2 Kings 2:16,17 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Behold, there be with thy servants fifty strong men Able to take such a journey. Let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master They had received but an imperfect revelation of God's design, with respect to Elijah, when they asked Elisha if he knew that the Lord would take away his master: for they seem to have supposed that the Spirit of God might have taken him up and cast him, either dead or alive, upon some mountain, or in some valley at a distance; see on 1 Kings 18:12; and if alive, they wished to find him, that they might minister to his necessities; and if dead, that they might give his body an honourable burial. And he said, Ye shall not send For he knew it would be to no purpose. They urged him till he was ashamed That is, to deny them any longer, lest they should think his denial proceeded from a neglect of his master, or a contempt of them. Or, as the Hebrew, עד בשׁ, gnad bosh, may with equal propriety be rendered, till they were ashamed, namely, because he so often and so obstinately denied their request. And they sought him three days Searching every place where they thought it likely he might be cast. But found him not Thus still further evidence was given of his translation, and they, having lost their labour, and tired themselves with their fruitless search, would be more ready to submit to Elisha's authority, and acquiesce in his judgment another time.