The sons of the prophets. — See Notes on 1 Kings 20:35; 1 Samuel 10:10; 1 Samuel 19:20. There was a guild of prophets at Beth-el.
Came forth to Elisha. — Who probably walked a little way before his master, to announce his approach.
And said unto him. — The prophetic college had been divinely forewarned of Elijah’s departure.
The Lord will take away... to day. — “To day” is emphatic. “Knowest thou that this day Jehovah is about to take away thy lord from beside thee?” The word “head” may signify self, or person, like the word “soul,” and other terms. (Comp. Genesis 40:13; 1 Samuel 28:2; 2 Samuel 1:16.) Others explain “from over thy head,” i.e., from his position of superiority over thee as thy master and teacher. (See 1 Kings 19:21; Acts 22:3.) Others again, but very improbably, take the words literally as a reference to Elijah’s ascension, “away over thine head.”
Yea, I know. — Rather, I, too, know.
Hold ye your peace. — Elisha says this, not to prevent the gathering of a crowd to witness the spectacle of Elijah’s departure, nor yet to intimate that his master’s modesty will be shocked by much talk of his approaching exaltation, but simply to suggest that the subject is painful both to him and to his beloved master. The Hebrew term, hehĕshû, imitates the sound, like our “hush!”