The Cannibal Mothers

The Text

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.” 30 When the king heard the words of the woman he tore his clothes– now since he was walking on the city wall, the people could see that he had sackcloth on his body underneath– 31 and he said, “So may God do to me, and more, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat stays on his shoulders today” (2 Kings 6:26–31).

Introduction

The account of two women who resort to cannibalism during the Syrian siege of Samaria (2 Kings 6:24–31) stands as one of the most disturbing narratives in biblical literature. This passage has challenged interpreters throughout history, raising profound questions about divine justice, human desperation, and the consequences of covenant unfaithfulness. The text presents a complex theological puzzle: how does one reconcile belief in divine compassion with such extreme human suffering? Moreover, what does this narrative contribute to our understanding of prophetic ministry, royal responsibility, and covenant relationship?

The narrative’s stark realism about human extremity, combined with its conviction about divine sovereignty, offers both warning and hope to contemporary readers grappling with questions of suffering, justice, and divine action in human history.

The Aramean Wars and Siege Warfare Context

The historical setting of this narrative likely falls within the ninth century BC, during the period of intensive Aramean-Israelite conflicts, though precise dating remains uncertain among scholars. Ben-Hadad II ruled Aram-Damascus during this period, and some scholars identify him with Hadadezer mentioned in Assyrian inscriptions.

Archaeological evidence and extrabiblical sources, including the Monolith Inscription of Shalmaneser III, provide contemporary evidence of regional conflicts involving both Aramean and Israelite rulers. The historical plausibility of prolonged siege warfare is well-documented through archaeological excavations at sites like Lachish and Hazor, which reveal destruction layers consistent with extended military campaigns.

Ancient Siege Warfare Dynamics

Siege warfare in the ancient Near East represented a calculated strategy of attrition designed to force surrender through systematic deprivation. Besieging armies would surround cities for months or years, cutting off food supplies, water sources, and trade routes. The effectiveness of this strategy depended on the attackers’ ability to maintain the blockade while the defenders’ resources gradually diminished.

The detailed knowledge of siege conditions reflected in the biblical text—including astronomical food prices (2 Kings 6:25) and desperate survival measures—suggests authentic historical memory of such circumstances. The narrative’s specific details about food scarcity and social breakdown align with patterns documented in siege accounts from across the ancient Near Eastern world.

Cannibalism in Ancient Siege Conditions

Survival cannibalism during extreme siege conditions represents one of the most severe consequences of ancient warfare. Historical records from across the ancient world document such instances, demonstrating that these extremities were unfortunately common during prolonged sieges. Sumerian, Babylonian, and Assyrian literature contain references to cannibalism under siege conditions, indicating widespread awareness of this grim reality.

Later historical accounts provide additional perspective. Josephus records similar occurrences during the Roman siege of Jerusalem (70 AD), describing desperate mothers consuming their children during the final stages of the city’s fall. These accounts suggest that the biblical narrative reflects a recurring pattern in ancient siege warfare rather than an isolated incident.

Significantly, cannibalism appears explicitly among the covenant curses for violating the terms of Israel’s relationship with Yahweh (Leviticus 26:27–29; Deuteronomy 28:53–57). The Deuteronomic curse texts provide particularly detailed anticipation of such circumstances:

“In the desperate straits to which the enemy siege reduces you, you will eat the fruit of your womb, the flesh of your own sons and daughters whom the LORD your God has given you” (Deuteronomy 28:53).

This connection is not merely thematic but represents the Deuteronomistic understanding of historical causation: Israel’s current suffering results from accumulated covenant violations. Jeremiah explicitly associates such extremity with religious apostasy, particularly the sacrifice of children to foreign deities (Jeremiah 19:6–9).

The Royal Encounter (2 Kings 6:26-31)

The King’s Initial Response

The king’s progression from refusal to engagement demonstrates the complex dynamics of royal responsibility during crisis. His initial response, “No! Let the LORD help you,” simultaneously acknowledges divine sovereignty while attempting to deflect personal responsibility. The reference to threshing floor and wine press serves multiple functions: it indicates the complete absence of normal food sources while ironically evoking images of covenantal blessing now absent.

The Revelation and Its Impact

The woman’s revelation of the cannibalistic pact serves several narrative functions. First, it provides concrete evidence of the covenant curses’ fulfillment, demonstrating the consequences of Israel’s unfaithfulness. Second, it creates a structural parallel with Solomon’s judgment of the two mothers (1 Kings 3:16-28), though with crucial differences that highlight the contrast between wise and inadequate leadership.

