2 Kings 6:32

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.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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.] To wit, Of Ahab, that slaughter man of God’s servants; and Joram doth patrissare, take after him notably. See Mat 23:35.

Is not the sound, &c.] The king repenting, came with a countermand.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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 prophet’s 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 Lord’s 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 master’s 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.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6:32 Elisha was aware that Joram was sending a messenger to assassinate him and that the king was not far behind.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Meaning, Jehoram Ahab’s son, who killed the Prophets, and caused Naboth to be stoned.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him--The latter clause of Kg2 6:33, which contains the king's impatient exclamation, enables us to account for the impetuous order he issued for the beheading of Elisha. Though Jehoram was a wicked king and most of his courtiers would resemble their master, many had been won over, through the prophet's influence, to the true religion. A meeting, probably a prayer-meeting, of those was held in the house where he lodged, for he had none of his own (Kg1 19:20-21); and them he not only apprised of the king's design against himself, but disclosed to them the proof of a premeditated deliverance.

Next: 2 Kings Chapter 7

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(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 Jerusalem—Jer_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 attendants—probably a soldier of the guard—is meant.

But ere.—“But” is wanting in the Hebrew. (The conjunction wĕ 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 Ahab’s 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?—Elisha’s 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. (Bähr and Keil think, with Josephus, that Jehoram repented, and hurried off to restrain the sword of his minister.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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?”

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Murderer. Achab had slain Naboth, and Jezabel had destroyed the prophets. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

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 Elisha’s 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 Lord’s 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 master’s 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.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

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.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him. It is best to translate, Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him, when the king sent a man from before him. Elisha had a house in Samaria, where he ordinarily resided, and from which he made his circuits. He happened to be sitting there, and the elders of the city to be sitting with him, when Jehoram sent "a man from before him," i.e. one of the court officials, to put him to death. The "elders" had probably assembled at Elisha"s house to consult with him on the critical situation of affairs, and (if possible) obtain from him some miraculous assistance. 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; Elisha was supernaturally warned of what was about to take place that an executioner was coming almost immediately to take away his life, and that the king himself would arrive shortly after. He calls the king "this son of a murderer," or rather "this son of the murderer," with reference to Ahab, the great murderer of the time, who had sanctioned all Jezebel"s cruelties-the general massacre of the prophets of Jehovah, (1Ki_18:13) the judicial murder of Naboth, (1Ki_21:9-13) the attempt to kill Elijah (1Ki_19:2) and had, by a fierce and long continued persecution, reduced the worshippers of Jehovah in Israel to the scanty number of seven thousand. (1Ki_19:18) Jehoram had now shown that he inherited the bloodthirsty disposition of his father, and had justly earned the epithet which Elisha bestowed on him.

Look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door. Keil renders the last clause, "force him back at the door;" the LXX "press upon him in the doorway paraqliyate aujtorathey were not to allow him to enter the apartment. Is not the sound of his master"s feet behind him? Elisha adds this as a reason why the elders should stop the messenger. He could not in a general way have expected them to resist the king"s will as declared by his representative; but he might reasonably ask a short respite, if the king was just about to arrive at the house, to confirm the order that he had given, or to revoke it.

Princes may be resisted when they are bent upon wrong-doing.

There was a time when princes were flattered, by being told that they "could do no wrong;" that "a divinity hedged them in;" that their subjects were bound to render them, under all circumstances, an absolute and unqualified obedience. But this is certainly not scriptural teaching. The higher powers are to be obeyed in their lawful commands, but not in their unlawful ones. When Pharaoh, King of Egypt, commanded the midwives to put to death all the male children borne by the Hebrew women, "the midwives feared God, and did not as the King of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive"; (Exo_1:17) and God rewarded them for so acting: "Therefore God dealt well with the midwives... and because they feared God, he made them houses". (Exo_1:20, Exo_1:21) So now Elisha, the prophet of God, bids the elders resist the king"s messenger him fast," and not let him execute the king"s commands. Again,the higher powers, the great council of the Sanhedrin, commanded Peter and John, shortly after the Day of Pentecost, "not to speak at all nor preach in the Name of Jesus"; (Act_4:18) to whom the apostles replied, "Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard". (Act_4:19, Act_4:20) Resistance to lawful authority, when it commands unlawful acts, is an important part of a Christian man"s duty, and ought to be inculcated just as much as obedience to lawful authority when it commands lawful acts.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He said - Being admonished by God of his danger. This son - The genuine son of that wicked Ahab the murderer of the Lord's 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 Joram, and had authority to control and rebuke him in the name of the king of kings. Hold him - That he may not break in upon me, and take away my life, before the king comes.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

The king sent a man from before him

"To be before the king" means to be one of his servants. AT: "The king of Israel sent one of his servants as a messenger" (See: Idiom)

when the messenger came to Elisha, he said to the elders

Here Elisha is speaking to the elders right before the king's messenger arrived. AT: "when the messenger had almost arrived, Elisha said to the elders" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

See how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head?

Elisha uses this rhetorical question to draw attention to the kings messenger and to insult the king. This can be written as a statement. AT: "See, this son of a murderer has sent someone to remove my head!" (See: Rhetorical Question)

son of a murderer

This means that the king of Israel has the characteristics of a murderer. AT: "this man who is like a murderer" or "that murderer" (See: Idiom)

has sent to

It is understood that he sent a person. AT: "has sent someone to" (See: Ellipsis)

to take away my head

This means to behead him. AT: "to cut off my head" or "to behead me" (See: Euphemism)

Look, when

Elisha uses this word here to draw the elder's attention to what he says next. AT: "Listen to what I want you to do: when"

hold the door shut against him

If a door is shut against someone it means that it is closed and that they may not enter through it. AT: "hold the door shut so that he cannot come in" (See: Idiom)

Is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?

Elisha uses this question to assure the elders that the king is coming not far behind him. This rhetorical question may be written as a statement. AT: "The sound of his master's feet is right behind him." or "The king will be coming along soon after he arrives." (See: Rhetorical Question)

behold, the messenger

The word "behold" alerts us to the arrival of the messenger.

the messenger came down to him

The messenger arrived, and so did the king, as Elisha had said he would. The phrase "came down to him" means that they arrived at the place where he was. AT: "the messenger and the king arrived" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information and Idiom)

Behold

"Pay attention, because what I am about to say is both true and important"

this trouble

"Indeed, this trouble." The word "behold" here adds emphasis to what follows. The phrase "this trouble" refers to the famine in Samaria and the suffering it caused.

Why should I wait for Yahweh any longer?

This king use this rhetorical question to emphasize that he does not believe that Yahweh is going to help them. This can be written as a statement. AT: "Why should I continue to wait for Yahweh to help us?" or "I will not wait any longer for help from Yahweh!" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information and Rhetorical Question)

translationWords

elder

son

lord

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

And he sent a man from his presence. The king sent [a man] to kill him, and before the messenger had come to Elisha, it was revealed to him through the Divine Spirit, and he said to the elders, etc., [after which Scripture states,] “and behold the messenger was coming down to him,” and the king was after him.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.