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2 Kings 6:30

Grief

28 Then 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.’

29 So 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.”

When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes. And as he passed by on the wall, the people saw the sackcloth under his clothes next to his skin.

31 He announced, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders through this day!”

32 Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. The king sent a messenger ahead, but before he arrived, Elisha said to the elders, “Do you see how this murderer has sent someone to cut off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door to keep him out. Is not the sound of his master’s footsteps behind him?”

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes. And as he passed by on the wall, the people saw the sackcloth under his clothes next to his skin.
KJV
And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.
WEB
When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes. Now he was passing by on the wall, and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth underneath on his body.
ASV
And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes (now he was passing by upon the wall); and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.
DARBY
And it came to pass when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his garments; and he was passing by upon the wall, and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.
BLB
And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he tore his clothes; and as he passed by on the wall, the people looked, and behold, sackcloth was on his flesh within.
ÅB
Da kongen hørte det som kvinnen fortalte, sønderrev han sine klær, som han gikk der omkring på muren; da fikk folket se at han hadde sekk innenfor på sitt legeme.
OTB
Da kongen hørte kvinnens ord, rev han sine klær— og mens han gikk forbi på muren, så folket, og se, han hadde sekkelerret under på kroppen.
B1930
Da kongen hørte det som kvinnen fortalte, sønderrev han sine klær, som han gikk der omkring på muren; da fikk folket se at han hadde sekk innenfor på sitt legeme.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 1 Kings 21:27

    When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth and walked around meekly.

    Read in context

  • Isaiah 58:5–7

    Is this the fast I have chosen: a day for a man to deny himself, to bow his head like a reed, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast and a day acceptable to the LORD?

    Read in context

  • 2 Kings 5:7

    When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and asked, “Am I God, killing and giving life, that this man expects me to cure a leper? Surely you can see that he is seeking a quarrel with me!”

    Read in context

  • 2 Kings 19:1

    On hearing this report, King Hezekiah tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and entered the house of the LORD.

    Read in context