Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 4:24
Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not [thy] riding for me, except I bid thee.
24. slack not thy riding for me ] R.V. slacken me not the riding. The R.V. thus avoids the pronominal adjective, which has no equivalent in the Hebrew. The servant seems to have been one to run by the side of the rider as a driver, and as a protection, to be ready also in case of mishap. Such runners were not uncommon in the East, being especially used by dignified persons. So Adonijah (1Ki 1:5) and Absalom before him (2Sa 15:1) provided themselves with attendants of this sort, when they were aspiring to be kings. The rendering of A.V. would suggest that the servant was riding, but the Hebrew does not warrant this, and for women to travel thus riding behind a manservant on the same beast is not like Eastern custom.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Slack not thy riding – Translate, delay me not in my riding, except I bid thee. The servant went on foot with the donkey to urge it forward, as is the ordinary custom in the East.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 24. Drive, and go forward] It is customary in the East for a servant to walk along side or drive the ass his master rides. Sometimes he walks behind, and goads on the beast; and when it is to turn, he directs its head with the long pole of the goad. It is probably to this custom that the wise man alludes when he says, “I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth,” on the ground.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
24. Drive, and go forwardItis usual for women to ride on asses, accompanied by a servant, whowalks behind and drives the beast with his stick, goading the animalat the speed required by his mistress. The Shunammite had to ride ajourney of five or six hours to the top of Carmel.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Then she saddled an ass,…. Her servant did it by her order:
and said to her servant, drive, and go forward; make all the haste he could:
slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee; do not be afraid of riding too fast for me; if thou dost, I will tell thee; till then, keep on a good pace: Abarbinel says she walked afoot all the way, and ordered the man not to slacken his pace in riding for her, unless she called to him; and the Targum seems to favour this sense,
“do not press me to ride unless I call to thee;”
so that the ass was for Elijah to ride on; but one would think, that, as she was in haste, quicker dispatch would be made by her riding than by walking, see 2Ki 4:22.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(24) Then she saddled an ass.And she saddled the assi.e., which the young man brought, and probably saddled at her bidding.
Slack not thy riding for me.Literally, restrain me not from ridingi.e., do not stop, or slacken speed. A halt for rest might naturally be taken, as the distance was considerable.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2Ki 4:24. Drive, and go forward The appearance of travellers in the Holy Land, differs a good deal from that of those who journey among us. To see a person mounted, and attended by a servant on foot, would seem odd to us; and it would be much more so to see that servant driving the beast before him, or goading it along;yet these are eastern modes. So Dr. Pococke, in his account of Egypt, tells us, that the man (by which possibly he means the husband) always leads the lady’s ass there; and if she has a servant he goes on one side; but the ass-driver follows the man, goads on the beast, and when he is to turn directs his head with a pole. The Shunammite, when she went to the prophet, did not desire so much attendance, but only requested her husband to send her an ass and its driver, to whom she gave the order here mentioned. From the eastern manner of the women’s riding on asses, it appears that the word nehag here is rightly translated, drive, rather than lead; and this account of Dr. Pococke’s will also explain why she did not desire two asses, one for herself, and the other for the servant who attended her. Solomon might refer to the same, when in Ecc 10:7 he says,” I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.” The reader will judge for himself. See Observations, p. 215.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Ki 4:24 Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not [thy] riding for me, except I bid thee.
Ver. 24. Drive, and go forward. ] Put on as fast as thou canst. Dolor addidit alas; grief rideth without reins, where there is but any hope of help.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Then she: Exo 4:20, 1Sa 25:20, 1Ki 13:13, 1Ki 13:23
an ass: These animals were not anciently, as now, used only by the lower classes, but were in general use among the noble and chief personages of the East, and it was not unusual for even the husband to walk by the side of his wife while thus riding; the driver, as was the custom, following. The Shunammite, when she went to the prophet, did not desire so much attendance; but only requested her husband to send her an ass and its driver.
Drive: 1Sa 25:19
slack not thy riding for me: Heb. restrain not for me to ride
Reciprocal: Jos 10:6 – Slack 2Ki 4:22 – I may run Luk 10:4 – and