John Chapter 11 verse 17 Holy Bible
So when Jesus came, he found that he had been in the tomb four days already.
read chapter 11 in ASV
Now when Jesus came, he made the discovery that Lazarus had been put into the earth four days before.
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Jesus therefore [on] arriving found him to have been four days already in the tomb.
read chapter 11 in DARBY
Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.
read chapter 11 in KJV
read chapter 11 in WBT
So when Jesus came, he found that he had been in the tomb four days already.
read chapter 11 in WEB
Jesus, therefore, having come, found him having been four days already in the tomb.
read chapter 11 in YLT
John 11 : 17 Bible Verse Songs
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 17. - So; or, thereupon; for οϋν not infrequently indicates the relation between two narratives, as well as between two state-meats or arguments. When Jesus came into the neighborhood of the village (see ver. 30), he found, on inquiry, that he (Lazarus) already during four days had been in the grave; or literally, had had four days. These four days are differently counted. Alford, Luthardt, Hengstenberg, Lange, Gorier, Westcott, and Moulton believe that this mention proves that Lazarus died and was buried on the day on which the message was sent, which, if it took one day to deliver, and if one day had been consumed in the return of Jesus, would leave the other two days as those of the delay in Peraea. Meyer and Ewald, with Bengel and Watkins, think that he died at the conclusion of the delay, that Jesus became aware of it, and told his disciples of it, and spent the two days, or parts of them, in the journey; that on the fourth day he reached Bethany. The former and usual view is the more obvious one, although it must turn ultimately on the position of Bethany beyond Jordan. If the recent speculations of the Palestine Exploration Society and Caspari be correct, the distance between the two Bethanys may have required at least two days for the journey, and therefore favors the latter interpretation. If Bethany (Bethabara) be near Jericho, the distance between them would be much less, and the former and usual reckoning must prevail.
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(17) Then when Jesus came--i.e., to the neighbourhood of Bethany. He did not at once enter the village itself (John 11:20; John 11:30).He found that he had lain in the grave four days already.--The Jewish custom was to bury on the day of death. (Comp. Acts 5:6-10.) The whole tone of the narrative places the time of death at the point indicated by the summons to go into Judaea, in John 11:7 (see Note there). Counting the parts of the days on which they set out and on which they arrived as included in the four days, in accordance with the Jewish method, we have two whole days and parts of two other days spent upon the journey. There is no indication that they halted on the way, but everything suggests rather that they went as quickly as possible. The common view, which supposes the place where John was baptising to have been on the southern Jordan, cannot be made consistent with this long journey; and it is usual to assume that Lazarus died on the day that the message reached the Lord, that after his death our Lord remained two days where He was, and that the fourth day was occupied on the journey to Bethany. It is believed that the meaning of the narrative is brought out more fully by the interpretation which has been followed above, and that the four days for the journey is perfectly natural on the supposition which has been adopted, that the journey was from Tellanihje, which was north of the Sea of Galilee.
