2 Kings 6:24-29

New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition

Ben-hadad’s Siege of Samaria

²⁴ Some time later King Ben-hadad of Aram mustered his entire army; he marched against Samaria and laid siege to it. ²⁵ As the siege continued, famine in Samaria became so great that a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and one-fourth of a kab of dove’s dung for five shekels of silver. ²⁶ Now as the king of Israel was walking on the city wall, a woman cried out to him, ‘Help, my lord king!’ ²⁷ He said, ‘No! Let the Lord help you. How can I help you? From the threshing-floor or from the wine press?’ ²⁸ But then the king asked her, ‘What is your complaint?’ She answered, ‘This woman said to me, “Give up your son; we will eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.” ²⁹ So we cooked my son and ate him. The next day I said to her, “Give up your son and we will eat him.” But she has hidden her son.’