King James Version
What Does 2 Kings 2:18 Mean?
“And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?”
Context
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
20
And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him.
Commentary
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers(18) **For he tarried.**—*Now he* (emphatic) *was abiding in Jericho* (while they were searching).
**Did I not say.**—Or, command. Elisha could now fairly remind them of his authority. So the phrase “Go not” is, in the Hebrew, imperative. (Comp. “Ye shall not send,” 2Kings 2:16.) With these words, the history of Elijah significantly closes. “Elias resembled Moses in courage and eloquence, and no other prophet was his equal. But when he withdrew from the world, that Providence which guided the destinies of Israel did not, therefore, forsake His people. A portion of Elijah’s spirit passed to his disciples; and they are forbidden to seek their departed master in the desert: they must find among themselves the means of carrying on his work” (*Reuss*).
Thenius considers the entire section (2Kings 1:2 to 2Kings 2:18) to be a distinct fragment of a lost history of Elijah. Its contents, he says, betray the same* poetical *(?) spirit as 1 Kings 17-19.
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 2:18 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.