2 Kings 6:32

30 And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.

31 Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.

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?

33 And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the LORD; what should I wait for the LORD any longer?

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Now 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?”
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?
WEB
But Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Then the king sent a man from before him; but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, “Do you see how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? Behold, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold the door shut against him. Isn’t the sound of his master’s feet behind him?”
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?
DARBY
And Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him. And [the king] sent a man before him. Before the messenger came to him, he himself said to the elders, Do ye see how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? See, when the messenger comes; shut the door, and keep him off with the door: is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?
BLB
And Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. And he sent a man ahead of him, but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, “Do you⁺ see how this son of a murderer has sent someone to take away my head? Look, at the coming in of the messenger, shut the door and hold him fast at the door. Is there not the sound of the feet of his master behind him?”
ÅB
Mens Elisa satt i sitt hus, og de eldste satt der hos ham, sendte kongen en mann dit foran seg; men før budet kom til ham[^2], sa han til de eldste: Ser dere at denne mordersønn[^3] har sendt bud hit for å ta mitt hode? Se nå til å stenge døren når budet kommer, og trykke ham tilbake med den! Høres ikke allerede lyden av hans herres trinn etter ham?
OTB
Nå satt Elisja i sitt hus, og de eldste satt sammen med ham. Og kongen sendte en mann foran seg, men før budbringeren kom til ham, sa han til de eldste, "Ser dere hvordan denne morderens sønn har sendt noen for å ta mitt hode? Se, når budbringeren kommer, lukk døren og hold den stengt mot ham. Er ikke lyden av hans herres føtter bak ham?"
B1930
Mens Elisa satt i sitt hus, og de eldste satt der hos ham, sendte kongen en mann dit foran sig; men før budet kom til ham, sa han til de eldste: Ser I at denne mordersønn har sendt bud hit for å ta mitt hode? Se nu til å stenge døren når budet kommer, og trykke ham tilbake med den! Høres ikke allerede lyden av hans herres trin efter ham? / < Elisa.> / < Akabs sønn, 1KG 19, 10. 14; 21, 19.>

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Ezekiel 14:1

    Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me.

    Read in context
  • Ezekiel 8:1

    And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me.

    Read in context
  • Ezekiel 20:1

    And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the LORD, and sat before me.

    Read in context
  • 1 Kings 18:4

    For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

    Read in context
  • 1 Kings 18:13–14

    Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the LORD’s prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?

    Read in context
  • 1 Kings 21:10

    And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.

    Read in context
  • Luke 13:32

    And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

    Read in context
  • 1 Kings 21:13

    And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.

    Read in context