2 Kings 6:24

“And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, etc.] Still retaining a grudge and enmity against Israel, and not at all softened by the kind and humane treatment his forces had met with, when in the hands of Israel; and finding he could do nothing in a secret way, by ambush, mustered all his forces together, to try what he could by open war: and went up, and besieged Samaria; Jehoram king of Israel not being able to stop him till he came to his capital, which he laid close siege to.”

“BEN-HADAD BESIEGES SAMARIA. (Kg2 6:24-33) Ben-hadad . . . besieged Samaria--This was the predicted accomplishment of the result of Ahab's foolish and misplaced kindness (Kg1 20:42).”

“After this - Perhaps some years after - when the miracle and the kind treatment were alike forgotten. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Ben - hadad - He whom Ahab wickedly spared, now comes to requite his kindness, and to fulfil that Divine prediction. Ben - hadad was a name very frequent among the kings of Syria, if not common to them all. 4 Kings (2 Kings) 6:25”

“6:24-25 So severe was this famine that normally unclean things were not only eaten but sold for an exorbitant price. Donkey meat, for example, was forbidden by the laws regarding unclean foods (Lev 11:1-7). Dove’s dung may be a variety of wild vegetable, but the consumption of dung is known from other sources describing siege conditions (Isa 36:12). The dove’s dung might also have been used for fuel.”

“gathered: Kg2 17:5, Kg2 18:9, Kg2 25:1; Deu 28:52; Kg1 20:1, Kg1 22:31; Ecc 9:14 4 Kings (2 Kings) 6:25”

“After this there arose so fearful a famine in Samaria on the occasion of a siege by Benhadad, that one mother complained to the king of another, because she would not keep her agreement to give up her son to be eaten, as she herself had already done. Kg2 6:25 The famine became great - till an ass's head was worth eighty shekels of silver, and a quarter of a cab of dove's dung was worth five shekels. היה בּ, to become for = to be worth. The ass was an unclean animal, so that it was not lawful to eat its flesh. Moreover the head of an ass is the most inedible part of the animal. Eighty shekels were about seventy thalers (10, 10s. - Tr.), or if the Mosaic bekas were called shekels in ordinary…”