2 Kings 2:18
New International Version
When they returned to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”

New Living Translation
Elisha was still at Jericho when they returned. “Didn’t I tell you not to go?” he asked.

English Standard Version
And they came back to him while he was staying at Jericho, and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”

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

King James Bible
And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?

New King James Version
And when they came back to him, for he had stayed in Jericho, he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”

New American Standard Bible
They returned to him while he was staying in Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”

NASB 1995
They returned to him while he was staying at Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go ‘?”

NASB 1977
And they returned to him while he was staying at Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”

Legacy Standard Bible
So they returned to him while he was staying at Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”

Amplified Bible
They returned to Elisha while he was staying at Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not tell you, ‘Do not go’?”

Christian Standard Bible
When they returned to him in Jericho where he was staying, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When they returned to him in Jericho where he was staying, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”

American Standard Version
And they came back to him, while he tarried at Jericho; and he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And they came to him, and he dwelt in Jericho, and he said to them: “Did I not tell you that you should not go?”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they returned to him, for he dwelt in Jericho: and Elisaie said, Did I not say to you, Go not?

Contemporary English Version
They returned to Jericho, and Elisha said, "I told you that you wouldn't find him."

Douay-Rheims Bible
And they came back to him: for he abode at Jericho, and he said to them: Did I not say to you: Do not send?

English Revised Version
And they came back to him, while he tarried at Jericho; and he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They returned to Elisha in Jericho, where he was waiting. He said, "Didn't I tell you not to go?"

Good News Translation
Then they returned to Elisha, who had waited at Jericho, and he said to them, "Didn't I tell you not to go?"

International Standard Version
By the time they returned, Elisha was living in Jericho. Then Elisha asked them, "Didn't I tell you not to go?"

JPS Tanakh 1917
And they came back to him, while he tarried at Jericho; and he said unto them: 'Did I not say unto you: Go not?'

Literal Standard Version
and they return to him—and he is abiding in Jericho—and he says to them, “Did I not say to you, Do not go?”

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

New American Bible
When they returned to Elisha in Jericho, where he was staying, he said to them, “Did I not tell you not to go?”

NET Bible
When they came back, Elisha was staying in Jericho. He said to them, "Didn't I tell you, 'Don't go'?"

New Revised Standard Version
When they came back to him (he had remained at Jericho), he said to them, “Did I not say to you, Do not go?”

New Heart English Bible
They came back to him, while he stayed at Jericho; and he said to them, "Did I not tell you not to go?"

Webster's Bible Translation
And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said to them, Did I not say to you, Go not?

World English Bible
They came back to him while he stayed at Jericho; and he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t go?’”

Young's Literal Translation
and they turn back unto him -- and he is abiding in Jericho -- and he saith unto them, 'Did I not say unto you, Do not go?'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Elisha Succeeds Elijah
17But when they pressed him to the point of embarrassment, he said, “Send them.” And they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find Elijah. 18When they returned to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”

Cross References
2 Kings 2:17
But when they pressed him to the point of embarrassment, he said, "Send them." And they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find Elijah.

2 Kings 2:19
Then the men of the city said to Elisha, "Please note, our lord, that the city's location is good, as you can see. But the water is bad and the land is unfruitful."


Treasury of Scripture

And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said to them, Did I not say to you, Go not?

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2 Kings 2
1. Elijah, taking his leave of Elisha, with his mantle divides Jordan
9. and, granting Elisha his request, is taken up by a fiery chariot into heaven
12. Elisha, dividing Jordan with Elijah's mantle, is acknowledged his successor
16. The young prophets, hardly obtaining leave to seek Elijah, cannot find him.
19. Elisha with salt heals the unwholesome waters
23. Bears destroy the children that mocked Elisha














(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.

Verse 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? The prophet was not above vindicating the propriety of his past conduct. He waited at Jericho until the fifty men returned from their vain search, and then reminded them that his advice to them had been not to start on a useless errand. The ministers of God have to vindicate themselves, because God's honor is concerned in their being without reproach.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When they returned
וַיָּשֻׁ֣בוּ (way·yā·šu·ḇū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

to [Elisha],
אֵלָ֔יו (’ê·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

who
וְה֖וּא (wə·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

was staying
יֹשֵׁ֣ב (yō·šêḇ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

in Jericho,
בִּירִיח֑וֹ (bî·rî·ḥōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3405: Jericho -- a city in the Jordan Valley captured by Joshua

he said
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to them,
אֲלֵהֶ֔ם (’ă·lê·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

“Didn't
הֲלֽוֹא־ (hă·lō·w-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

I tell
אָמַ֥רְתִּי (’ā·mar·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

you
אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם (’ă·lê·ḵem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

not
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

to go?”
תֵּלֵֽכוּ׃ (tê·lê·ḵū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk


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OT History: 2 Kings 2:18 They came back to him while he (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 2:17
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