Elisha Sees the Spirit's Presence (2 Kings 2:1-18)
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Call to worship:
Call to worship:
1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;
Reading 1, for perspective:
Reading 1, for perspective:
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses.
Reading 2, main text:
Reading 2, main text:
1 Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take away your master from over you?” And he said, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” 4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take away your master from over you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” 6 Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground. 9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” 10 And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. 15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 16 And they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men. Please let them go and seek your master. It may be that the Spirit of the Lord has caught him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.” 17 But when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men. And for three days they sought him but did not find him. 18 And they came back to him while he was staying at Jericho, and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”
Prayer for illumination:
Prayer for illumination:
“Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me.”
Intro — Hook thought:
Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 3654 Dying Mother’s Last Words
I won’t be separated from any of you, dear children. I’ll just be closer to God
I.
Interestingly, where we’re going with this passage is also where the passage starts. And since Ascension Day was this last Thursday, now Elijah being taking up into heaven is going to take us to another consideration of Jesus’ ascension to heaven and his intercession for us at the Father’s right hand. This is where our passage starts us:
2 Kings 2:1 “1 Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.”
(The word there, “take him up,” is the same word for ascend.)
The same word as with Jacob in Genesis 35:13 “13 Then God went up from him [Jacob] in the place where he had spoken with him.”
And it’s in the angel visiting Samson’s parents too: Judges 13:20 “20 And when the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, the angel of the Lord went up in the flame of the altar.”
II.
It’s a fascinating passage in front of us actually, that recaptures a lot of the glory and splendor of the days of Joshua and the conquest of Canaan.
Just think of the pride and sense of tie that would stir the covenant people as they get this stellar account of Elijah being taken up to heaven:
Joshua the hero, and Elisha: who share similar Hebrew names. “Joshua” meaning YHWH saves, and “Elisha” meaning My God saves. --- Then there is “Yeshua” later on too, which also means YHWH saves. But more on that later...
There are the places too of lore that Elijah and Elisha travel: of Gilgal, and Bethel, and Jericho, and the Jordan River, where Joshua and the people began their conquerings of the Promised Land back in the triumphant history of Joshua 3-6. (And now Elijah and Elisha double-back in traveling those famous places, where “sons of the prophets” had room to dwell instead of being the domain of the once-pagan peoples who were slated for destruction.)
Also you have the moment where the leadership of God’s people is passed off to a righteous and rightful successor: harking back to Moses handing off leadership to his young general, Joshua, and now Elijah hands it off to the farmer, Elisha.
It’s amazing too that Joshua and Elisha both will get a sort of “sinless” accounting and telling of their lives with no obvious blemishes in all their scriptural accounts—and yet Moses and Elijah, their immediate predecessors, both have flaws and failures to them that come to mind almost right away. (Elijah deserting in order to pout in a cave, and Moses disobeying and striking a rock in frustration rather than speaking to it.)
It’s an incredible moment, “glory only” and no flaws or blemishes in Elisha as he takes on these Joshua-scaled proportions and characteristics—where we in our own day might start playing the national anthem or light off fireworks or do other ritual things (bbq, a parade) that make us think of identity and pride and national self-awareness.
III.
I will say though that what I sincerely appreciate is, at this important and transitional moment, Elisha is not without his own foibles and insecurities. Elisha is anxious; and if at no other time in his earthly ministry, here at least Elisha is relatable and observably human and—though “not sinning” here, to use the words of Hebrews 4:15, he’s “like us.”
Elisha here has some weakness. In the midst of change, he’s not without his trembles and his uncertainties.
Elijah takes Elisha on this grand march of the outermost reaches of the Promised Land before being taken up and ascending. Elijah shows his successor all these great battlefield monuments and places from Israel’s recent past of conquering the land. And Elisha, through it all, has butterflies. He shows some nerves. He shows some wavering.
Elijah and Elisha show up at each of these places—at Bethel, at Jericho, and at the Jordan—and every time they come to a new place, they’re met by “students,” or “sons” of the prophets. And either these student prophets are really dense and unaware of what they’re doing to the poor guy Elisha—or else they know exactly what they’re doing, and they like to rub salt into the young prophet’s shaken ego.
In each city that Elijah and Elisha come to, these sons of the prophets take Elisha aside and ask him, “Don’t you know?” Today YHWH is taking away your master from over you!
And Elisha each time has to hush them. “Yes, I know it; keep quiet,” he tells them. Pipe down. Keep it quiet.
IV.
It’s a stunning and puzzling exchange. But it follows Elisha wherever the young prophet dutifully and loyally goes.
So it’s also a good reminder to us, as you potentially get started with a new pastor and he might be feeling a little “green” and somewhat “wet behind the ears” as he starts a ministry here among you.
And as he grows in experience, he may be feeling a little uneasy and worried while he moves to a new place. He of course enters a place as a “newbie” while you’ve established history and life already together.
He may even be fresh from seminary, himself...
Be kind to him. Be patient. Show him who you are and what you need, rather than being expecting and assuming of him.
There are nerves in coming to a new people and new position with new surroundings. So remember your pastor—and pray for him, a million times more than you would ever poke at him or plink at his insufficiencies and frailties!
V.
But Elijah and Elisha eventually reach the Jordan, where Joshua’s conquest of the land really started. And here is where the connection seems most telling:
7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground.
The “waters parting” usually brings to mind what? (Moses and parting of the Red Sea. Exodus 14)
But what I think again is in mind is this Joshua account—of the parting of the Jordan (Joshua 3), very specific as an “echo” in our passage, of the march and first entry of the whole people of God into Canaan.
Elisha’s march into Canaan-now-Israel is important. It’s a decisive shift not only in Elisha’s life, but also in the life and ministry of the prophets of the Word, too.
Previous to Elisha, Elijah had been a prophet in exile—a prophet who ministered outside the land. He had been sent there almost from the start, of sitting by the brook and being fed by the ravens. It was a punishment and a mark of utter blemish on the people that their prophet was sent outside the land, too.
But now with Elisha, the border marker of the Jordan is opened for him—and Elisha comes in, in almost the identical manner as Joshua had come in with the people and onslaught of the Israelites.
The water is parted.—The Word is returned! And with Joshua the very act of the priests touching the water with their feet is what separates the Jordan—and with Elisha meanwhile, it’s the touch of Elijah’s cloak (garment, his “splendor”) that allows Elijah and Elisha to cross together, and later Elisha on his own as the successor and inheritor of the prophetic mission and ministry.
VI.
And there is a promise (2 Kings 2:9) that is requested: the “double portion.” It’s a thing of Deuteronomy 21:17, where the double portion and inheritance is promised to the firstborn.
It’s a thing of the old law that is sacred and immovable. In Deuteronomy 21:17, even if the firstborn is born of an unloved wife, still that child receives the double portion, over against a child who may be born later but is born of a “loved” wife.
Elijah asks Elisha to make his last request of him—and Elisha asks for the double portion “of your spirit.”
In 1 Kings 3, Solomon is also given the chance to request whatever his heart desires—and Solomon requests “wisdom,” an “understanding mind” (ESV); literally, a “listening heart” (1 Kings 3:9). Elijah now gives Elisha the same invitation—and Elisha responds with asking for a “hard [difficult] thing,” Elijah says. He asks for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit.
In Deuteronomy the portion of the firstborn has “possessions” in view: land, and cattle, and stuff.
And with Solomon, God is the granter asking Solomon what he would want—and so “understanding” and “wisdom” are those qualities that are still possible.
But Elisha wants “spirit.” — How do you capture that? How do you convey that? Elijah says it’s a “hard thing.”
Another use for the word spirit there is wind, or breath. (Compare John 3:8). How do you harness that? And how do you give that as inheritance and rightful transition to someone else?
But Elisha asks for it.
And Elijah responds with the conditional, 2 Kings 2:10. “If you see me, the spirit is yours. But if you don’t see me, the spirit isn’t yours.”
VII.
So asked this morning, like Elisha, for the desire of your heart: what is it that you would say?
Fame? Status? Wealth? Fortune?
Is it at all in your own control and grasp and power to gain?
