Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Kings 6:32

"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?" — 2 Kings 6:32 (ASV)

But Elisha sat... — This should be translated as, “And Elisha was sitting in his house, and all the elders were sitting with him, when the king sent…”

The “elders” mentioned were either the elders of the city or the elders of the land. They may have been in session at Samaria, just as they had been during a previous siege (1 Kings 20:7), and had come to Elisha for his advice and assistance. Their imminent peril drove them to acknowledge the power of Yahweh and to consult with His prophet.

This son of a murderer. — This refers to Ahab, the murderer of not only Naboth but also of all the prophets of the Lord (as a marginal reference indicates), whom he allowed Jezebel to kill.

Hold him fast at the door. — The elders were public officials, not Elisha's private friends, so they could not have been expected to resist the executioner's entrance at the prophet's mere request. Therefore, Elisha gives a reason for his request, essentially asking: "The king is coming in person, either to confirm or revoke his order—will you detain the executioner until his arrival?"