The story of Israelites buying dove droppings in 2 Kings 6:25 provides insight into a desperate time in Israel’s history. To fully understand this unusual purchase, we must examine the context, the significance of the price paid, and what it reveals about the spiritual state of Israel at that time.
The Historical Context
2 Kings 6 opens during the reign of King Jehoram of Israel. The king of Aram was waging war against Israel (v.8). God repeatedly revealed the Aramean army’s plans to Elisha, allowing the Israelites to evade capture (vv.9-10). Frustrated, the Aramean king sent a great army to surround the city of Dothan where Elisha was staying (v.14).
When Elisha’s servant saw the army, he feared, but Elisha prayed that God would open his servant’s eyes. Suddenly, the servant saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire protecting them (vv.15-17). That night, Elisha prayed that the Aramean army would be struck blind, which God did (v.18). Elisha then led the blind army to Samaria, the capital of Israel. When their eyes were opened, the king of Israel asked if he should kill them. Elisha instead instructed the king to feed them and send them back to their master (vv.19-23). As a result, the Arameans stopped raiding Israel for a while (v.23).
But in 2 Kings 6:24, the Aramean raids resumed. Ben-hadad, the Aramean king, besieged Samaria, causing a great famine. Verse 25 then records that the famine was so severe that a donkey’s head sold for 80 shekels of silver and a quarter cab of seed pods for 5 shekels.
The Exorbitant Price
To appreciate the extremity of paying 5 shekels for dove droppings, we must understand the value of a shekel. A shekel weighed about 11 grams, so 5 shekels was about 55 grams or 2 ounces of silver. Records from the period show a day’s wage for a common laborer was about 1/6 ounce of silver.
So 5 shekels of silver was an exorbitant price for dove droppings, which had no nutritional value. This reflects the desperation caused by the severe famine brought on by the Aramean siege of Samaria. The people were starving with no food left to eat.
We can also compare the price paid for the dove droppings with the cost of other commodities at that time. Verse 25 records an average donkey’s head sold for 80 shekels of silver. Estimates suggest a donkey’s head weighed 20-40 lbs. So per pound, the donkey head cost 2-4 shekels. Yet they paid 5 shekels for just 2 ounces of dove droppings!
The inflated price indicates the high demand and extreme scarcity of any potential food during this dire famine. The people were willing to pay ridiculous prices for even worthless items in hopes of finding anything edible. Their desperation led them to buy dove droppings at over twice the going rate for donkey heads.
Spiritual Significance
The Israelites’ willingness to pay so much for dove droppings also reveals their spiritual state. God had warned Israel that rejecting Him would lead to curses like famine (Deuteronomy 28:15,48). Earlier in 2 Kings, we read how the kings of Israel led the people into idolatry and sin (2 Kings 3:2-3; 10:29; 17:7-23).
The Aramean invasion was God’s instrument for disciplining the wayward nation. But Israel still failed to repent and turn back to God. Instead of crying out to Him for deliverance, the people scrambled to find food anywhere they could—even paying exorbitant prices for worthless dove droppings. This act of desperation indicates that Israel remained trapped in sin, needing to seek God rather than scavenge for scraps.
The high price paid for dove droppings underscores a key spiritual truth: Sin and rebellion against God lead only to more desperation. When we forsake the Lord, we end up grasping at worthless things, trying to find meaning and solutions apart from Him. Like wayward Israel, we often scramble for temporary relief rather than crying out to the Lord to be saved and satisfied in Him alone.
Applications for Us
Though we are not besieged by enemies as ancient Israel was, their example still offers vital applications for us today:
1. **Turn to God first.** In crisis or lack, our first response should be to turn to the Lord, not human solutions. Isaiah 41:17 promises that the poor and needy who seek water will be answered by God Himself.
2. **Guard against idols.** Idolatry and sin always progresses from bad to worse (Jeremiah 16:10-13). Often it leads to bondage and lack. We must guard our hearts against idolatry (Colossians 3:5), which promises satisfaction but only delivers desperation.
3. **Seek God’s kingdom first.** God promises to supply the needs of those who seek His kingdom above all else (Matthew 6:33). When we pursue Him first, He provides what we truly need.
The story of Israelites buying dove droppings is more than just an obscure ancient detail. It offers relevant warnings and promises for us today. As we heed its lessons, may we turn to the Lord who alone can satisfy our souls, meet our needs, and deliver us from all desperation.