2 Kings 6:25

Translations

Modern

So 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.

Traditional

And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass’s head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver.

Literal

And there was a great famine in Samaria. And behold, they lay siege against it until the head of a donkey was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a forth of a cab of dove’s dung for five shekels of silver.

Latin

Factaque est fames magna in Samaria: et tamdiu obsessa est, donec venundaretur caput asini octoginta argenteis, et quarta pars cabi stercoris columbarum quinque argenteis.

Original

Hebrew

English

So 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.

Notes

2 Kings 6:24–25

The famine was so severe that people ate and sold normally forbidden foods at high prices. For example, donkey meat was forbidden in the laws about unclean foods (Leviticus 11:1–7). Dove's dung might have been a type of wild vegetable, but during sieges, people sometimes ate dung (Isaiah 36:12). The dove's dung might also have been used as fuel.

Theme notes and profiles

Elijah Elisha Famine

Events

Prophecies of Elisha

Measurements

eighty shekels of silver: About 2 lb (907.2 g)
a quarter cab of dove’s dung: About 0.28 qt (0.31 l)
five shekels of silver: About 2 oz (57 g)

Related verses

Jeremiah 52:6
By the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city was so severe that the people of the land had no food.
Jeremiah 14:13–15
“Ah, Lord GOD!” I replied, “Look, the prophets are telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine, but I will give you lasting peace in this place.’”
2 Kings 6:28–29
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.’
Jeremiah 14:18
If I go out to the country, I see those slain by the sword; if I enter the city, I see those ravaged by famine! For both prophet and priest travel to a land they do not know.’”
Jeremiah 32:24
See how the siege ramps are mounted against the city to capture it. And by sword and famine and plague, the city has been given into the hands of the Chaldeans who are fighting against it. What You have spoken has happened, as You now see!
2 Kings 25:3
By the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city was so severe that the people of the land had no food.
Ezekiel 4:13–16
Then the LORD said, “This is how the Israelites will eat their defiled bread among the nations to which I will banish them.”
1 Kings 18:2
So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria,
2 Kings 7:4
If we say, ‘Let us go into the city,’ we will die there from the famine in the city; but if we sit here, we will also die. So come now, let us go over to the camp of the Arameans. If they let us live, we will live; if they kill us, we will die.”
Leviticus 26:26
When I cut off your supply of bread, ten women will bake your bread in a single oven and dole out your bread by weight, so that you will eat but not be satisfied.

Places

Samaria: Capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel; Samaritan inhabitants

Glossary

Cab Dove’s Dung Elisha Famine Food and Food Preparation Kings, Books of First and Second Samaria Sons of the Prophets Weights and Measures

Topics

Ancient Samaria: Samaria the Capital of Suffered Severely from Famine Armies: March in Ranks of Samaria Cab: A Dry Measure Containing About One Quart Donkey: Domesticated for Food Famine in Canaan Famine: Instances of, in Scripture: During the Siege of Samaria Famine: Things Eaten During: Donkey's Flesh Famine: Things Eaten During: Dung Israel: The City of Samaria Besieged Measure: A Cab, or Kab, About Two Quarts Measures of Liquids and Solids: Cab Samaria: City of, Built by Omri: Besieged by Ben-Hadad Siege: Distress of the Inhabitants During A Syria: Besieged Samaria Again the Domestic Donkey: Miracles Connected With: Eaten During Famine in Samaria

2 Kings 6:25

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