The Meaning of 2 Kings 6:27 Explained

2 Kings 6:27

KJV: And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?

YLT: And he saith, 'Jehovah doth not save thee -- whence do I save thee? out of the threshing-floor, or out of the wine-vat?'

Darby: And he said, If Jehovah do not help thee, whence should I help thee? Out of the threshing-floor, or out of the winepress?

ASV: And he said, If Jehovah do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the threshing-floor, or out of the winepress?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he said,  If the LORD  do not help  thee, whence  shall I help  thee? out of the barnfloor,  or out of the winepress? 

What does 2 Kings 6:27 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 6:24-33 - The Dire Straits Of Those Who Forsake God
This siege was the result of Ahab's foolish and misplaced leniency. See 1 Kings 20:42. The children are often called to suffer for the misdeeds and follies of their parents. Let us bear this in mind. "No man liveth to himself." Conduct yourself so that none may be offended through long years after you have passed from earth.
Apparently Elisha had counseled the king not to surrender, with the further assurance of deliverance on condition of his repentance. Jehoram therefore assumed the signs of penitence and contrition without the reality; and when the promised deliverance was not forthcoming, he put the blame of Israel's calamities on the prophet, and vowed vengeance against his life. The elders were gathered with Elisha, perhaps for prayer, when Elisha apprised them of the advent of the king's messenger, with his announcement of the royal determination not to wait for God any longer. The trial of our patience is more precious than of gold, but how few of us can endure it! [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Kings 6

1  Elisha, allowing the young prophets to enlarge dwellings, floats an axhead
8  He discloses the king of Syria's counsel
13  The army which was sent to Dothan to apprehend Elisha, is blinded
19  Being brought into Samaria, they are dismissed in peace
24  The famine in Samaria causes women to eat their own children
30  The king sends to slay Elisha

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 6:27 mean?

And he said not if does help you Yahweh where can I find help for you from the threshing floor or from the winepress
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַל־ יוֹשִׁעֵ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה מֵאַ֖יִן אֽוֹשִׁיעֵ֑ךְ הֲמִן־ הַגֹּ֖רֶן א֥וֹ מִן־ ؟ הַיָּֽקֶב

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙  And  he  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יוֹשִׁעֵ֣ךְ  if  does  help  you 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, second person feminine singular
Root: יָשַׁע 
Sense: to save, be saved, be delivered.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מֵאַ֖יִן  where 
Parse: Preposition-m, Adverb
Root: אַיִן  
Sense: where?, whence?.
אֽוֹשִׁיעֵ֑ךְ  can  I  find  help  for  you 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular, second person feminine singular
Root: יָשַׁע 
Sense: to save, be saved, be delivered.
הַגֹּ֖רֶן  the  threshing  floor 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: גֹּרֶן  
Sense: threshing-floor.
؟ הַיָּֽקֶב  the  winepress 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יֶקֶב  
Sense: wine vat, wine-press.