The sons of the prophets: As in 1 Kgs 20.35, this expression is used as a name for the members of a group of people engaged in prophetic activity and living together more or less as an order or a brotherhood. The expression occurs ten times in 2 Kings and a similar one is found in Amos 2.11. Nueva Versión Internacional translates “the members of the community of prophets.”

Came out to Elisha: The verb used here in Revised Standard Version indicates that the prophetic group left Bethel and met Elisha before he entered the city. This is an accurate reflection of the normal Hebrew usage although Good News Translation is less clear on this point. Most English versions, however, reflect the meaning found in Revised Standard Version. New Jerusalem Bible may provide a better model for some languages: “came out to meet Elisha.”

The LORD will take away your master from over you is literally “… from over your head.” The prepositions from over in English almost make it sound like a promise of freedom from slavery, but this is certainly not the intent of the statement. The idea is that of the loss of a beloved leader. New Revised Standard Version, like Good News Translation, says “… take your master away from you.” Since verse 1 said that God was about to take Elijah up to heaven, the author may have intended for the reader to understand the words from over you with a double meaning. A more literal translation such as Revised Standard Version may, therefore, be preferable here.

Hold your peace: The Revised Standard Version translation is idiomatic English. The Hebrew verb here means simply “say nothing” (Revised English Bible), “do not speak of it” (New International Version), “say no more” (Knox), “Be quiet” (Hobbs), or “Keep silent” (American Bible). Translators should avoid a rendering that gives the impression of impoliteness, such as “hold your tongues” (Moffatt) or “shut up!” In other contexts this verb has the meaning “refrain from acting” (Jdg 18.9), but here the idea is “refrain from speaking” or “keep quiet” (as in 1 Kgs 22.3). The same expression is repeated in verse 5.

Since some languages will prefer indirect rather than direct discourse in this verse, the following model may be considered:

• … asked him if he knew that the LORD was going to take his master away from him that day. And Elisha said that he did know but that he preferred not to talk about it.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .