Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Please take note that the place where we meet with you is too small for us.
Parallel translations
- WEB The sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See now, the place where we live and meet with you is too small for us.
- KJV And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.
- NKJV And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See now, the place where we dwell with you is too small for us.
- NASB Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Behold now, the place before you where we are living is too cramped for us.
- NLT One day the group of prophets came to Elisha and told him, “As you can see, this place where we meet with you is too small.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The growing company of prophets tells Elisha their dwelling is too cramped. It signals the flourishing of a faithful prophetic community under his leadership.
Overview
The 'sons of the prophets' were a guild or school gathered around Elisha for instruction and worship. Their need for larger quarters reflects the spiritual fruitfulness of his ministry even during a period of national apostasy. The scene introduces the everyday setting for the miracle that follows, showing God's care extending to ordinary practical needs. It reminds readers that God preserves a faithful remnant and provides for those devoted to His word.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- 2 Kgs 2:3Then the sons of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the LORD will take your master away from you today?” “Yes, I know,” he replied. “Do not speak of it.”
- Isa 54:2–3“Enlarge the site of your tent, stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, do not hold back. Lengthen your ropes and drive your stakes in deep.
- Isa 49:19–20For your ruined and desolate places and your ravaged land will now indeed be too small for your people, and those who devoured you will be far away.
- 1 Sam 19:20he sent messengers to capture him. But when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came upon them, and Saul’s messengers also began to prophesy.
- Josh 19:47(Later, when the territory of the Danites was lost to them, they went up and fought against Leshem, captured it, and put it to the sword. So they took possession of Leshem, settled there, and renamed it after their father Dan.)
- 1 Kgs 20:35Meanwhile, by the word of the LORD, one of the sons of the prophets said to his companion, “Strike me, please!” But the man refused to strike him.
- 2 Kgs 4:1Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And now his creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves!”
- Josh 17:14Then the sons of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one portion as an inheritance? We have many people, because the LORD has blessed us abundantly.”
- Job 36:16Indeed, He drew you from the jaws of distress to a spacious and broad place, to a table full of richness.
- 2 Kgs 4:38When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a famine in the land. As the sons of the prophets were sitting at his feet, he said to his attendant, “Put on the large pot and boil some stew for the sons of the prophets.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Amid the long decline toward exile, the promise to David's house refuses to die; the flickering lamp kept burning anticipates the coming King who will not fail or be cut off.
How 2 Kings 6:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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