2 Kings 2:16

“And they said unto him, behold, now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men, etc.] Perhaps meaning themselves, (<120207>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 <111812>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…”

“fifty strong men, let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master--Though the young prophets from Jericho had seen Elijah's miraculous passage of the Jordan, they had not witnessed the ascension. They imagined that he might have been cast by the whirlwind on some mountain or valley; or, if he had actually been admitted into heaven, they expected that his body would still be remaining somewhere on earth. In compliance with their importunity, he gave them permission, but told them what the result would be.”

“Compare the marginal references. The words “cast him upon some mountain,” rather imply that they expected to find the prophet alive. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Strong men - Able to take such a journey. Lest, &c. - They thought, either that God had not finally taken him away from them, but only for a time; or that God had only taken away his soul, and that his body was cast down into some place, which they desired to seek, that they might give it an honourable burial. 4 Kings (2 Kings) 2:17”

“2:16-18 The prophets searched the wilderness, perhaps to be certain that Elijah had not temporarily disappeared (cp. 1 Kgs 18:12). Elisha already knew that the search was pointless.”

“strong men: Heb. sons of strength the Spirit: Kg1 18:12; Eze 3:14, Eze 8:3, Eze 11:24, Eze 40:2; Act 8:39; Co2 12:2, Co2 12:3 some mountain: Heb. one of the mountains 4 Kings (2 Kings) 2:17”

“But the disciples of the prophets at Jericho were so unable to realize the fact of Elijah's translation, although it had been previously revealed to them, that they begged permission of Elisha to send out fifty brave men to seek for Elijah. פּן־נשׂאו: whether the Spirit of the Lord has not taken him and cast him upon one of the mountains, or into one of the valleys. פּן with the perfect is used "where there is fear of a fact, which as is conjectured almost with certainty has already happened," like μὴ in the sense of "whether not" (vid., Ewald, 337, b.). יהוה רוּח is not a wind sent by Jehovah (Ges.), but the Spirit of Jehovah, as in Kg1 18:12. The Chethb גּיאות is the regular formation…”