2 Kings 6:1

And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha,.... Or the disciples of the prophets, as the Targum: behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us: their numbers were so

And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.

2 KINGS CHAPTER 6 Elisha, giving leave to the young prophets to enlarge their dwellings, causeth iron to swim, . He discloseth the king of Syria’ s counsel, ; who sendeth Syrians to apprehend him: he is preserved by angels: they are smitten with blindness; are brought into Samaria, and dismissed in peace, . Samaria is besieged, and brought to such extreme want and famine, that women eat their own children, . The king sendeth to slay Elisha, . The sons of the prophets; either at Beth-el, or Jericho or rather, at Gilgal; as may seem from its nearness to the river of Jordan, . With thee, or, before thy face, i.e. under thy inspection and direction; where thou dost frequently dwell with us. Or, to thy face; which may be joined with the following words; and so the sense may be this, It is apparent to thy view that this place is too strait for us. Is too strait for us; the number of the prophets increasing by the gracious providence of God, and by the ministry and miracles of Elijah and Elisha.

2 Kings 6:1 And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.Ver. 1. The place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.] Our college is so crowded, that unless some course be taken, some of us shall be necessitated to lie out of doors; as bees hang out of the hive’ s mouth on heaps, through lack of room within. This access to the number of the young prophets was in the days of idolatrous Jehoram. Plures efficimur quoties metimur, said the old Christians. The Church, like the palm tree, the more it is pressed with weight, the more it fructifieth: like the camomile plant, it flourisheth when most trodden: like the lily, it groweth by its own tears, as Pliny hath it. Fish thrive better in cold and salt waters, than in warm and fresh: the ground is most fruitful that is most harrowed: the walnut tree beareth best when most beaten, &c. Elisha’ s fame might draw more resort to him, and, as the Hebrews say, Gehazi’ s removal, who grumbled that the young prophets should partake of the provision brought in by good people to his master Elisha, in those hard times. Tertullian.

VI. THE HISTORY OF ELISHA’S MIGHTY WORKS .(1-7) The prophet causes an iron ax-head to float ýn the Jordan.(1) And the sons of the prophets said.—The form of the verb implies connection with the preceding narrative; but as the section refers to Elisha’s activity among the sons of the prophets, it was probably connected originally with 2 Kings 4:44. The compiler may have transferred it to its present position in order, as Thenius suggests, to indicate the lapse of some time between the events described here and there; and further, to separate the account of the renewed warfare between Syria and Israel (2 Kings 6:8, seq.) from that of Elisha’s good deed to Naaman the Syrian. The place where we dwell with thee.—Rather, the place where we sit before thee: scil., habitually, for instruction. The phrase occurred in 2 Kings 4:38. The common hall is meant; whether that at Gilgal or at Jericho is uncertain. Jericho was close to the Jordan (2 Kings 6:2), but that does not prove that it is meant here. The prophet’s disciples did not live in a single building, like a community of monks. Their settlement is called “dwellings” (nâyôth) in the plural (1 Samuel 19:18); and they could be married (2 Kings 4:1). Too strait.—Their numbers had increased. (Comp. 2 Kings 4:43.)

CHAPTER VI The sons of the prophets wish to enlarge their dwelling-place, and go to the banks of Jordan to cut down wood, when one of them drops his axe into the water, which Elisha causes to swim. 1-7. Elisha, understanding all the secret designs of the king of Syria against Israel, informs the king of Israel of them, 8-10. The king of Syria, finding that Elisha had thus penetrated his secrets and frustrated his attempts, sends a great host to Dothan, to take the prophet; the Lord strikes them with blindness; and Elisha leads the whole host to Samaria, and delivers them up to the king of Israel, 11-19. The Lord opens their eyes, and they see their danger, 20. But the king of Israel is prevented from destroying them; and, at the order of the prophet, gives them meat and drink, and dismisses them to their master, 21-23. Ben-hadad besieges Samaria, and reduces the city to great distress, of which several instances are given, 24-30. The king of Israel vows the destruction of Elisha, and sends to have him beheaded, 31-33. NOTES ON CHAP. VI Verse 1. The place - is too strait for us.] Notwithstanding the general profligacy of Israel, the schools of the prophets increased. This was no doubt owing to the influence of Elisha.

Ch. 2 Kings 6:1-7. Elisha causeth an axe lost in the river to float (Not in Chronicles) 1. And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha] There is nothing to indicate which out of the various prophetic communities is here spoken of. But by the proposal which follows, that they should go to the Jordan, and bring from thence each man his beam, we may conclude that the place was not far from the river. The station nearest to the Jordan of which we are told is Jericho, and it may be that there the company had grown beyond their buildings. the place where we dwell with [R.V. before] thee] The R.V. is correct, and gives more truly the picture of Elisha’s relation to these societies. From the other parts of the history we can gather that he made visits to the several settlements from time to time. And when he arrived, and while he remained, the members were about him as scholars around a teacher. They sat before him (2 Kings 4:38). Hence the preposition in this verse. is too strait for us] The religious activity of the prophetic schools must have been very great during the life of Elisha, and must also have produced its effect upon the life of the nation. We cannot regard these societies merely as retreats from the world, where the servants of Jehovah retired in despair. Such families as that at Shunem, spoken of in the last chapter, must have been of frequent occurrence. And the increase of the number of prophets may be taken as a sign that true religion was growing in the land. ‘It is a good hearing that the prophets want elbow-room.’ (Bp Hall.)

The writer returns here to the series of miracles which Elisha performed for the benefit of the prophetical schools under his care. The connection, in this point of view, is with 2 Kings 4:44.

1. The sons of the prophets — The members of one of the prophetical schools, probably the one at Jericho. Compare 2 Kings 2:5. The place where we dwell — The house we occupy here at Jericho.