritual and physical famine that plagued Samaria. Her cry captures the hopelessness of the populace who believed their king was the final earthly authority capable of delivering them. Yet, as subsequent verses in 2 Kings 6-7 reveal, no human power alone could fully redeem Israel from its plight; only God’s miraculous intervention would bring relief (2 Kings 7:6-7). This resonates with the idea later presented in the New Testament that salvation ultimately comes from the Lord, fulfilled perfectly in Jesus Christ who meets the deepest human needs, including deliverance from sin (John 8:36).
In essence, “As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall a woman cried out to him, saying, ‘Help, my lord, O king!’” (v.26) reveals the hopelessness of a people under siege, demonstrating that their only true hope lay in divine intervention rather than human might.
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2 Kings 6:26 meaning
When we read “As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall a woman cried out to him, saying, ‘Help, my lord, O king!’” (2 Kings 6:26), we encounter a moment that highlights the severe distress within the city of Samaria. The city, located in the mountainous region of the central part of ancient Israel, served as the capital of the Northern Kingdom. By this time (circa 852-841 BC), King Jehoram (sometimes spelled Joram), who was the son of Ahab, ruled over Israel. This verse unfolds during a dire siege by the Arameans, and the fact that a woman calls out for help underscores the desperation of the people, who are trapped within the city walls and have nowhere else to turn.
The woman’s words “Help, my lord, O king!” (v.26) echo the spiritual and physical famine that plagued Samaria. Her cry captures the hopelessness of the populace who believed their king was the final earthly authority capable of delivering them. Yet, as subsequent verses in 2 Kings 6-7 reveal, no human power alone could fully redeem Israel from its plight; only God’s miraculous intervention would bring relief (2 Kings 7:6-7). This resonates with the idea later presented in the New Testament that salvation ultimately comes from the Lord, fulfilled perfectly in Jesus Christ who meets the deepest human needs, including deliverance from sin (John 8:36).
In essence, “As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall a woman cried out to him, saying, ‘Help, my lord, O king!’” (v.26) reveals the hopelessness of a people under siege, demonstrating that their only true hope lay in divine intervention rather than human might.