2 Kings 2:17 - Exposition

And when they urged him, till he was ashamed, he said, Send ; literally, when they urged him until shame ; which some expound to mean, "until they were ashamed to press him any more" (Gesenius, Winer, Keil); but others, with more reason, "until he was ashamed to persist in his refusal" ( ἑὼς οὗ ἠσχύνετο , LXX .). It is always a hard thing for one man to refuse the repeated and earnest request of a multitude. When Elisha said, "Send," he had not in the least changed his mind; he only meant to say, "Send, then, if you insist upon it, to satisfy yourselves , not me . There is no harm in your sending." They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not. The result bore out the advice and anticipations of the prophet. It was simply nil . No trace was found of the aged seer who had been translated from earth to heaven.