King James Version
What Does 2 Kings 2:17 Mean?
“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.”
Context
15
And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
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. strong: Heb. sons of strength some mountain: Heb. one of the mountains
17
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.
18
And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?
19
And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren. barren: Heb. causing to miscarry
Commentary
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers(17) **Urged him.**—Genesis 33:11.
**Till he was ashamed.**—Literally, *unto being ashamed.* The pronoun is not expressed in the Hebrew. “They pressed upon him, *‘ad bōsh,*” means “until he was embarrassed, disconcerted, put out of countenance.” (Comp. 2Kings 8:11; Judges 3:25.) Thenius prefers “they carried their importunity to a shameless length;” Keil and Bähr, “until he was disappointed in the hope of dissuading them.” (Comp. Psalm 22:5.)
Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of 2 Kings. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
2 Kings 2:17 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.
Cross-References
Verses related to 2 Kings 2:17
Cross-references from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge