2 Kings 6:27
2 Kings 6:27 in Multiple Translations
He answered, “If the LORD does not help you, where can I find help for you? From the threshing floor or the winepress?”
And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?
And he said, If Jehovah do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the threshing-floor, or out of the winepress?
And he said, If the Lord does not give you help, where am I to get help for you? from the grain-floor or the grape-crusher?
“If the Lord doesn't help you, why would you think I can help you?” the king replied. “I don't have grain from the threshing floor, or wine from the winepress.”
And he said, Seeing the Lord doeth not succour thee, howe shoulde I helpe thee with the barne, or with the wine presse?
And he saith, 'Jehovah doth not save thee — whence do I save thee? out of the threshing-floor, or out of the wine-vat?'
He said, “If the LORD doesn’t help you, where could I get help for you? From the threshing floor, or from the wine press?”
And he said, If the LORD doth not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barn-floor, or out of the wine-press?
And he said: If the Lord doth not save thee, how can I save thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress? And the king said to her: What aileth thee? And she answered:
He replied, “If Yahweh will not help you, I certainly cannot [RHQ] help you. I certainly [RHQ] do not have any wheat or wine!
Berean Amplified Bible — 2 Kings 6:27
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
2 Kings 6:27 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר֙
אַל
יוֹשִׁעֵ֣/ךְ
יְהוָ֔ה
מֵ/אַ֖יִן
אֽוֹשִׁיעֵ֑/ךְ
הֲ/מִן
הַ/גֹּ֖רֶן
א֥וֹ
מִן
הַ/יָּֽקֶב
וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר֙
ʼâmar
H559
to say
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
אַל
ʼal
H408
not
Part
יוֹשִׁעֵ֣/ךְ
yâshaʻ
H3467
to save
V-Hiphil-Juss-3ms | Suff
יְהוָ֔ה
Yᵉhôvâh
H3068
The Lord
N-proper
מֵ/אַ֖יִן
ʼayin
H370
where?
Prep | Part
אֽוֹשִׁיעֵ֑/ךְ
yâshaʻ
H3467
to save
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cs | Suff
הֲ/מִן
min
H4480
from
Part | Prep
הַ/גֹּ֖רֶן
gôren
H1637
threshing floor
Art | N-cs
א֥וֹ
ʼôw
H176
or
Conj
מִן
min
H4480
from
Prep
הַ/יָּֽקֶב
yeqeb
H3342
wine
Art | N-ms
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — 2 Kings 6:27
וַ/יֹּ֨אמֶר֙
ʼâmar
H559
"to say"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Definition: 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
Usage: Occurs in 4337 OT verses. KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. See also: Genesis 1:3; Genesis 18:23; Genesis 25:32.
אַל
ʼal
H408
"not"
Part
Means not or nothing, used to express negation, as in the phrase do not or let not be.
Definition: 1) not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference) 1a) do not, let not (with a verb) 1b) let there not be (with a verb understood) 1c) not, no (with substantive) 1d) nothing (as substantive) Aramaic equivalent: al (אַל "not" H0409)
Usage: Occurs in 572 OT verses. KJV: nay, neither, [phrase] never, no, nor, not, nothing (worth), rather than. See also: Genesis 13:8; Joshua 11:6; 1 Chronicles 22:13.
יוֹשִׁעֵ֣/ךְ
yâshaʻ
H3467
"to save"
V-Hiphil-Juss-3ms | Suff
Means to save or be delivered, used in the Bible to describe being freed from danger or trouble, like in battle or from moral struggles, as seen in the Psalms and Proverbs.
Definition: 1) to save, be saved, be delivered 1a) (Niphal) 1a1) to be liberated, be saved, be delivered 1a2) to be saved (in battle), be victorious 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to save, deliver 1b2) to save from moral troubles 1b3) to give victory to
Usage: Occurs in 198 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] at all, avenging, defend, deliver(-er), help, preserve, rescue, be safe, bring (having) salvation, save(-iour), get victory. See also: Exodus 2:17; Psalms 55:17; Psalms 3:8.
יְהוָ֔ה
Yᵉhôvâh
H3068
"The Lord"
N-proper
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Definition: Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
Usage: Occurs in 5522 OT verses. KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה). See also: Genesis 2:4; Genesis 24:42; Exodus 8:8.
מֵ/אַ֖יִן
ʼayin
H370
"where?"
Prep | Part
Ayin is a Hebrew word that means 'where' or 'whence'. It's used in many Bible verses, including Genesis 3:9 and Exodus 2:13, to ask about a location or origin.
