And when he was come into the house,.... Perhaps into the man's house whose child he had healed, or into some other in these parts, for the sake both of retirement and refreshment:
his disciples asked him privately, why could not we cast him out? The nine disciples, who were particularly concerned in this matter, fearing they had lost the power of casting out devils, conferred upon them, inquired of Jesus, when he was alone, why they could not cast the demon out of the child, when they had ejected unclean spirits out of many others; Matthew 17:19.