Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.

Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slacken me not the riding, except I bid thee.

And she saddled an ass, and commanded her servant: Drive, and make haste, make no stay in going. And do that which I bid thee.

And she saddleth the ass, and saith unto her young man, 'Lead, and go, do not restrain riding for me, except I have said so to thee.'

Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not your riding for me, except I bid you.

Then she made the ass ready and said to her servant, Keep driving on; do not make a stop without orders from me.

And she saddled a donkey, and she instructed her servant: "Drive, and hurry on. You shall cause no delay for me in departing. And do whatever I instruct you to do."

Slack not thy riding - Translate, "delay me not in my riding, except I bid thee." The servant went on foot with the donkey to urge it forward, as is the ordinary custom in the East.

Drive, and go forward - It is customary in the East for a servant to walk along side or drive the ass his master rides. Sometimes he walks behind, and goads on the beast; and when it is to turn, he directs its head with the long pole of the goad. It is probably to this custom that the wise man alludes when he says, "I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth," on the ground.

Then she saddled an ass,.... Her servant did it by her order:
and said to her servant, drive, and go forward; make all the haste he could:
slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee; do not be afraid of riding too fast for me; if thou dost, I will tell thee; till then, keep on a good pace: Abarbinel says she walked afoot all the way, and ordered the man not to slacken his pace in riding for her, unless she called to him; and the Targum seems to favour this sense,"do not press me to ride unless I call to thee;''so that the ass was for Elijah to ride on; but one would think, that, as she was in haste, quicker dispatch would be made by her riding than by walking, see 2-Kings 4:22.

Drive, and go forward--It is usual for women to ride on asses, accompanied by a servant, who walks behind and drives the beast with his stick, goading the animal at the speed required by his mistress. The Shunammite had to ride a journey of five or six hours to the top of Carmel.