◄ 2 Kings 2:16 ►
"Look now," they said to Elisha, "we your servants have fifty valiant men. Please let them go and search for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and put him on one of the mountains or in one of the valleys." "Do not send them," Elisha replied.
Study Bible
Look now, there are fifty strong men with your servants
In this phrase, the "fifty strong men" are a group of prophets or sons of the prophets who are offering their services to Elisha. The number fifty in the Bible often symbolizes completeness or fullness, suggesting that these men represent a complete and ready force. The term "strong men" indicates their physical capability and readiness to undertake a challenging task. Historically, these men were likely part of a prophetic community, dedicated to serving God and supporting His prophets. Their offer to assist Elisha reflects their respect and recognition of his new role as Elijah's successor.

Please let them go and search for your master
The request to "search for your master" shows the deep respect and concern the sons of the prophets have for Elijah. The term "master" here refers to Elijah, who was a revered prophet and mentor. This reflects the cultural and spiritual significance of Elijah's role. The prophets' desire to search for him indicates their hope and perhaps disbelief that Elijah could have been taken permanently. It also underscores the human tendency to seek closure and understanding in the face of miraculous events.

Perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has carried him away and put him on some mountain or into some valley
This phrase reveals the belief in the active and powerful role of the "Spirit of the LORD" in the lives of the prophets. The idea that the Spirit could "carry" someone away is consistent with other biblical accounts of divine intervention. The mention of "some mountain or into some valley" suggests the unpredictability and mystery of God's actions. Mountains and valleys in biblical literature often symbolize places of encounter with God, testing, or revelation. This reflects the prophets' understanding that God's ways are beyond human comprehension, yet they are eager to seek out His will.

No need to send them, Elisha replied
Elisha's response, "No need to send them," demonstrates his confidence and faith in God's actions. Having witnessed Elijah's ascension, Elisha understands that Elijah's departure was a divine act, not a disappearance that requires a search. This statement reflects Elisha's acceptance of his prophetic role and his trust in God's plan. It also highlights the transition of leadership from Elijah to Elisha, as Elisha begins to assert his authority and understanding of God's will. His calm assurance serves as an example of faith and reliance on God's sovereignty.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Elisha
A prophet and the successor of Elijah, who had just witnessed Elijah being taken up to heaven in a whirlwind.

2. The Sons of the Prophets
A group of prophets who were disciples or followers of Elijah and Elisha, residing in Jericho at this time.

3. Elijah
A major prophet in Israel who was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind, leaving Elisha as his successor.

4. The Spirit of the LORD
Refers to the divine power and presence of God, which the sons of the prophets believed might have relocated Elijah.

5. Mountains and Valleys
Symbolic of the remote and hidden places where the sons of the prophets thought Elijah might have been taken.
Teaching Points
Faith in God's Sovereignty
Elisha's response reflects a deep trust in God's plan and timing. We are reminded to trust in God's sovereignty, even when events are beyond our understanding.

Understanding God's Methods
The sons of the prophets sought a logical explanation for Elijah's disappearance. This teaches us to recognize that God's ways are often beyond human comprehension.

The Role of Spiritual Leadership
Elisha's leadership is evident as he guides the sons of the prophets. Spiritual leaders today are called to guide others with wisdom and discernment.

The Importance of Obedience
Elisha's instruction not to send the men highlights the importance of obedience to spiritual authority and divine guidance.

The Power of the Holy Spirit
The mention of the Spirit of the LORD emphasizes the active role of the Holy Spirit in guiding and empowering believers.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Elisha's response to the sons of the prophets demonstrate his faith in God's plan, and how can we apply this in our own lives when faced with uncertainty?

2. In what ways does the account of Elijah's departure challenge our understanding of God's methods, and how can this influence our faith journey?

3. How can we discern when to take action and when to trust in God's sovereignty, as Elisha did in this passage?

4. What can we learn from Elisha's leadership style, and how can we apply these principles in our roles within our communities or churches?

5. How does the role of the Holy Spirit in this passage connect with the New Testament understanding of the Spirit's work in the lives of believers today?
Connections to Other Scriptures
1 Kings 18:12
This verse describes a previous instance where the Spirit of the LORD carried Elijah away, which may have influenced the sons of the prophets' belief that Elijah could be found.

Acts 8:39-40
Philip is similarly carried away by the Spirit of the Lord, showing a New Testament parallel of divine transportation.

Deuteronomy 34:5-6
Moses' mysterious burial by God, which parallels the mysterious nature of Elijah's departure.
Sermons
The Beginning of Elisha's WorkC.H. Irwin 2 Kings 2:13-18
The Proper Spirit for Theological StudentsD. Thomas 2 Kings 2:15-22
Seeking the TranslatedJ. Orr 2 Kings 2:16-18
People
Elijah, Elisha
Places
Bethel, Gilgal, Jericho, Jordan River, Mount Carmel, Samaria
Topics
Able, Behold, Cast, Caught, Elijah, Elisha, Fifty, Hills, Lest, Master, Mountain, Peradventure, Perhaps, Picked, Please, Pleased, Ravine, Replied, Search, Seek, Servants, Sons, Spirit, Strong, Valiant, Valley, Valleys, Valour
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Kings 2:16

     1305   God, activity of
     3015   Holy Spirit, divinity
     3045   Holy Spirit, sovereignty
     3272   Holy Spirit, in OT

2 Kings 2:15-16

     8343   servanthood, in society

2 Kings 2:16-17

     8654   importunity, to people

Library
The Translation of Elijah and the Ascension of Christ
'And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.'--2 KINGS ii. 11. 'And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.'--LUKE xxiv. 51. These two events, the translation of Elijah and the Ascension of our Lord, have sometimes been put side by side in order to show that the latter narrative is nothing …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Elijah's Translation and Elisha's Deathbed
And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.'--2 KINGS ii. 12. '...And Joash, the King of Israel, came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said. O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof.'--2 KINGS xiii. U. The scenes and the speakers are strangely different in these two incidents. The one scene is that mysterious translation on the further bank of the Jordan, when a mortal was swept up to heaven in a …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Chariot of Fire
'And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2. And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Beth-el. And Elisha said unto him, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. 80 they went down to Beth-el 3, And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Gentleness Succeeding Strength
'He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; 14. And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over. 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 …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Preparing to Depart
"And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven."--2 Kings 2:11. IT seems to me that the departure of Elijah from the world, though of course he did not "die" at all, may furnish us with a very good type of the decease of those saints who, although taken away on a sudden, are not without some previous intimation that in such a manner they will be …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 54: 1908

Whether Hope is a Help or a Hindrance to Action?
Objection 1: It would seem that hope is not a help but a hindrance to action. Because hope implies security. But security begets negligence which hinders action. Therefore hope is a hindrance to action. Objection 2: Further, sorrow hinders action, as stated above ([1361]Q[37], A[3]). But hope sometimes causes sorrow: for it is written (Prov. 13:12): "Hope that is deferred afflicteth the soul." Therefore hope hinders action. Objection 3: Further, despair is contrary to hope, as stated above [1362](A[4]). …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Jericho Itself.
We read, that this city was not only wasted by Joshua with fire and sword, but cursed also. "Cursed be he before the Lord, who shall rise up and build that city Jericho," Joshua 6:26. "Nor was another city to be built (says the Talmudists), which was to be called by the name of Jericho: nor was Jericho itself to be built, although to be called by another name." And yet I know not by what chance this city crept out of dust and rubbish, lived again, and flourished, and became the second city to Jerusalem. …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Consolations against the Fear of Death.
If in the time of thy sickness thou findest thyself fearful to die, meditate-- 1. That it argueth a dastardly mind to fear that which is not; for in the church of Christ there is no death (Isa. xxv. 7, 8), and whosoever liveth and believeth in Christ, shall never die (John xi. 26). Let them fear death who live without Christ. Christians die not; but when they please God, they are like Enoch translated unto God (Gen. v. 24;) their pains are but Elijah's fiery chariot to carry them up to heaven (2 …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

The Country of Jericho, and the Situation of the City.
Here we will borrow Josephus' pencil, "Jericho is seated in a plain, yet a certain barren mountain hangs over it, narrow, indeed, but long; for it runs out northward to the country of Scythopolis,--and southward, to the country of Sodom, and the utmost coast of the Asphaltites." Of this mountain mention is made, Joshua 2:22, where the two spies, sent by Joshua, and received by Rahab, are said to "conceal themselves." "Opposite against this, lies a mountain on the other side Jordan, beginning from …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

The Baptist's Testimony.
"There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light.... John beareth witness of Him, and crieth, saying, This was He of whom I said, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for He was before me. For of His fulness we all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. …
Marcus Dods—The Expositor's Bible: The Gospel of St. John, Vol. I

Formation and History of the Hebrew Canon.
1. The Greek word canon (originally a straight rod or pole, measuring-rod, then rule) denotes that collection of books which the churches receive as given by inspiration of God, and therefore as constituting for them a divine rule of faith and practice. To the books included in it the term canonical is applied. The Canon of the Old Testament, considered in reference to its constituent parts, was formed gradually; formed under divine superintendence by a process of growth extending through …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Epistle vii. To Peter, Domitian, and Elpidius.
To Peter, Domitian, and Elpidius. Gregory to Peter, Domitian, and Elpidius, Bishops [1688] . I rejoice exceedingly that you welcomed with great joy the ordination of the most holy Cyriacus, my brother and fellow-priest. And since we have learnt from the preaching of Paul the apostle that If one member rejoice, all the members rejoice with it (1 Cor. xii. 26), you must needs consider with how great exultation I rejoice with you in this thing, wherein not one member, but many members of Christ have …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

The Upbringing of Jewish Children
The tenderness of the bond which united Jewish parents to their children appears even in the multiplicity and pictorialness of the expressions by which the various stages of child-life are designated in the Hebrew. Besides such general words as "ben" and "bath"--"son" and "daughter"--we find no fewer than nine different terms, each depicting a fresh stage of life. The first of these simply designates the babe as the newly--"born"--the "jeled," or, in the feminine, "jaldah"--as in Exodus 2:3, 6, 8. …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

A Holy Life the Beauty of Christianity: Or, an Exhortation to Christians to be Holy. By John Bunyan.
Holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever.'--[Psalm 93:5] London, by B. W., for Benj. Alsop, at the Angel and Bible, in the Poultrey. 1684. THE EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. This is the most searching treatise that has ever fallen under our notice. It is an invaluable guide to those sincere Christians, who, under a sense of the infinite importance of the salvation of an immortal soul, and of the deceitfulness of their hearts, sigh and cry, "O Lord of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The Twelve Minor Prophets.
1. By the Jewish arrangement, which places together the twelve minor prophets in a single volume, the chronological order of the prophets as a whole is broken up. The three greater prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, stand in the true order of time. Daniel began to prophesy before Ezekiel, but continued, many years after him. The Jewish arrangement of the twelve minor prophets is in a sense chronological; that is, they put the earlier prophets at the beginning, and the later at the end of the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

That Upon the Conquest and Slaughter of vitellius Vespasian Hastened his Journey to Rome; but Titus his Son Returned to Jerusalem.
1. And now, when Vespasian had given answers to the embassages, and had disposed of the places of power justly, [25] and according to every one's deserts, he came to Antioch, and consulting which way he had best take, he preferred to go for Rome, rather than to march to Alexandria, because he saw that Alexandria was sure to him already, but that the affairs at Rome were put into disorder by Vitellius; so he sent Mucianus to Italy, and committed a considerable army both of horsemen and footmen to …
Flavius Josephus—The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem

Paul's Departure and Crown;
OR, AN EXPOSITION UPON 2 TIM. IV. 6-8 ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR How great and glorious is the Christian's ultimate destiny--a kingdom and a crown! Surely it hath not entered into the heart of man to conceive what ear never heard, nor mortal eye ever saw? the mansions of the blest--the realms of glory--'a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.' For whom can so precious an inheritance be intended? How are those treated in this world who are entitled to so glorious, so exalted, so eternal, …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.), …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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