Midrash for II Kings 2:3

“It was during the days when the judges judged.” “Indolence casts into a deep sleep” (Proverbs 19:15) – because Israel were indolent in paying their respects to Joshua; that is what is written: “They buried him on the border of his inheritance…north of Mount Gaash” (Joshua 24:30). Rabbi Berekhya said: We reviewed the entire Bible and did not find a place named Gaash. What is Mount Gaash? It is because Israel was negligent [nitgaashu] in doing kindness for Joshua. At that time, the Land of Israel was being divided [among the tribes], and its division [i.e., the land] was too beloved to them. Israel were engaged in their labor; this one was occupied in his field, this one was occupied in his vineyard, this one was occupied in his olives, and this one was occupied with his planks [for construction]. “A deceitful soul will starve” (Proverbs 19:15)⁶This is the conclusion of the verse: “Indolence casts into a deep sleep, and the deceitful soul will starve” (Proverbs 19:5). – Israel was negligent [nitgaashu] in doing kindness for Joshua, and the Holy One blessed be He sought to bring an earthquake upon the world, upon all its inhabitants, as you say: “The earth shook [vatigash] and quaked” (Psalms 18:8). “A deceitful soul will starve” – because they were deceitful to the Holy One blessed be He: Some of them worshipped idols. Therefore, the Holy One blessed be He starved them of the divine spirit, as it is stated: “The word of the Lord was rare in those days” (I Samuel 3:1).
Another interpretation: “Indolence casts into a deep sleep” (Proverbs 19:15) – due to the fact that Israel was indolent about repenting during the days of Elijah, “casts into [tapil] a deep sleep” – prophecy proliferated. Proliferated? But you said tapil.⁷Tapil literally means ‘cause to fall’ or ‘cause to decline.’ It is as you say: The price of fruit has fallen.⁸Because the supply has increased, the price has declined. Rabbi Simon said: Like a person who says to another: ‘Here is a sack, here is a sela coin, arise and eat.’⁹In other words, prophecy was readily available, like buying produce. As Rabbi Derosa said: Six hundred thousand prophets arose for Israel during the days of Elijah; Rabbi Yaakov said: One million two hundred thousand. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Between Gevat and Antipatris¹⁰Gevat was at the southern border of Roman Judea and Antipatris at its northern border. This expression is a way of saying ‘throughout Judea.’ there were six hundred thousand towns, and there were no towns more corrupt that Beit El and Jericho; Jericho, because Joshua cursed it (see Joshua 6:26), and Beit El, because Yerovam’s calves were situated there (see I Kings 12:28–29). It is stated: “The disciples of the prophets who were in Beit El went out to Elisha” (II Kings 2:3). “Prophets” – prophets are no fewer than two.¹¹If in this corrupt city there were at least two prophets, presumably there were more elsewhere. Why were their prophecies not publicized? It is because they served no purpose for future generations. On this basis, say: Any prophecy that served no purpose for future generations was not publicized. But in the future, the Holy One blessed be He will come and bring them with Him, and their prophecy will be publicized; that is what is written: “The Lord my God will come, all the holy ones with You” (Zechariah 14:5).
“A deceitful soul will starve” (Proverbs 19:15) – because they would deceive the Holy One blessed be He: Some of them worshipped idols and some of them worshipped the Holy One blessed be He. This is what Elijah said to them: “How long will you waver between the two opinions” (I Kings 18:21)? “Will starve” – the Holy One blessed be He starved them during the days of Elijah, as it is stated: “By the life of the Lord [. . .] before whom I have stood [there will not be dew or rain during these years]” (I Kings 17:1). Another interpretation: “Indolence casts into a deep sleep” (Proverbs 19:15) – because Israel were indolent about repenting during the days of the judges, a deep sleep will be cast upon them. “A deceitful soul will starve” – because they deceived the Holy One blessed be He with some of them worshipping idols and some of them worshipping the Holy One blessed be He, the Holy One blessed be He starved them with a famine during the days of their judges.

“Your lips drip nectar, my bride, honey and milk are under your tongue, and the scent of your garments is like the scent of Lebanon” (Song of Songs 4:11).
“Your lips drip nectar, my bride” – Rabbi Derosa and Rabbi Yirmeya in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Yitzḥak: Six hundred thousand prophets arose for Israel in the days of Elijah. Rabbi Yaakov said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: One million two hundred thousand, as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: From Gevat to Antipatris¹²²These are the borders of the kingdom of Judah. were six hundred thousand cities. There were none among them as tainted as Beit El and Jericho; [Jericho] because Joshua cursed it, Beit El, as the two golden calves of Yerovam were situated there. One verse says: “The disciples of the prophets who were in Beit El came out to Elisha” (II Kings 2:3). “Prophets” connote no fewer than two.¹²³If in Beit El there were two, certainly in each of the untainted cities there were at least two. Two prophets per city times six hundred thousand cities equals one million two hundred thousand prophets. Why were their prophecies not publicized?¹²⁴Why were they not included among the books of Prophets? Because they were not required for the generations. On this basis, say: Every prophecy that was at its time and was needed for the generations was publicized, and every prophecy that was at its time but was not needed for the generations was not publicized. However, in the future, the Holy One blessed be He will bring them and publicize their prophecy. That is what is written: “The Lord my God will come, all the holy ones with You” (Zechariah 14:5). Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Ḥelbo: Just as six hundred thousand prophets arose for Israel, so too, six hundred thousand prophetesses arose for them. Solomon came and publicized them, as it is stated: “Your lips drip nectar, my bride.”¹²⁵The drop of nectar on the lips represents prophecy, and “my bride” is an allusion to prophetesses.
Rabbi Huna and Rabbi Ḥalafta of Caesarea say in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish: Just as this bride ornaments herself with twenty-four ornaments¹²⁶See Isaiah 3:18–24 and if she is missing one item [it is as though] she has nothing, so too, a Torah scholar must be familiar with the twenty-four books [of the Bible], and if he is missing one of them [it is as though] he has nothing.
Rabbi Huna [said] in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish: Just as a bride is modest, so a Torah scholar must be modest. Rabbi Ḥalafta in the name of Reish Lakish: Just as a bride sits on a divan and says: See that I am pure, this is my testimony that attests in my regard; so too, there must not be any fault in a Torah scholar.
Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Shimon, Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina, and the Rabbis: Rabbi Elazar says: Anyone who speaks words of Torah in public and they are not pleasant to their listeners like this fine flour that adheres to a sieve [nafa],¹²⁷This is an expounding of the word nectar [nofet]. it would have been preferable for him had he not said them. Rabbi Yosei says: Anyone who speaks words of Torah in public and they are not pleasant to their listeners like this honey that comes from nectar [tzuf],¹²⁸This, too, is an expounding of the word nectar [nofet tzufim] (see Psalms 19:11). it would have been preferable for him had he not said them. The Rabbis say: Anyone who speaks words of Torah in public and they are not pleasant to their listeners like this honey and milk that are intermingled, it would have been preferable for him had he not said them.
Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish: Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Anyone who speaks words of Torah in public and they are not pleasant to their listeners like this bride who is pleasant to the people at her wedding canopy, it would have been preferable for him had he not said them. Reish Lakish said: Anyone who speaks words of Torah in public and they are not pleasant to their listeners like this bride who is pleasant to her husband at her wedding canopy, it would have been preferable for him had he not said them.

"to your sons": These are your disciples. And thus do you find in all places, that disciples are called "sons," viz. (II Kings 2:3) "And the sons of the prophets came forth." Now were they the sons of the prophets? Were they not disciples? This shows that disciples were called "sons."