Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 6:32
But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and [the king] sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: [is] not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?
Chs. 2Ki 6:32 to 2Ki 7:2. A messenger is sent to put Elisha to death. Elisha foretells a sudden plenty in Samaria (Not in Chronicles)
32. But Elisha sat in his house ] His counsels had been productive of little result, but he is less disturbed than others, having a ground for his trust which they had not found.
and the elders sat with him ] These must be understood to be the chief men of the city, who had come for his advice, having no other helper to flee unto.
and the king sent a man ] One of those who were in waiting to obey his orders and who had heard his threat against Elisha.
he said to the elders ] i.e. Elisha, divinely forwarned of the impending danger, explains to his companions what the king’s design against him was.
this son of a murderer ] ‘Still is Naboth’s blood laid in Jehoram’s dish’ (Bp Hall). The prophet speaks as though the messenger were already in sight, so vivid is his own spiritual consciousness of what the king has set afoot.
hold him fast at the door ] R.V. hold the door fast against him. The literal rendering is given on the margin of R.V., ‘Thrust him back with the door’. The doors in Oriental houses mostly opened outwards, so that if pushed from within they would come against any one that stood on the outside, and drive him backwards. Beside knowing of the king’s threat, Elisha seems to have been aware that he had almost immediately changed his purpose, and was hurrying after the messenger to prevent his order from being executed. Hence he explains to the elders that the king’s footsteps are to be heard close upon those of his servant. When they supposed, as they would from the fulfilment of the first part of his words, that Elisha knew exactly what was coming, they would be ready, although they were Jehoram’s servants, to stop the messenger so long as to see whether the king did really arrive. That the king did come we learn from 2Ki 7:17.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
But Elisha sat … – Translate, And Elisha was sitting in his house, and all the elders were sitting with him, when the king sent, etc.
The elders, – either the elders of the city or the elders of the land, – who may have been in session at Samaria now, as they had been at the time of a former siege 1Ki 20:7 – had gone to Elisha for his advice or assistance. Their imminent peril drove them to acknowledge the power of Yahweh, and to consult with His prophet.
This son of a murderer – i. e. of Ahab, the murderer, not only of Naboth, but also of all the prophets of the Lord (marginal reference), whom be allowed Jezebel to slay.
Hold him fast at the door – The elders, public officials, not private friends of Elisha, could not have been expected to resist the entrance of the executioner at the mere request of the prophet. He therefore assigns a reason for his request – the king is coming in person, either to confirm or revoke his order – will they detain the headsman until his arrival?
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 32. This son of a murderer] Jehoram, the son of Ahab and Jezebel. But Ahab is called a murderer because of the murder of Naboth.
Shut the door] He was obliged to make use of this method for his personal safety, as the king was highly incensed.
The sound of his master’s feet behind him?] That is, King Jehoram is following his messenger, that he may see him take off my head.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
In his house; in the house where he lodged; for he had no house of his own, having forsaken all when he followed Elijah, 1Ki 19:20,21.
The elders; so they might be called, either, first, from their age; or rather, secondly, from their office, which was either ecclesiastical or civil: so they were either the sons of the prophets; or rather, some godly men who were then in some power and office, either in the court, or army, or city, as may seem probable from what he requires of them. And though Jehoram was a wicked king, and most of his officers probably like himself; yet there were some of them, whom Elishas holy life, and powerful ministry, and glorious miracles, and the great and public benefits procured by him, had won to God, and to the true religion, at least to the profession of it, among which Jehu might be one: and these were here sitting with him, either to receive comfort and counsel from him in this distressed time, or rather to solicit him to use his power with God for their relief; which accordingly he doth, and in compliance with them, not out of any fear of the king, (from which he very well knew by frequent experience, and certain assurance, that God both could and would deliver him,) he gives the following answer, 2Ki 7:1.
A man from before him, or, one of them who stood before his face, one of his guard, or some other officer, to take away his head, as it follows.
He said to the elders; being admonished by God of his danger.
This son of a murderer; the genuine son of that wicked Ahab the murderer of the Lords prophets, 1Ki 18:4; 21:9; whose son he is not by birth only, but also by his manners and bloody disposition. Compare Joh 8:44. This expression may seem very harsh and unfit; nor is it to be drawn into imitation by others; but it must be considered that he was an extraordinary prophet, intrusted with a power in some sort superior to that of Jehoram, and had authority to control and rebuke him in the name of the King of kings.
To take away mine head; to kill me, before he hear what I have to say.
Hold him fast; not the king, but the messenger, who was last mentioned; that he may not break in upon me, and take away my life, before the king comes.
