2 Kings 2:16 net — They said to him,“Look, there are fifty capable men with your servants. Let them go and look for your master, for the w…

NET Bible

"They said to him,“Look, there are fifty capable men with your servants. Let them go and look for your master, for the wind sent from the LORD may have carried him away and dropped him on one of the hills or in one of the valleys.” But Elisha replied,“Don’t send them out.”"

— 2 Kings 2:16, NET Bible

Read in Another Translation

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2 Kings 2:16 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “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.”

  • ASV

    “And they said unto him, Behold now, there are with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master, lest the Spirit of Jehovah hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send. ”

  • WEB

    “They said to him, "See now, there are with your servants fifty strong men. Please let them go and seek your master. Perhaps the Spirit of Yahweh has taken him up, and put him on some mountain, or into some valley. He said, "You shall not send them."”

  • DRB

    “And they said to him: Behold, there are with thy servants, fifty strong men, that can go, and seek thy master, lest, perhaps, the spirit of the Lord, hath taken him up and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said: Do not send.”

  • BBE

    “And they said, Your servants have with us here fifty strong men; be pleased to let them go in search of Elijah; for it may be that the spirit of the Lord has taken him up and put him down on some mountain or in some valley. But he said, Do not send them.”

  • KJVA

    “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.”

2 Kings 2 — Context

13

He picked up Elijah’s cloak, which had fallen off him, and went back and stood on the shore of the Jordan.

14

He took the cloak that had fallen off Elijah, hit the water with it, and said,“Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” When he hit the water, it divided and Elisha crossed over.

15

When the members of the prophetic guild in Jericho, who were standing at a distance, saw him do this, they said,“The spirit that energized Elijah rests upon Elisha.” They went to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him.

16

They said to him,“Look, there are fifty capable men with your servants. Let them go and look for your master, for the wind sent from the LORD may have carried him away and dropped him on one of the hills or in one of the valleys.” But Elisha replied,“Don’t send them out.”

17

But they were so insistent, he became embarrassed. So he said,“Send them out.” They sent the fifty men out and they looked for three days, but could not find Elijah.

18

When they came back, Elisha was staying in Jericho. He said to them,“Didn’t I tell you,‘Don’t go’?”

19

Elisha Demonstrates His Authority The men of the city said to Elisha,“Look, the city has a good location, as our master can see. But the water is bad and the land doesn’t produce crops.”

2 Kings 2:16 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 2 Kings 2:16 say?
2 Kings 2:16 in the NET Bible reads: “They said to him,“Look, there are fifty capable men with your servants. Let them go and look for your master, for the wind sent from the LORD may have carried him away and dropped him on one of the hills or in one of the valleys.” But Elisha replied,“Don’t send them out.””
Where is 2 Kings 2:16 in the Bible?
2 Kings 2:16 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 2 Kings, chapter 2, verse 16.
Who wrote 2 Kings?
2 Kings is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Jeremiah). It was written c. 561–538 BC.
What is the book of 2 Kings about?
2 Kings carries the divided kingdom from Elijah and Elisha through the fall of both Israel and Judah. Despite the prophets' warnings, both kingdoms decline through idolatry — the north into Assyrian captivity, the south into Babylonian exile — fulfilling the covenant curses.
What are the major themes of 2 Kings?
2 Kings explores themes including Judgment, Exile, Prophets, Covenant Curses, Remnant. These themes shape the meaning and context of 2 Kings 2:16.
What translation should I read 2 Kings 2:16 in?
2 Kings 2:16 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 2 Kings 2:16?
2 Kings 2:16 reads (NET): “They said to him,“Look, there are fifty capable men with your servants. Let them go and look for your master, for the wind sent from the LORD may have carried him away and dropped him on one of the hills or in one of the valleys.” But Elisha replied,“Don’t send them out.”” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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