Melachim Bais 2:16

16 And they said unto him, Hinei now, there be among thy avadim chamishim anashim bnei chayil (fifty able-bodied men); let them go, now, and look for thy adon; perhaps the Ruach Hashem hath taken him up, and set him down [See Ac 8:39-40 OJBC] upon one of the harim, or in one of the geya’ot (valleys). And he said, Ye shall not send.

Melachim Bais 2:16 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 2:16

And they said unto him, behold, now, there be with thy
servants fifty strong men
Perhaps meaning themselves, ( 2 Kings 2:7 ) who were young, stout, and strong, and able to travel for days together:

let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master;
for though they knew he was to be taken away, yet knew not for what time, and imagined he might be found again:

lest peradventure the Spirit of the Lord hath taken him up;
as it seems he was wont to do, see ( 1 Kings 18:12 )

and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley;
where he sometimes had his abode; or they might fancy, if he was taken up to heaven, yet in his soul only, and that, when that was separated, his dead body would be left on a mountain, or in a valley; and therefore they were desirous of seeking and finding it, that it might not be exposed to birds and beasts of prey, but that they might bury it in a decent and honourable manner:

and he said, ye shall not send;
he knew it was to no purpose, since he was translated to heaven, body and soul, and which he was an eyewitness of.

Melachim Bais 2:16 In-Context

14 And he took the aderet Eliyahu that fell from him, and struck the mayim, and said, Where is Hashem Elohei Eliyahu? And when he also had struck the mayim, they split from here and from there; and Elishah crossed over.

15 And when the Bnei HaNevi’im which were watching at Yericho saw him from a distance, they said, The ruach Eliyahu doth rest on Elishah. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.

16 And they said unto him, Hinei now, there be among thy avadim chamishim anashim bnei chayil (fifty able-bodied men); let them go, now, and look for thy adon; perhaps the Ruach Hashem hath taken him up, and set him down [See Ac 8:39-40 OJBC] upon one of the harim, or in one of the geya’ot (valleys). And he said, Ye shall not send.

17 And when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore chamishim ish; and they searched shloshah yamim, but found him not.

18 And when they returned to him (for he tarried at Yericho), he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?