Definition: where?, whence?
Usage: Occurs in 16 OT verses. KJV: whence, where. See also: Genesis 29:4; 2 Kings 20:14; Psalms 121:1.
אֽוֹשִׁיעֵ֑/ךְ
yâshaʻ
H3467
"to save"
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cs | Suff
Means to save or be delivered, used in the Bible to describe being freed from danger or trouble, like in battle or from moral struggles, as seen in the Psalms and Proverbs.
Definition: 1) to save, be saved, be delivered 1a) (Niphal) 1a1) to be liberated, be saved, be delivered 1a2) to be saved (in battle), be victorious 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to save, deliver 1b2) to save from moral troubles 1b3) to give victory to
Usage: Occurs in 198 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] at all, avenging, defend, deliver(-er), help, preserve, rescue, be safe, bring (having) salvation, save(-iour), get victory. See also: Exodus 2:17; Psalms 55:17; Psalms 3:8.
הֲ/מִן
min
H4480
"from"
Part | Prep
This Hebrew word means a portion or part of something, and is often used to show the relationship between things, like from or out of something.
Definition: prep 1) from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than 1a) from (expressing separation), off, on the side of 1b) out of 1b1) (with verbs of proceeding, removing, expelling) 1b2) (of material from which something is made) 1b3) (of source or origin) 1c) out of, some of, from (partitively) 1d) from, since, after (of time) 1e) than, more than (in comparison) 1f) from...even to, both...and, either...or 1g) than, more than, too much for (in comparisons) 1h) from, on account of, through, because (with infinitive) conj 2) that Aramaic equivalent: min (מִן־ "from" H4481)
Usage: Occurs in 1094 OT verses. KJV: above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, [idiom] neither, [idiom] nor, (out) of, over, since, [idiom] then, through, [idiom] whether, with. See also: Genesis 2:6; Exodus 16:32; Leviticus 14:26.
הַ/גֹּ֖רֶן
gôren
H1637
"threshing floor"
Art | N-cs
A threshing floor is an open area where grain is separated from chaff, as seen in the book of Ruth. This word can also refer to a barn or empty space. The KJV Bible translates it as floor or place.
Definition: 1) threshing-floor 2) (TWOT) barn, barn floor, corn floor, void place
Usage: Occurs in 37 OT verses. KJV: (barn, corn, threshing-) floor, (threshing-, void) place. See also: Genesis 50:10; 1 Kings 22:10; Isaiah 21:10.
א֥וֹ
ʼôw
H176
"or"
Conj
Desire can also mean or, and, or if, showing a choice between options, as seen in Proverbs 31:4. It is used to express alternatives or possibilities.
Definition: 1) or, rather 1a) implying that the latter choice is preferred 1b) or if, introducing an example to be seen under a particular principle 1c) (in series) either...or, whether...or 1d) if perchance 1e) except, or else 2) whether, not the least, if, otherwise, also, and, then
Usage: Occurs in 218 OT verses. KJV: also, and, either, if, at the least, [idiom] nor, or, otherwise, then, whether. See also: Genesis 24:49; Leviticus 25:49; Proverbs 30:31.
מִן
min
H4480
"from"
Prep
This Hebrew word means a portion or part of something, and is often used to show the relationship between things, like from or out of something.
Definition: prep 1) from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than 1a) from (expressing separation), off, on the side of 1b) out of 1b1) (with verbs of proceeding, removing, expelling) 1b2) (of material from which something is made) 1b3) (of source or origin) 1c) out of, some of, from (partitively) 1d) from, since, after (of time) 1e) than, more than (in comparison) 1f) from...even to, both...and, either...or 1g) than, more than, too much for (in comparisons) 1h) from, on account of, through, because (with infinitive) conj 2) that Aramaic equivalent: min (מִן־ "from" H4481)
Usage: Occurs in 1094 OT verses. KJV: above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, [idiom] neither, [idiom] nor, (out) of, over, since, [idiom] then, through, [idiom] whether, with. See also: Genesis 2:6; Exodus 16:32; Leviticus 14:26.
הַ/יָּֽקֶב
yeqeb
H3342
"wine"
Art | N-ms
A wine vat is a container for holding wine, specifically a trough or press where grapes are crushed to make wine. It is also called a wine-press.
Definition: wine vat, wine-press
Usage: Occurs in 16 OT verses. KJV: fats, presses, press-fat, wine(-press). See also: Numbers 18:27; Isaiah 5:2; Proverbs 3:10.
