2 Kings 6:32 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

But Elisha sat in his house— Some suppose, that by the house of Elisha, is meant the school, where the sons of the prophets met to be instructed; and by the elders, his chief scholars, who, under his instruction, applied themselves to the study of divine things. But as we frequently read in Ezekiel, of the elders of Israel sitting before the prophet to hear him, ch. Exodus 8:1 Exodus 14:1 we cannot see why the elders in this place likewise, may not denote some good and godly men, who bore office either in the court, camp, or city; as seems probable from the prophet's desiring their help and protection: for though Jehoram himself was a wicked man, and most of his officers might be forward enough to imitate him, yet we are not to doubt but that there were some of them, whom Elisha's holy life and glorious miracles, together with the sundry benefits which the public reaped from his ministry, had won over to God, and to the true religion; and those were here sitting with him, either to receive comfort and counsel from him in this distressing time, or to solicit him to use his power with God for their relief: which accordingly he did, and in compliance with their request, not out of any fear of the king's threats, from which, he was well assured, God would not fail to deliver him, he pronounced the joyful news which follows in the beginning of the next chapter.