²⁶ While the king of Israel was walking along the city^[a] wall, a woman cried out to him. “Help me, your majesty!”^[b] she said.

²⁷ He replied, “No! Since the Lord won’t give you victory, how will I be able to deliver you? From the threshing floor? From the wine press?” ²⁸ Then the king asked her, “What’s bothering^[c] you?”

She said, “This woman told me, ‘Give up your son, and we’ll eat him today, and we’ll eat my son tomorrow.’”