2 Kings 6:32
in 2 Kings 6Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. The king sent a messenger ahead, but before he arrived, Elisha said to the elders, “Do you see how this murderer has sent someone to cut off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door to keep him out. Is not the sound of his master’s footsteps behind him?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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?
KJV
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?
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This verse in 2 Kings 6
Commentary
9 notes on this verseThis 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.
This site's exposition
God do so and more also to me
on 2 Kings 6:31-33
The king swears an oath to have Elisha's head before the day ends, naming him son of a murderer rather than prophet, laying blame on the man who warned him rather than on the sin that brought the siege. Elisha, sitting with the elders, already knows the messenger is coming and has the door held against him, telling them to listen for the sound of his master's feet close behind, the king following his own errand in person. When the king himself arrives he speaks the chapter's last line, this evil is of the Lord, what should I wait for the Lord any longer, laying the famine at God's door in the same breath he has just laid the prophet's death at his own hand.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"Some time later King Ben-hadad of Aram mustered his entire army; he marched against Samaria and laid siege to it." This is that Ben-hadad who had been condemned to death by God; and Ahab had received the order to execute him. But he spared his …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
The same spirit of prophecy that enabled Elisha to tell him what was done at a distance authorized him to call the king the son of a murderer, which, unless we could produce such an extraordinary commission, it is not for us to initiate; far be it from us to despise dominion and to speak evil of dignities.
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.
And Elisha sat in his house,....
Concerning the sons of the prophets, and their condition and character. The college here spoken of seems to be that at Gilgal, for there Elisha was ( ch. iv. 38 ), and it was near Jordan; and, probably, wherever Elisha resided as many as could of the sons of the prophets flocked to him for the advantage of his instructions, counsels, and prayers.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
A meeting, probably a prayer-meeting, of those was held in the house where he lodged, for he had none of his own (1Ki 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.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
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?”
The words behind it
39 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וֶאֱלִישָׁע֙ | veelisha' | and Elisha | H477 → | 58 times |
| יֹשֵׁ֣ב | yoshev | [was] sitting | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| בְּבֵית֔וֹ | beveito | in house his | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| וְהַזְּקֵנִ֖ים | vehazekenim | and the elders | H2205 → | 178 times |
| יֹשְׁבִ֣ים | yoshevim | [were] sitting | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| אִתּ֑וֹ | ʾito | with him | H854 → | 929 times |
| וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח | vaiyishlach | and he sent | H7971 → | 845 times |
| אִ֜ישׁ | ʾish | a man | H376 → | 1663 times |
| מִלְּפָנָ֗יו | milefanav | from to before him | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| בְּטֶ֣רֶם | beterem | <in> before | H2962 → | |
| יָבֹא֩ | yavo' | he came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| הַמַּלְאָ֨ךְ | hamalakh | the messenger | H4397 → | 213 times |
| אֵלָ֜יו | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| וְה֣וּא׀ | vehu' | and he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| אָמַ֣ר | ʾamar | he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַזְּקֵנִ֗ים | hazekenim | the elders | H2205 → | 178 times |
| הַרְּאִיתֶם֙ | hareitem | ¿ do you see | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| שָׁלַ֞ח | shalach | he has sent | H7971 → | 845 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| הַֽמְרַצֵּ֤חַ | hamratzeach | the murderer | H7523 → | |
| הַזֶּה֙ | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| לְהָסִ֣יר | lehasir | to remove | H5493 → | 299 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| רֹאשִׁ֔י | roshi | head my | H7218 → | 599 times |
| רְא֣וּ׀ | reu | look | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| כְּבֹ֣א | kevo' | when comes | H935 → | 2568 times |
| הַמַּלְאָ֗ךְ | hamalakh | the messenger | H4397 → | 213 times |
