Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Kings 2:3

"And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that Jehovah will take away thy master from thy head to-day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace." — 2 Kings 2:3 (ASV)

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 Bethel.

Came out to Elisha. —He probably walked a short distance ahead of his master to announce his approach.

And said to him. —The prophetic college had been divinely forewarned of Elijah’s departure.

The Lord will take away ... today. —“Today” is emphatic. “Do you know that this day Jehovah is about to take away your lord from beside you?”

The word “head” may signify self or person, similar to how “soul” and other terms are used. (1 Samuel 28:2; 2 Samuel 1:16.)

Others explain “from over your head” as meaning from his position of superiority over you as your master and teacher. (See 1 Kings 19:21; Acts 22:3.)

Still others, though very improbably, take the words literally as a reference to Elijah’s ascension, “away over your head.”

Yes, I know. —Rather, I, too, know.

Hold your peace. —Elisha says this, not to prevent the gathering of a crowd to witness the spectacle of Elijah’s departure, nor to imply that his master’s modesty would be shocked by much talk about 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!”