2 Kings 2:17

2 Kings 2:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not.
• New International Version (NIV)But they persisted until he was too embarrassed to refuse. So he said, “Send them.” And they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, "Send." They sent therefore fifty men. And for three days they sought him but did not find him.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, “Send them!” Therefore they sent fifty men, and they searched for three days but did not find him.

Context of 2 Kings 2:17

15When the sons of the prophets who were [watching] opposite at Jericho saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him [in respect]. 16Then they said to Elisha, “Behold now, there are among your servants fifty strong men; please let them go and search for your master. It may be that the Spirit of the Lord has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send anyone.” But when they urged him until he was embarrassed [to refuse them], he said, “Send them.” So they sent fifty men, and they searched for three days but did not find Elijah. 18They returned to Elisha while he was staying at Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not tell you, ‘Do not go’?” 19Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Look, this city is in a pleasant place, as my lord [Elisha] sees; but the water is bad and the land is barren.”

2 Kings 2:17 word by word

וַיִּפְצְרוּ־ב֥וֹ עַד־בֹּ֖שׁ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁלָ֑חוּ וַֽיִּשְׁלְחוּ֙ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים אִ֔ישׁ וַיְבַקְשׁ֥וּ שְׁלֹשָֽׁה־יָמִ֖ים וְלֹ֥א מְצָאֻֽהוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And when they urgedפָּצַרpâtsar · to pressH6484
• him till he was ashamedבּוֹשׁbûsh · be ashamedH954
• he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Sendשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• therefore fiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםchămishshîym · fiftyH2572
• menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• and they soughtבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• but foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672

Cross-references for 2 Kings 2:17

• 2 Samuel 18:22Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, “But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite.” Joab said, “Why should you run, my son, seeing you will have no messenger’s reward for going [because you have only bad news]?”
• Luke 11:8I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything just because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence and boldness he will get up and give him whatever he needs.
• Romans 10:2For I testify about them that they have a certain enthusiasm for God, but not in accordance with [correct and vital] knowledge [about Him and His purposes].
• Hebrews 11:5By faith [that pleased God] Enoch was caught up and taken to heaven so that he would not have a glimpse of death; and he was not found because God had taken him; for even before he was taken [to heaven], he received the testimony [still on record] that he had walked with God and pleased Him.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 2:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Till he was ashamed - He saw they would not be satisfied unless they made the proposed search; he felt therefore that he could not, with any good grace, resist their importunity any longer.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Till he was ashamed - i. e. to refuse them any longer.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-18Verses 13-18 Elijah left his mantle to Elisha; as a token of the descent of the Spirit upon him; it was more than if he had left him thousands of gold and silver. Elisha took it up, not as a sacred relic to be worshipped, but as a significant garment to be worn. Now that Elijah was taken to heaven, Elisha inquired, 1. After God; when our creature-comforts are removed, we have a God to go to, who lives for ever. 2. After the God that Elijah served, and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-18The prophets looked through the wilderness to make sure Elijah had not just vanished for a while (see 1 Kings 18:12). Elisha already knew the search was useless.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 14-1814-18. smote the waters--The waving of the mantle on the river, and the miraculous division of the waters consequent upon it, was an evidence that the Lord God of Elijah was with him, and as this miracle was witnessed by the scholars of the prophets from Jericho, they forthwith recognized the pre-eminence of Elisha, as now the prophet of Israel.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 2:17

• Ascension

In the dictionaries

• Double
• Elijah
• Heal
• Lord
• Mock
• Rest
• Ashamed
• Elisha
• Friend; Friendship
• Jehoram; Joram

Commentaries on 2 Kings 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings