But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.
Bring me a minstrel. The effect of music in soothing the mind is much regarded in the East; and it appears that the ancient prophets, before entering on their work, commonly resorted to it as a preparative, by praise and prayer, and sometimes by ascetic exercises, to their receiving the prophetic afflatus (see as to the condition of the prophets when about to deliver their prophecies, Hengstenberg, 'Christology,' 1:, p. 294; Henderson, 'On Inspiration,' p. 19). The mind of Elisha was in all probability agitated and vexed by the scene that was enacted around him; and he desired something to soothe and tranquillize his passions. "A minstrel" х mªnageen (H5059)] - a player on a stringed instrument (cf. 1 Samuel 16:16; Psalms 33:3) [Septuagint, psallonta]. The minstrel who played before the prophet was probably in the train of the king of Israel; for it was a common custom for kings to have a band of musicians attendant upon them (1 Samuel 16:23; Daniel 3:4-5; Daniel 6:18).
The hand of the Lord - a phrase significantly implying that the gift of prophecy was not a natural or inherent gift, but conferred by the power and grace of God.