In Second Kings, chapter two, verse three, the sons of the prophets appear to have been located primarily in three areas: Gilgal, Bethel, and Jericho. God evidently sent Elijah to these communities in order to encourage them one last time and to announce that Elisha would be their new leader.
In these very corrupt times, God did not wholly forsake the Israelites but continued the schools of the prophets among them, in which men were trained and employed in the exercises of religion. And to which good people resorted to solemnize the feasts of the Lord with prayer and hearing portions of the law read, although they had no conveniences for sacrifices, as they had in Judah, where they had priests and Levites, and the temple service. Even in Bethel, the chief place of idolatry and impiety, where they worshipped one of the golden calves, these schools were not wanting. The schools were a great testimony of God’s love for that apostate people, among whom he thus left prophets to recover them from their idols. And, what is still more remarkable, prophets of greater eminence for their miracles were continued in Israel than in Judah because they needed them more both to turn the idolaters among them from their false worship and their other vices. And to encourage the pious that still remained and preserve them from being led away by the error of the wicked.
God had revealed to some of them that Elijah would go away that day, of which they advised Elisha that he might more diligently attend him. Elijah expressed not to aggravate his grief nor divert me by any unseasonable discourses. He speaks as one who was himself and would have them be calm and sedate and with awful silence waiting for the event. Some think he gave them this charge.