Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 2:17

And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not.

17. till he was ashamed ] i.e. to refuse longer so urgent, though as he knew resultless, a petition. There is no pronoun expressed in the original. Hence some have thought the expression meant ‘to a shameful extent’ and was to be applied to the undue persistence of the petitioners. But the same phrase occurs in Jdg 3:25 of Eglon’s servants who waited till they were ashamed to wait longer. Here it implies that Elisha was at a loss how to refuse them any longer. His narrative was unprecedented in its character, and if they refused to be persuaded by that, he had no more that he could do.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Till he was ashamed – i. e. to refuse them any longer.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 17. Till he was ashamed] He saw they would not be satisfied unless they made the proposed search; he felt therefore that he could not, with any good grace, resist their importunity any longer.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Till he was ashamed, i.e. to wit, to deny them any longer, lest they should think his denial proceeded from a neglect of his master, or a contempt of the sons of the prophets, or a secret content he took in his masters loss, that he might have his honour and power. Or, till they were ashamed, because he did so oft and so obstinately deny their request.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

And when they urged him until he was ashamed,…. To deny them any longer, being so very pressing and importunate:

he said, send; lest they should think he had not the respect for his master he should have had; or was so fond of his office, that he did not choose he should be found alive if he could, and return and reassume it:

they sent therefore fifty men; some one way, and some another:

and they sought three days, but found him not; and then returned.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(17) Urged him.Gen. 33:11.

Till he was ashamed.Literally, unto being ashamed. The pronoun is not expressed in the Hebrew. They pressed upon him, ad bsh, means until he was embarrassed, disconcerted, put out of countenance. (Comp. 2Ki. 8:11; Jdg. 3:25.) Thenius prefers they carried their importunity to a shameless length; Keil and Bhr, until he was disappointed in the hope of dissuading them. (Comp. Psa. 22:5.)

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

2Ki 2:17 And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not.

Ver. 17. He said, Send. ] Since you have such a mind to it; though you are sure to lose your labour,

But found him not. ] Tired with three days’ search, they turn back as wise as they went. Some men are best satisfied when they have wearied themselves in their own ways. Nothing will teach them wit but disappointments.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

they urged: 2Sa 18:22, 2Sa 18:23, Luk 11:8, Rom 10:2

found him not: Heb 11:5

Reciprocal: Gen 33:11 – urged him 2Ki 2:7 – fifty men 2Ki 5:23 – And he urged him Joh 8:21 – I go

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge