2 Kings 5:24

2Ki 5:24 And when he came to the tower, he took [them] from their hand, and bestowed [them] in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.

Ver. 24: He took them from their hand.] A cunning thief; but his cunning deceived him, as familiars do witches, at the last, when they are in hold.

And they departed.] Quietly and quickly: sed Nemesis in tergo. Conscience and vengeance stuck to him.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ki 5:24. When he came to the tower — A safe and private place, which he chose for the purpose, and where possibly he hid and kept other things, which he had got by such like frauds and artifices. And let the men go — Before they came within sight of his master.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

5:24 the citadel: The Hebrew word means hill or high point in a city. Citadels were often erected in such places (2 Chr 27:3).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Or, fortress, or secret place.

Naaman’s servants.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 24. When he came to the tower] The Chaldee, Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic understand the word עפל ophel, which we translate tower, as signifying a secret, dark, or hiding place. He was doing a deed of darkness, and he sought darkness to conceal it. He no doubt put them in a place little frequented, or one to which few had access besides himself. But the prophet's discerning spirit found him out.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(24) The tower.—Heb., the ’ôphel, the mound, on which the prophet’s house may have stood. There would be no window in the exterior wall from which Gehazi and his companions might have been observed approaching. Perhaps, however, a fortified hill, forming part of the system of defences surrounding Samaria, like the Ophel at Jerusalem, is to be understood. (Comp. 2Ch_27:3.) Elisha’s house lay within the city wall (2Ki_6:30, seq.). Keil explains the hill on which Samaria was built. (Comp. Isa_32:14, and Cheyne’s Note; Mic_4:8 : “And thou, O tower of the flock; O mound of the daughter of Zion.”) This note of place is also a note of historical truth.

Bestowed them in the house.—Stowed them away, laid them up carefully in the (prophet’s) house. LXX., παρέθετο.

Let the men go.—Before he “bestowed” their burdens in the house.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

24. when he came to the tower] R.V. hill. The word (Heb., Ophel) is often used in connexion with the description of the wall of Jerusalem (2Ch_27:3; 2Ch_33:14; Neh_3:26-27; Neh_11:21). From its use in Mic_4:8, of Mount Zion, the sense ‘hill’ rather than ‘tower’ appears well established. The margin of A.V., has here ‘secret place’ as also the LXX., but that seems to have come from connecting the word with a root of slightly different consonants (אפל instead of עפל). The question arises: What hill is meant? And it appears best to understand it of some eminence near the house of Elisha. All Samaria was hilly in character (see 1Ki_16:24). The narrative by this allusion to a locality, as though it were well known, shews its historic character, and appears to go back in its early form to close upon the date of the events.

he took them from their hand] Though they were heavy enough for two men, yet he must contrive to carry them himself that he may attract less notice, and run no risk of being found out.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And when he came to the tower,.... Of Samaria, or which was near it; a fortified place, and where was a watch, to whom he could safely commit the money and clothes:

he took them from their hand; not willing they should go any further with him, lest the affair should be discovered to his master:

and bestowed them in the house; deposited them there in the hands of some person whom he could trust; or laid them out, or ordered them to be laid out, in the purchase of houses, lands, vineyards, &c. see Kg2 5:26.

and he let the men go, and they departed; to their master.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The tower - Rather, “the hill,” the well-known hill by Elisha’s house. The hill interrupted the view in the direction taken by Naaman, and Gehazi dismissed Naaman’s servants at this point lest they should be seen from his master’s residence.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Evening. Septuagint, Syriac, &c., seems to have read aupol, instead of the present Hebrew hopel, eminence," (Calmet) Protestants, "tower," (Haydock) at or near Samaria; when Giezi thought proper to take the burden himself to prevent detection. Eliseus would hardly dismiss the Syrians, when the night was so near at hand. (Calmet) --- It might however be found more eligible to travel in the evening, (Haydock) as it was now the spring or summer season, (Tirinus) or at least warm, ver. 10. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The tower; a safe and private place which he chose for that purpose, and where possibly he hid and kept other things which he had got by such-like frauds and artifices.

He let the men go before they came within sight of his master.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

24. Came to the tower — Rather, To the hill. העפל, the hill, here means either the hill on which Samaria was built, or the particular eminence on which Elisha’s house stood.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And when he came to the tower; rather, to the hill (Revised Version). Some well-known eminence at a little distance from the Damascus gate of Samaria must be intended. Here Gehazi stopped the slaves, and took the money from them. It was important for his purpose that they should not be seen re-entering the city, as that would have occasioned remark, and might naturally have led to inquiry. He took themi.e. , the bagsfrom their hand i.e. from the hands of Naaman"s servantsand bestowed them in the house; i.e. by himself or deputy brought them to Elisha"s house, and there hid them away. And he let the men Naaman"s servants go, and they departed. They hastened, no doubt, to rejoin their master.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

When Gehazi came to the hill (העפל, the well-known hill before the city) he took the presents from the bearers, and dismissing the men, laid them up in the house. בּ פּקד, to bring into safe custody.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

And he came to a concealed place. [Targum] Yonoson rendered, “to a hidden place.”

And took from their hands. From the hands of Na’amon’s two servants.

And he dismissed the men so that Elisha would not see them.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.