| סִגְר֤וּ | sigru | shut | H5462 → | 91 times |
| הַדֶּ֙לֶת֙ | hadelet | the door | H1817 → | 88 times |
| וּלְחַצְתֶּ֤ם | ulechatztem | and you will push | H3905 → | 19 times |
| אֹתוֹ֙ | ʾoto | <obj.> him | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בַּדֶּ֔לֶת | badelet | with the door | H1817 → | 88 times |
| הֲל֗וֹא | halo' | ¿ not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| ק֛וֹל | kol | [is] [the] sound of | H6963 → | 506 times |
| רַגְלֵ֥י | raglei | [the] feet of | H7272 → | 247 times |
| אֲדֹנָ֖יו | ʾadonav | master<s> his | H113 → | 333 times |
| אַחֲרָֽיו׃ | ʾacharav | after him | H310 → | 715 times |
וֶאֱלִישָׁע֙and Elisha
veelisha'H477 →58 times
יֹשֵׁ֣ב[was] sitting
yoshevH3427 →1079 times
בְּבֵית֔וֹin house his
beveitoH1004 →2046 times
וְהַזְּקֵנִ֖יםand the elders
vehazekenimH2205 →178 times
יֹשְׁבִ֣ים[were] sitting
yoshevimH3427 →1079 times
אִתּ֑וֹwith him
ʾitoH854 →929 times
וַיִּשְׁלַ֨חand he sent
vaiyishlachH7971 →845 times
אִ֜ישׁa man
ʾishH376 →1663 times
מִלְּפָנָ֗יוfrom to before him
milefanavH6440 →2123 times
בְּטֶ֣רֶם<in> before
beteremH2962 →
יָבֹא֩he came
yavo'H935 →2568 times
הַמַּלְאָ֨ךְthe messenger
hamalakhH4397 →213 times
אֵלָ֜יוto him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
וְה֣וּא׀and he
vehu'H1931 →1879 times
אָמַ֣רhe said
ʾamarH559 →5305 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הַזְּקֵנִ֗יםthe elders
hazekenimH2205 →178 times
הַרְּאִיתֶם֙¿ do you see
hareitemH7200 →1300 times
כִּֽי־that
ki-H3588 →4482 times
שָׁלַ֞חhe has sent
shalachH7971 →845 times
בֶּן־[the] son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
הַֽמְרַצֵּ֤חַthe murderer
hamratzeachH7523 →
הַזֶּה֙<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
לְהָסִ֣ירto remove
lehasirH5493 →299 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
רֹאשִׁ֔יhead my
roshiH7218 →599 times
רְא֣וּ׀look
reuH7200 →1300 times
כְּבֹ֣אwhen comes
kevo'H935 →2568 times
הַמַּלְאָ֗ךְthe messenger
hamalakhH4397 →213 times
סִגְר֤וּshut
sigruH5462 →91 times
הַדֶּ֙לֶת֙the door
hadeletH1817 →88 times
וּלְחַצְתֶּ֤םand you will push
ulechatztemH3905 →19 times
אֹתוֹ֙<obj.> him
ʾotoH853 →10935 times
בַּדֶּ֔לֶתwith the door
badeletH1817 →88 times
הֲל֗וֹא¿ not
halo'H3808 →5168 times
ק֛וֹל[is] [the] sound of
kolH6963 →506 times
רַגְלֵ֥י[the] feet of
ragleiH7272 →247 times
אֲדֹנָ֖יוmaster<s> his
ʾadonavH113 →333 times
אַחֲרָֽיו׃after him
ʾacharavH310 →715 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ezekiel 20:1In the seventh year, on the tenth day of the fifth month, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and they sat down before me.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 8:1
In the sixth year, on the fifth day of the sixth month, I was sitting in my house, and the elders of Judah were sitting before me; and there the hand of the Lord…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ezekiel 32:1
In the twelfth year, on the first day of the twelfth month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
- Ezekiel 8:1
Through
Ezekiel 8:1In the sixth year, on the fifth day of the sixth month, I was sitting in my house, and the elders of Judah were sitting before me; and there the hand of the Lord…
it leads to
- Ezekiel 20:1
In the seventh year, on the tenth day of the fifth month, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and they sat down before me.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ezekiel 14:1
Then some of the elders of Israel came and sat down before me.
- Ezekiel 1:2–3
On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin—
- Ezekiel 20:1
Through
Ezekiel 14:1Then some of the elders of Israel came and sat down before me.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 33:31
So My people come to you as usual, sit before you, and hear your words; but they do not put them into practice. Although they express love with their mouths, their hearts pursue dishonest…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 29:13
Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught…
- Ezekiel 33:31
Through
1 Kings 18:4for when Jezebel had slaughtered the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty men per cave, providing them with food and water.)
it leads to
- 1 Kings 18:13
Was it not reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel slaughtered the prophets of the LORD? I hid a hundred prophets of the LORD, fifty men per cave, and I provided them…
- 1 Kings 18:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Kings

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ephrem the Syrian, ON THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS 6:24; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil, The Books of the Kings and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
