1. Ben Hadad besieges the city of Shomron and causes a famine:
- After the above event, Ben-Hadad the king of Aram, gathered all of his soldiers and went up to besiege the city of Shomron. This caused there to be a severe famine in the city.
- The severity of the famine: The famine was so severe that the head of a donkey sold for eighty silver coins, and a quarter of a Kav of doves dung sold for five silver pieces.
- The king discovers that people are eating their children in order to survive: The king of Israel was passing by the wall when a woman cried out to him, begging him for his help that he save her. The king, [thinking that she was requesting him to give her food[1]] responded to her that he has nothing to provide her with and “If Hashem will not save you, how shall I save you? From the threshing floor or from the winepress?” The king then asked her as to what she wants, and she replied that she was offered by another woman a deal saying, “today you should cook your son and we will eat it together, and in exchange, tomorrow we will cook my son and eat him together. I accepted the offer and cooked my son and ate him and the next day I asked of her to give up her son as we agreed so we can eat him, and instead of keeping her part of the deal, she hid her son [after he died, as she wants to eat alone[2]].”
- The king tears his garments in mourning after hearing the above: When the king heard the woman’s words, he tore his garments [in anguish] to the extent to that while he would pass by the wall, the people saw through his torn garments and saw that he was wearing sackcloth on his flesh underneath.
- The King of Israel seeks to kill Elisha: The king of Israel [was infuriated that the prophet Elisha refused to pray on their behalf to end the famine[3]] made an oath saying that he swears in the name of G-d that he shall be cursed by G-d if Elisha the son of Shaphat’s head remains on him today.
- Elisha prophetically discovers the plot of the king of Israel and is saved: Elisha was sitting in his house [when the king of Israel made the above statement, and he was informed of it through prophetic vision[4]]. The elders were sitting together with him in the house [and Elisha informed them of the prophecy he had just received and of the ensuing danger[5]]. The king of Israel had already sent an assassin ahead of him to kill Elisha. Prior to the arrival of this assassin, Elisha told the elders, “Have you seen that this son of a murderer has sent an assassin to remove my head? See to it that when the assassin arrives by the door that you close the door and hold it shut against him as surely, his master, the king of Israel will follow him.” While Elisha was still speaking with them, the messenger arrived by their door. [Being that they heard the footsteps of the king of Israel arriving behind them, they therefore aborted their plan to block the door and allowed the messenger and king to enter.[6]]
- The king of Israel has remorse and decides against killing the prophet: The king of Israel said, “Behold, this evil is from Hashem. Can I hope for salvation [if I now go ahead and sin by killing the prophet[7]]?”
[1] Rashi 6:26
[2] Rashi 6:29
[3] Rashi 6:31
[4] Rashi 6:32
[5] Rashi 6:32
[6] See Metzudos Dovid 6:33
[7] See Metzudos Dovid 6:33
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