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

15Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him. 16They said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men, please let them go and search for your master; perhaps 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.” But when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men; and they searched three days but did not find him. 18They returned to him while he was staying at Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?” 19Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold now, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful.”

2 Kings 2:17 word by word

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

• they urgedפָּצַרpâtsar · to pressH6484
• him untilעַד‛ad · tillH5704
• he was ashamedבּוֹשׁbûsh · be ashamedH954
• he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Sendשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• therefore fiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםchămishshîym · fiftyH2572
• menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• and they searchedבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• but did not findמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672

Cross-references for 2 Kings 2:17

• 2 Samuel 18:22Now Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said once more to Joab, “But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite.” And Joab said, “Why would you run, my son, since you will have no reward for going?”
• Luke 11:8I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
• Romans 10:2For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.
• Hebrews 11:5By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.

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