Is not the sound of his masters feet behind him? you shall not need to hold him long, for the king is just at his heels, coming, as is probable, either to recall his rash and furious sentence, or at least to debate the matter with the prophet, and to procure relief.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
32. But Elisha sat in his house, andthe elders sat with himThe latter clause of 2Ki6:33, which contains the king’s impatient exclamation, enables usto account for the impetuous order he issued for the beheading ofElisha. Though Jehoram was a wicked king and most of his courtierswould resemble their master, many had been won over, through theprophet’s influence, to the true religion. A meeting, probably aprayer-meeting, of those was held in the house where he lodged, forhe had none of his own (1Ki 19:20;1Ki 19:21); and them he not onlyapprised of the king’s design against himself, but disclosed to themthe proof of a premeditated deliverance.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Elisha sat in his house,…. In Samaria:
and the elders sat with him; not the elders of the city, or the magistrates thereof, but his disciples, as Josephus says p, the eldest of them, whom he admitted to greater familiarity and converse with him:
and the king sent a man from before him; to execute what he had sworn should be done that day to the prophet:
but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, see ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? which he knew by a spirit of prophecy, and spoke of it before the executioner came; he calls Joram the son of a murderer, because of his mother Jezebel, who killed Naboth, and the prophets of the Lord, and to which his father Ahab also consented, and therefore might be so called too; and he intimates hereby that he was of the same temper and disposition, and as the above oath, and his orders, showed:
look when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door; and not suffer him to come in:
is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him? that is, of Joram king of Israel, who followed the messenger, either to listen and hear what the prophet would say unto him; or repenting of his order, as Josephus q thinks, he followed him to prevent the execution.
p Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 9. c. 4. sect. 4.) q Ibid.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(32) But Elisha sat . . . with him.Rather, Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. This shows the important position which the prophet occupied at the time. The elders, who were the nobles and chiefs of Samaria, were gathered round him in his house to learn the will of Jehovah, and to receive comfort and counsel from his lips. (Comp. the way in which Zedekiah and his princes consulted Jeremiah during the last siege of JerusalemJer. 21:1-2; Jer. 38:14, seq.)
And the king sent a man.To behead the prophet, according to his oath.
From before him.Comp. 2Ki. 5:16; 2Ki. 3:14; 1Ki. 10:8. One of the royal attendantsprobably a soldier of the guardis meant.
But ere.But is wanting in the Hebrew. (The conjunction w has, perhaps, fallen out after the preceding w.)
He said to the elders.Elisha foreknew what was about to happen. (Comp. 2Ki. 5:26.) The he is emphatic: He (the prophet) said.
This son of a murderer.Referring to Ahabs murder of Naboth (1Ki. 21:19) and the prophets of Jehovah; as if to say, The son takes after his father (filius patrissat). At the same time, we must not forget the idiom by which a man is called a son of any quality or disposition which he evinces. (Comp. son of Belial, sons of pride, sons of wickedness; 2Sa. 7:10; Job. 41:34).
Hold him fast at the door.Literally, press him back with the door. The door opened inwards, and the prophet bade his friends the elders hold the door against the messenger of death.
Is not the sound . . . behind him?Elishas reason for bidding the elders hold the door. He foresaw that Jehoram would hasten in person after his messenger, to see that his savage order was carried out. (Bhr and Keil think, with Josephus, that Jehoram repented, and hurried off to restrain the sword of his minister.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
32. Sat in his house His own house in Samaria, where he was dwelling when Naaman sought his help. 2Ki 5:9.
The elders sat with him They were probably consulting together on the state of the city, and were providentially present to witness the scene that is here recorded.
This son of a murderer Son of Jezebel, who murdered the prophets of the Lord, (1Ki 18:4,) and of Ahab, who by his silence and submission to her will sanctioned her wickedness. More directly still was Ahab the murderer of Naboth. 1Ki 21:19. So now Jehoram was in heart the murderer, when he sent this messenger to behead Elisha.
His master’s feet behind him This verse and the following are obscure from their brevity. They seem to be an abridgment of a fuller narrative. It seems that immediately after the king had despatched the messenger to behead Elisha he repented of his rash action, and hastened, in company with one of his officers, to countermand his order and prevent its execution.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Ki 6:32. But Elisha sat in his house Some suppose, that by the house of Elisha, is meant the school, where the sons of the prophets met to be instructed; and by the elders, his chief scholars, who, under his instruction, applied themselves to the study of divine things. But as we frequently read in Ezekiel, of the elders of Israel sitting before the prophet to hear him, ch. 2Ki 8:1 2Ki 14:1 we cannot see why the elders in this place likewise, may not denote some good and godly men, who bore office either in the court, camp, or city; as seems probable from the prophet’s desiring their help and protection: for though Jehoram himself was a wicked man, and most of his officers might be forward enough to imitate him, yet we are not to doubt but that there were some of them, whom Elisha’s holy life and glorious miracles, together with the sundry benefits which the public reaped from his ministry, had won over to God, and to the true religion; and those were here sitting with him, either to receive comfort and counsel from him in this distressing time, or to solicit him to use his power with God for their relief: which accordingly he did, and in compliance with their request, not out of any fear of the king’s threats, from which, he was well assured, God would not fail to deliver him, he pronounced the joyful news which follows in the beginning of the next chapter.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Ki 6:32 But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and [the king] sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: [is] not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?
Ver. 32. The king sent a man. ] An executioner.
See ye how this son of a murderer.
Is not the sound, &c.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
hold him fast at the door: or, hold the door fast against him. App-6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
2Ki 6:32-33
2Ki 6:32-33
THE ORDER WENT FORTH TO KILL ELISHA
“But Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away my head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold the door fast against him; is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him? And while he was yet talking with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of Jehovah; why should I wait for Jehovah any longer?”
As Montgomery noted, we must read “The king of Israel as the speaker in that last sentence.” We get the clue to this in the previous verse, where Elisha revealed that the king himself would appear shortly after the arrival of the messenger. The king, of course, was ready to execute Elisha, but Elisha’s bold word, “THUS SAITH JEHOVAH,” frustrated the king’s evil intention. This narrative will be concluded in 2 Kings 7.
E.M. Zerr:
2Ki 6:32. Elisha was a national prophet of God, and was informed by inspiration of the king’s plot. He prepared himself against attack by having the elders, men of outstanding rank, to bar the door against the entrance of the execution party.
2Ki 6:33. While Elisha was talking with the elders, the messenger of the king of Israel came, the king immediately following. When they got to the door of Elisha’s house they found it locked against them. By this time the king concluded that the whole difficulty of the siege and famine was from the Lord, and that it would be vain to oppose it farther. What should I wait, etc., means he was despairing of receiving any help from the Lord. However, Elisha assured him that the situation would soon be eased. This assurance is shown in the next chapter.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
the elders: Eze 8:1, Eze 14:1, Eze 20:1, Eze 33:31
ere the messenger: 2Ki 6:12, 2Ki 5:26
See ye how: Luk 13:32
son of a murderer: 1Ki 18:4, 1Ki 18:13, 1Ki 18:14, 1Ki 21:10
the sound: 1Ki 14:6
Reciprocal: Exo 7:1 – See 2Ki 3:2 – wrought 2Ki 5:9 – General 2Ki 7:18 – as the man 2Ki 8:4 – all the great Jer 32:3 – Zedekiah Lam 3:39 – a man Act 5:9 – the feet Heb 11:34 – escaped
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ki 6:32. Elisha sat in his house In the house where he lodged; for it is probable he had no house of his own, having forsaken all to follow Elijah. And the elders sat with him Either the sons of the prophets, or rather some good and godly men, such as are frequently termed elders in the prophecy of Ezekiel, who bore some office either in the court, army, or city, as seems probable from the prophets desiring their help and protection. For though Jehoram was a wicked man, and most of his officers, probably, as wicked as himself; yet, as Poole justly observes, we cannot doubt but there were some among them whom his holy life, powerful ministry, and glorious miracles, with the great benefits procured by him for the public, had won to God and the true religion; at least to the profession of it, among whom Jehu might be one; and these were here sitting with him, either to receive counsel and comfort from him in this distressing time, or to solicit him to use his power with God for their relief; which he accordingly did, and pronounced the joyful news which follows in the beginning of the next chapter. The king sent a man before him One of his guard, or some other officer, to take away his head, as it follows. But ere the messenger came, he said, &c. Being admonished by God of his danger. See how this son of a murderer The genuine son of that wicked Ahab, the murderer of the Lords prophets. This expression may seem very harsh and unfit, nor is it to be drawn into imitation by others: but it must be considered that he was an extraordinary prophet, intrusted with a power in some sort superior to that of Jehoram, and had authority to control and rebuke him in the name of the King of kings. Shut the door, and hold him That he may not break in upon me, and take away my life, before the king comes. Is not the sound of his masters feet behind him? You shall not need to hold him long, for the king is just at his heels. It is probable he was coming, either to recall his rash order, or, at least, to debate the matter with the prophet, and obtain relief.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
6:32 But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and [the king] sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a {q} murderer hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: [is] not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?
(q) Meaning, Jehoram Ahab’s son, who killed the prophets and caused Naboth to be stoned.