Study Notes — 2 Kings 6:27
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- 2 Kings 6:27 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on 2 Kings 6:27
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Kings 6:27
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on 2 Kings 6:27
- Trapp's Commentary on 2 Kings 6:27
- Ellicott's Commentary on 2 Kings 6:27
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on 2 Kings 6:27
- Cambridge Bible on 2 Kings 6:27
- Barnes' Notes on 2 Kings 6:27
- Whedon's Commentary on 2 Kings 6:27
- Sermons on 2 Kings 6:27
Context — The Siege and Famine of Samaria
25So there was a great famine in Samaria. Indeed, they besieged the city so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a quarter cab of dove’s dung sold for five shekels of silver.
26As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, “Help me, my lord the king!”
27He answered, “If the LORD does not help you, where can I find help for you? From the threshing floor or the winepress?”
28Then the king asked her, “What is the matter?” And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give up your son, that we may eat him, and tomorrow we will eat my son.’ 29So we boiled my son and ate him, and the next day I said to her, ‘Give up your son, that we may eat him.’ But she had hidden her son.”Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalms 118:8–9 | It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes. |
| 2 | Psalms 124:1–3 | If the LORD had not been on our side— let Israel now declare— if the LORD had not been on our side when men attacked us, when their anger flared against us, then they would have swallowed us alive, |
| 3 | Psalms 60:11 | Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless. |
| 4 | Jeremiah 17:5 | This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind, who makes the flesh his strength and turns his heart from the LORD. |
| 5 | Psalms 62:8 | Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge. Selah |
| 6 | Psalms 127:1 | Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain; unless the LORD protects the city, its watchmen stand guard in vain. |
| 7 | Psalms 146:3 | Put not your trust in princes, in mortal man, who cannot save. |
| 8 | Isaiah 2:2 | In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. |
2 Kings 6:27 Summary
[The king is saying that he can't help the woman without God's help, and that even the usual sources of food, like the threshing floor and winepress, are not producing anything. This shows us that even those in power can be helpless without God, as we see in Psalm 127:1, where it says 'Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain.' The king's response teaches us to look to God for help, rather than relying on our own strength or human solutions. By acknowledging our dependence on God, we can find true help and provision, as promised in Jeremiah 33:3, 'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.']
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the king implying when he says 'If the LORD does not help you, where can I find help for you?'?
The king is acknowledging that he is powerless to help the woman without God's intervention, as seen in Psalm 60:11, where it says 'Give us help against the adversary, for human help is worthless.'
What does the king mean by 'the threshing floor or the winepress'?
The king is referring to the sources of food and provision, implying that even these usual means of sustenance are depleted, similar to the situation in Ruth 2:2-3 where Ruth goes to the fields to glean leftover grain.
Is the king showing compassion to the woman or dismissing her?
The king's response can be seen as a mixture of both, as he is acknowledging the dire situation, but also implying that he is unable to provide a solution without God's help, as stated in Proverbs 21:1, 'The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.'
What can we learn from the king's response about our own helplessness?
The king's response teaches us that even those in positions of power can be helpless without God's intervention, as seen in Daniel 4:35, where it says 'All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does as he pleases with the army of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth.'
Reflection Questions
- How do I respond when faced with a situation that seems impossible to solve, and what can I learn from the king's acknowledgment of his own powerlessness?
- In what ways can I, like the king, acknowledge my dependence on God for help and provision, and how can I apply this to my own life?
- What are some areas in my life where I am trying to find help or solutions in my own strength, rather than seeking God's intervention, and how can I change this?
- How can I, like the king, point others to God as the ultimate source of help and provision, rather than relying on human solutions?
Gill's Exposition on 2 Kings 6:27
And he said, if the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee?.... Mistaking her meaning, as if she prayed him to relieve her hunger; the margin of our Bible is, "let not the Lord save thee";
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Kings 6:27
And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress? No JFB commentary on these verses.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on 2 Kings 6:27
If the Lord do not help thee, or, let not God help thee, as some both ancient and late interpreters render the words. So they are words of impatience, and rage, and a formal curse, wishing that God would not help her, as he could not, as Josephus, amongst others, understand it; which agrees too well with the character of the man, an infidel, and an idolater, and a wicked man, and at this time in a great rage, as appears from . Or they may be rendered thus, No; (as this Hebrew particle is sometimes used, as 50:3 ,5 31:4) let the Lord help thee. So it may be taken, either, first, As a direction: No; do not cry to me, but to God, for help: God help thee, for I cannot. Or rather, secondly, As a profane scoff: No; come not to me, but go to him to whom Elisha directs you; pray to the Lord: you see how ready he is to help you, by his suffering you to come to this extremity; wait upon God for relief, as Elisha adviseth me; but I will wait no longer for him, , and I will take a course with Elisha for thus abusing both me and my people with vain hopes. Or thus, The Lord (on whom forsooth thou and I are commanded to wait for help) will not help thee, as he could easily do, and would do, if he were so good as Elisha pretends; whence then shall I help thee? Out of the barn-floor, or out of the winepress? Dost thou ask of me corn or wine, which I want for myself?
