מלכים ב, פרק ו׳, פסוק א׳

A sudden and overwhelming surge in attendance at Elisha's academy created a severe space crisis for his followers. This rapid growth was directly tied to a major shift in the prophet's inner circle. The timing of this expansion immediately follows the expulsion of Gehazi, Elisha's servant, and this sequence is no coincidence. The primary approach among commentators is that Gehazi possessed a harsh personality, frequently scolding the disciples and pushing them away. Intimidated by his behavior, many potential students were simply too afraid to approach the prophet.

The moment Gehazi was removed from his position, this barrier vanished, and disciples began flocking to Elisha in massive numbers. Furthermore, the prophet's fame had been steadily growing, drawing even more followers to his teachings [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This continuous influx of students sets the stage for yet another event in the sequence of miracles performed for Elisha [רש"י].

As the crowds swelled, the physical limitations of their environment became impossible to ignore. The students approached Elisha to express that their study hall and academy building had become entirely inadequate [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל]. The space was painfully cramped and crowded, no longer able to hold the sheer volume of attendees [מצודת דוד, רלב"ג, רד"ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This lack of room was felt even more intensely due to their location. Elisha's academy was situated in Samaria, a large and central city. Urban living in such a major hub was naturally dense and congested, making it exceptionally challenging to secure a building spacious enough to meet the growing needs of the disciples [מלבי"ם].