2 Kings 6:27 - Exposition

And he said, If the Lord do not help thee. This is probably the true mean-tug. The king is not so brutal as to "curse" the woman ( ἐπηράσατο αὐτή τὸν θεόν , Josephus, ' Ant. Jud.,' 9.4. § 4); neither does he take upon himself to tell her that God will not save her (Maurer). He merely refers her to God, as alone competent to do what she asks. Whence shall I help thee? Whence, i.e; dost thou suppose that I can save thee? Out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress? Dost thou suppose that I have stores of food at my disposal? An overflowing barnfloor, where abundant corn is garnered, or a winepress full of the juice of the grape? I have nothing of the kind; my stores are as much exhausted as those of the meanest of my subjects. I cannot save thee.