Where Solomon’s wisdom preserved life and revealed truth, Jehoram’s inadequacy leads to death and despair. This parallel emphasizes the narrative’s critique of royal leadership while underscoring the breakdown of justice and wisdom in Israel’s governance.

Royal Response and Hidden Penitence

The king’s response—tearing his clothes to reveal sackcloth underneath (2 Kings 6:30)—indicates private repentance that has not yet become public confession. This detail suggests recognition of the crisis as divine judgment while maintaining the appearance of royal control. The placement of this revelation on the city wall, visible to the people, adds dramatic irony: the king’s hidden penitence becomes public at the moment of his greatest failure.

The Prophetic Confrontation (2 Kings 6:32-7:2)

Elisha’s response to the royal threat demonstrates prophetic authority confronting political power. His identification of the king as “this son of a murderer” (2 Kimgs 6:32) directly challenges royal ideology that sought to blame God for the crisis while avoiding responsibility for the covenant unfaithfulness that precipitated divine judgment. This confrontation illustrates a recurring biblical theme: prophetic ministry as divine critique of human authority structures that fail to acknowledge their accountability to divine justice.

The prophecy of abundant food “at this time tomorrow” (2 Kings 7:1) represents a dramatic reversal that parallels feeding miracles earlier in the Elisha cycle. The specific details—“a seah of fine flour for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel”—emphasize both the abundance and rapidity of promised deliverance.

The captain’s skeptical response (7:2) and Elisha’s counter-prophecy establish the stakes of the prophetic word. The reference to “windows in heaven” ironically echoes the flood narrative (Genesis 7:11) and manna provision (Psalm 78:23), suggesting that even cosmic intervention would be insufficient—yet emphasizing that divine power transcends natural limitations.

Covenant Theology and Divine Justice

The cannibalism narrative directly fulfills covenant curse descriptions, particularly Deuteronomy 28:53–57. However, the text’s theological perspective proves more complex than simple retribution. The immediate transition from curse to blessing suggests that divine judgment serves corrective rather than merely punitive purposes.

This raises profound theological questions that the narrative does not fully resolve: How does divine justice relate to innocent suffering? What is the relationship between communal guilt and individual punishment? How do we understand divine sovereignty in the face of such extreme human anguish?

The narrative confronts readers with fundamental questions about divine justice and human suffering. Traditional theodicy seeks to justify God’s ways in the face of apparent injustice, but this text seems more interested in portraying the stark realities of covenant violation than in providing theoretical explanations for suffering.

The rapid reversal from famine to abundance demonstrates divine power to transform hopeless circumstances, yet it does not eliminate the trauma already experienced. The narrative suggests that divine redemption operates within history rather than erasing its painful consequences.

Elisha’s role suggests that faithful prophetic witness can catalyze divine intervention even amid judgment. The prophet serves as both interpreter of divine will and mediator for divine mercy, indicating that human agency participates in divine redemptive activity.

This theme connects with broader biblical patterns where prophetic ministry serves as a bridge between divine judgment and mercy, calling both rulers and people to accountability while proclaiming possibilities for restoration.

Conclusion

The narrative of the cannibal mothers in 2 Kings 6:24–7:20 functions as a masterfully crafted account serving multiple purposes within the Deuteronomistic History. As historical record, it provides authentic details about ancient siege warfare and its devastating civilian impact. As literary narrative, it employs sophisticated techniques to create dramatic tension while advancing theological reflection. As theological commentary, it illustrates the complex relationship between divine judgment and mercy within covenant relationship.

The text’s enduring significance lies not in providing simple answers to questions of suffering and divine justice, but in its honest portrayal of human extremity combined with unwavering conviction about divine sovereignty and ultimate redemption. It reminds contemporary readers that no situation lies beyond the scope of divine transformation while emphasizing the serious consequences of abandoning moral and spiritual foundations.

The narrative offers both warning and hope: warning against the long-term consequences of covenant unfaithfulness, hope that divine intervention remains possible even in the most desperate circumstances. The role of prophetic witness—represented by Elisha’s ministry—suggests that faithful testimony can become a catalyst for divine action even amid the darkest moments of judgment.

For communities of faith grappling with questions of suffering, justice, and divine presence in human tragedy, this difficult text provides no easy comfort but offers something perhaps more valuable: honest acknowledgment of life’s extremities combined with persistent faith in divine redemption that operates within history rather than as escape from it.

The cannibalism narrative ultimately demonstrates that biblical literature does not shy away from portraying the full range of human experience, including its most disturbing dimensions, while maintaining conviction that such experiences do not represent the final word about divine purpose or human destiny.

Claude Mariottini
Emeritus Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

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