It’s interesting in the entirety of 1 Kings, the “Spirit” only gets mention and any text-space in the Elijah narratives and accounts. Nowhere else does the Spirit get mentioned in all of 1 Kings—and his focus and presence is solely (not just “chiefly”) in the life of this marvelous prophet and miracle-worker, Elijah.
VIII.
And how does Elijah reply to the request? (It’s a word that will be so important later on at the ascension as Jesus, the LAST Joshua, goes up into heaven!)
The last part of 2 Kings 2:10 “10 And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.”
Sight is key in the ascension of Jesus too—
of the disciples “looking on” (blepo) as Jesus was lifted up.
And “a cloud took him out of their sight.” (opthalmos)
And they were “gazing” (atenizo) into heaven.
And two men standing by said, “Why do you stand looking (staring/gawking/(blepo)) into heaven?”
And they said Jesus would come as they “saw” him go. (theoamai)
Here Elijah says too that seeing would be the sign and the indicator that Elisha had received the portion of his request. “If you see me taken,” it’s so; but “if you don’t see me,” it isn’t so.
IX.
And it’s amazing—because in the chariots coming down and Elisha seeing:
The text is pointblank about it!! There is no mistaking.
2 Kings 2:12 “12 And Elisha saw it and he cried.”
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The chariot and horses appeared like fire, not for burning, but brightness, not to torture or consume him, but to render his ascension conspicuous and illustrious in the eyes of those that stood afar off to view it.
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Matthew Henry would point out too that they’re not coming in the posture of a parent carrying a child either (Isa. 40:11), or an eagle carrying someone who’s exhausted (Isa. 40:31).
It’s a conquering sort of posture instead (a la Zech. 1:8, Zech. 6:1, Rev. 6:2). Perfect for a Joshua-esque moment. — Remembering Jericho at the banks of the Jordan:
No swords, no bloodshed; (Joshua and the people had only shouted to bring down the walls)
Just carrying the Word of the Lord and the implicit trust that that Word will bring to fruition what it promised.
And it’s victorious, it’s majestic. It conveys the stamp and power of God upon a servant who has brought the mission and kingdom of God to full effect.
X.
Meanwhile, the apostles at the Mount of Olives with Jesus just blurt out their request, uninvited.
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
They’re feeling the opposite of conquering. They’re the conquered, the prey. They’re dejected, let down, oppressed. Their city is occupied and their morale is preoccupied with looming defeat.
“Lord, will you at this time, now, restore the kingdom?”
And Jesus replies patiently:
7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
So we confess in the Nicene Creed that the Holy Spirit “proceeds (originates, comes) from the Father and the Son, and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.”
Elijah with Elisha has to make the conditional statement: it’s a hard thing. “If you see me taken, you’ll have the Spirit. But if not, you won’t.”
Jesus just gives the Spirit. The promise is yours. The promise is sure. “Nothing is impossible with God.”
He is “Yeshua” in Aramaic, the NT Joshua. His name means “YHWH saves” just as Joshua does and similar to Elisha meaning “My God saves.” — But now, Jesus Yeshua is also God. He saves. He delivers. And he promises and grants his Spirit!
The disciples want a kingdom to overcome Rome—they want the popcorn and fireworks and national anthem. --- Jesus says, I will give you the “power”—and not just the power, but it will flow from the Holy Spirit. “You will be my witnesses”—in Jerusalem and Judea, but also Samaria (the whole of Israel, reunited)—and “to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8
The kingdom will go beyond Israel. It will extend, with the Great Commission, wherever there are witnesses “to the ends of the earth” (Matthew 28:18).
XI.
So the horses and chariots come in order to whisk away Elijah like a victorious king. And just as suddenly as Jesus was taken away after promising the Spirit: 2 Kings 2:12, “And Elisha saw it.”
The fire took Elijah up into heaven, which had once come down from heaven to defeat the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18)—Also in 2 Kings 1, the immediately previous chapter)—fire comes there too, and it devours all the parties of soldiers who come to arrest Elijah and carry him to the king.
And this time when the fire comes, Elisha is left, also “seeing him no more.”
But the cloak remains—the “mantle” in older English, Elijah’s trademark outer coat. It falls from Elijah, and Elisha picks it up.
And he uses it just as Elijah had just used it: he struck (violently) the water with it. And just as with Elijah, the waters of the Jordan part for Elisha, too. The pledge of the promise is resting on Elisha!
He had seen his master being taken up—and the Lord and master, the “God,” of Elijah is now with Elisha as his LORD and his God. (a la Thomas, John 20:28.)
XII.
To close, I just want us to take stock of a few things we have that are an even greater inheritance than what was given to Elisha.
Elisha will host an incredible ministry to the nations, once they came to him in Israel.
Meanwhile, Christ has sent his mission to the world (“the ends of the earth”), and that was good news for Corinth, for Rome, for Colossae, and it’s good news for Manhattan, IL, and Missio Dei Church.
The whirlwind separated Elijah and Elisha (v. 11), and the cloak and mantle of Elijah only came to Elisha.
We have Christ, the “firstborn of all creation” (Col. 1:15)—and though the inheritance could entirely be his and no one else is worthy, still he shares the inheritance with us. And where he dwells, we can be with him. He goes to prepare a place for us (John 14:2), so that we live with him as his adopted siblings forever.
And beyond a cloak and outer garment, the Spirit of Jesus came in a mighty wind at Pentecost after the ascension of Jesus (Acts 2). It spread out and divided over the heads of all the people in the room, “like flames of fire,” and his Spirit intercedes for us even to this day when we have no words to pray. This is Romans 8 realities for us, certainly 8:12ff.
Conclusion — and Hook Thought recap
Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 3654 Dying Mother’s Last Words
I won’t be separated from any of you, dear children. I’ll just be closer to God
Chiefly, the fifty from the sons of the prophets looked on a mountain and in the valleys, and there was no trace of Elijah anywhere.
Elijah would show up on a mountain again, but not here in 2 Kings and the search of the fifty sons of the prophets.
He was promised to come again. Malachi 4:5
5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.
And he showed up: on the Mount of Transfiguration (Mark 9:4
4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.
But Jesus was announced in the power of Elijah (Luke 1:17), he was confused by many to be Elijah (Luke 9 and Matthew 16), he overshadowed John the Baptist as the one who was the Elijah and forebear to come as Moses was to Joshua and Elijah was to Elisha (Matthew 11).
And on a mountain, Calvary, Jesus cried out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Elisha, v. 14: Where is the God of Elijah??) — And there the crowd mistook him for calling out to Elijah, when instead he was calling out as the eternal Son of God.
And on a mountain, Olivet, Jesus too was taken up in a cloud and in fire. And “this Jesus, who was taken up from you…will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Then, 10 days later—at Pentecost, he came in a rush of wind and fire again. And his people were all baptized into the power and portion of the Holy Spirit.
And the baptism and falling of the Spirit was upon more than just fifty observers. But “about 3000” were baptized and added that day (Acts 2:41), and that day was the mere first gathering and firstfruits of many, many more folds to come, including you and I and anyone else who calls on him and receives the gift of the Holy Spirit!
----
He is our inheritance and our intercession to this day.
He is the firstborn. And we share in all his benefits, forevermore.
It is true we are left here. But we are left to carry our possession, to bear our unity in Christ, and to go out and take the mission (Commission) and the Spirit’s power out to be a blessing to the world.
That remains ours to this day. In the ascension of our older brother, Jesus Christ, the Lord and God of Elijah, the Lord and God of Elisha, and the Lord and God of all who call on him.
We too are left to carry an incredible mission to the world. That remains ours to this day.
Amen.
Prayer of application:
Prayer of application:
11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Parting blessing:
Parting blessing:
20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Translation/notes:
Translation/notes:
And it happened when YHWH would ascend (1:2 contrast Ahaziah falls; 1:16) Elijah by tempest/whirlwind/storm/swirl to heaven, and Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal (Josh. 4, the first stop after crossing the Jordan; Josh. 5, ‘rolling away’ the disgrace of Egypt, the men are circumcised and the first Passover in Canaan is celebrated).
Elijah: “my God is YHWH,” Elisha: “my God saves,” Joshua: “YHWH saves,” Jesus: “YHWH saves.”
And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for YHWH is sending me to Beth-El (Josh. 8, fully conquered with Ai). And Elisha said, “As YHWH lives and your soul lives, I will not leave/forsake you.” And they went down to Beth-El.
And the sons of the prophets who were in Beth-El went/came out to Elisha. And they said to him, “Do you know that today YHWH will take away/fetch/snatch your master/lord from over your head?” And he said, “Yes, I (intensive) know/acknowledge/perceive/understand it. Be silent/make it silent/keep it hushed.”
And Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for YHWH is sending me to Jericho (Josh. 6:24, totally annihilated and destroyed).” And he said, “As YHWH lives and your soul lives, I will not leave/forsake you.” And they went to Jericho.
And the sons of the prophets who were in Jericho drew near/came near to Elisha. And they said to him, “Do you know that today YHWH will take away/fetch/snatch your master/lord from over your head?” And he said, “Yes, I (intensive) know/acknowledge/perceive/understand it. Be silent/make it silent/keep it hushed.”
Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for YHWH is sending me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As YHWH lives and your soul lives, I will not leave/forsake you.” And the two of them went.
And fifty men (1:14) from the sons of the prophets came, and they stood in sight/at distance while the two stood by the Jordan.
And Elijah took his cloak/garment/(splendor), and he wrapped it and struck the water (Josh 3:15). And it was divided/separated/parted here and there, and they crossed/passed-over on dry ground (Ex. 14:22, Josh. 3:16-17).
And it happened as they crossed/passed-over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask/request what I will do for you before I am taken/fetched/snatched/carried-away from you.” And Elisha said, “Please may there be a double-portion (Deut. 21:17, the possession of the firstborn) of your ruah/spirit on me.”
And he said, “You asked/requested a difficult thing. If you see I am being taken/fetched/snatched/carried away from you, it will be so to you. But if not, it will not be.”
And it was they--walking--were talking and, behold, a chariot of fire/theophany (1:10, 1:12) and horses of fire/theophany! And they divided/separated between the two. And Elijah ascended (1:16; Acts 1:9) by tempest/whirlwind/storm/swirl into the heavens.
And Elisha saw, and he cried (in grief), “My father, my father! The chariot of Israel and its/his horses/riders!” And he did not see him again. And he seized/took hold of his clothes/garment/covering, and he tore/rend/cut them in two pieces.
And he raised/lifted/exalted the cloak/garment/(splendor) of Elijah which fell from him, and he returned/turned-back, and he stood on the edge/bank/(lip) of the Jordan.
And he took the cloak/garment/(splendor) of Elijah which fell from him, and he struck (Num. 2:11) the water. And he said, “Where indeed is YHWH, the God (Elohey) of Elijah (Elihu)?” And he struck the water, and it divided/separated/parted here and there, and Elisha crossed/passed-over (contrast Num. 2:12).
We read Matthew 11:28 “28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”—and here Elisha doesn’t need to come to Jesus. But Elijah’s cloak comes to him!
We read 1 Peter 5:7 “7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”—and Elisha, again, doesn’t do the casting! But he gets the blessing of Elijah’s cloak being cast on him.
And it changes Elisha, and transforms Elisha’s insufficiencies and frailties, from this point onward for the whole of his earthly ministry.
Starting here, in his confidence already with the sons of the prophets...
And the sons of the prophets who were in Jericho saw him opposite from them, and they said, “The ruah/spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet/encounter him, and they bowed down/stooped to the ground.
And they said to him, “Behold, we pray, there are with your servants fifty men, sons of valor. Please let them go and seek/look for your master/lord. Maybe the ruah/Spirit of YHWH lifted/carried/taken him and threw/cast/flung him on some mountains (Mark 9:4 transfiguration; Mark 15:35 Calvary; Acts 1:12 Jesus Olivet) or in some valleys.” And he said, “You shall not dispatch them.” (contrast 1:14)
And they push/pressed/presumed on him until he was ashamed/embarrassed/anxious. And he said, “Dispatch them.” And they dispatched fifty men. And they searched for three days, but they did not find him.
And they returned to him while he dwelt/stayed/lived/remained in Jericho. And he said to them, “Did I not say you shouldn’t go?”