2 Kings 2:16

16 dixeruntque illi ecce cum servis tuis sunt quinquaginta viri fortes qui possint ire et quaerere dominum tuum ne forte tulerit eum spiritus Domini et proiecerit in uno montium aut in una vallium qui ait nolite mittere

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.

2 Kings 2:16 In-Context

14 et pallio Heliae quod ceciderat ei percussit aquas et dixit ubi est Deus Heliae etiam nunc percussitque aquas et divisae sunt huc atque illuc et transiit Heliseus
15 videntes autem filii prophetarum qui erant in Hiericho de contra dixerunt requievit spiritus Heliae super Heliseum et venientes in occursum eius adoraverunt eum proni in terram
16 dixeruntque illi ecce cum servis tuis sunt quinquaginta viri fortes qui possint ire et quaerere dominum tuum ne forte tulerit eum spiritus Domini et proiecerit in uno montium aut in una vallium qui ait nolite mittere
17 coegeruntque eum donec adquiesceret et diceret mittite et miserunt quinquaginta viros qui cum quaesissent tribus diebus non invenerunt
18 et reversi sunt ad eum at ille habitabat in Hiericho dixitque eis numquid non dixi vobis nolite ire
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.