2 Kings 2:16

16 “Look,” they said, “we your servants have fifty able men. Let them go and look for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has picked him up and set him down on some mountain or in some valley.” “No,” Elisha replied, “do not send them.”

Read Chapter Compare

PREVIOUS 2 Kings 2:15 NEXT 2 Kings 2:17

2 Kings 2:16 in Other Translations

KJV

16 And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the Spirit of the LORD hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send.

ESV

16 And they said to him, "Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men. Please let them go and seek your master. It may be that the Spirit of the LORD has caught him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley." And he said, "You shall not send."

NLT

16 “Sir,” they said, “just say the word and fifty of our strongest men will search the wilderness for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has left him on some mountain or in some valley.” “No,” Elisha said, “don’t send them.”

MSG

16 They then said, "We're at your service. We have fifty reliable men here; let's send them out to look for your master. Maybe God's spirit has swept him off to some mountain or dropped him into a remote ravine." Elisha said, "No. Don't send them."

CSB

16 Then the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, "Since there are 50 strong men here with your servants, please let them go and search for your master. Maybe the Spirit of the Lord has carried him away and put him on one of the mountains or into one of the valleys." He answered, "Don't send [them]."

2 Kings 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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

2 Kings 2:16 In-Context

14 He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.

15 The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.

17 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.

18 When they returned to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”