Trapp's Commentary on 2 Kings 6:27
2 Kings 6:27 And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?Ver. 27. If the Lord do not help thee.] Or - by way of angry imprecation - Let not the Lord save thee; that is, God confound thee; Dii te perdant, Dii tibi male faxint, said the heathens in like case. Dispereas. Vatab.
Ellicott's Commentary on 2 Kings 6:27
(27) If the Lord do not help thee.—This is right. The marginal rendering, “Let not the Lord help thee!”—i.e., “May the Lord destroy thee!” would be possible in another context. Another rendering is, “Nay (i.e., do not supplicate me), let the Lord help thee!” Out of the barnfloor.—Comp. Hosea ix 2.: “The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.” Jehoram, in the irony of despair, reminds the woman of what she well knows—viz., that the corn and wine, the staple foods of the time, are long since exhausted. The words, “If the Lord do not help thee,” may be compared with 2 Kings 3:10, “Alas! that the Lord hath called,” &c. The character of Jehoram is consistently drawn. But perhaps the point is: “Jehovah alone is the giver of corn and wine (Hosea 2:8-9). Appeal not to me for these.”
Adam Clarke's Commentary on 2 Kings 6:27
Verse 27. If the Lord do not help thee] Some read this as an imprecation, May God save thee not! how can I save thee?
Cambridge Bible on 2 Kings 6:27
27. If the Lord do not help thee] There is some difficulty here. The word rendered ‘if … not’ is that which in Hebrew is generally put with an imperative = ‘Let not’. So that the sense would be ‘May the Lord not help thee’. So the LXX. But such a wish could hardly have come at such a time into the king’s mind. The R.V. (marg.) attempts to keep the imperative force thus, ‘Nay, let the Lord help thee’. This comes a little nearer the sense of the English versions. But there is no warrant for separating the negative particle in this way from its verb.
Perhaps it is best to explain the negative particle, as if the verb belonging to it were suppressed. Thus ‘Do not (cry to me); the Lord must help thee; for I cannot’. In this way the sense given in the English versions would be the correct force of the words. out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?] i.e. with anything to eat or to drink. The supply of both was utterly spent, as the whole city knew. For the expression cf. Hosea 9:2.
Barnes' Notes on 2 Kings 6:27
If the Lord do not help - The translation in the text is decidedly better than the marginal rendering. Some prefer to render - “Nay ... let Jehovah help thee.
Whedon's Commentary on 2 Kings 6:27
27. Out of the barnfloor — Can I gather up grain for thee from the smooth rock or cleanly swept surface of the threshingfloor, or fruit from the empty and deserted winepress? Have I power to turn stones into bread?
Sermons on 2 Kings 6:27
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
(God's Sanctuary) 03 Men of His Own Heart 2 by Bakht Singh | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of seeking God's help constantly, even in the face of opposition and persecution. He uses the example of David, who learned to |
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Trust in God - True Wisdom by C.H. Spurgeon | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of handling matters wisely in a land full of enemies. He warns that if one does not choose their way carefully, they will fac |
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Singles Serving the Lord Without Distraction - Part 1 by Bob Hoekstra | This sermon emphasizes the importance of serving the Lord without distraction, focusing on seeking an undivided heart and finding completeness in Christ. It delves into the signifi |
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This Is the Day by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the anticipation of the day when God would send his only begotten Son into the world to redeem mankind from sin. The sermon emphasizes the spi |
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Trusting God in Stead of Man by Erlo Stegen | In this sermon, the preacher begins by praying for the words spoken to be transformed from water into wine, symbolizing a powerful and impactful message. The preacher then discusse |
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Studies in Psalm 16:-01 by James K. Boswell | In this sermon, the speaker begins by discussing how people often use technology without fully understanding how it works. He then shares a story about a doctor who operated on a b |
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Hebrews 3 by Mark Turner | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of trusting in the Lord rather than relying on worldly things or human intellect. He highlights the examples of Moses, David, |