And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

And as they were afraid, and bowed down their countenance towards the ground, they said unto them: Why seek you the living with the dead?

And as they were filled with fear and bowed their faces to the ground, they said to them, Why seek ye the living one among the dead?

and as they were affrighted, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

and on their having become afraid, and having inclined the face to the earth, they said to them, 'Why do ye seek the living with the dead?

The women were terrified; but, as they stood with their faces bowed to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you search among the dead for Him who is living?

And while their faces were bent down to the earth in fear, these said to them, Why are you looking for the living among the dead?

Then, since they were afraid and were turning their faces toward the ground, these two said to them: "Why do you seek the living with the dead?

But, when in their fear the women bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why are you looking among the dead for him who is living?

Why seek ye the living among the dead? - This was a common form of speech among the Jews, and seems to be applied to those who were foolishly, impertinently, or absurdly employed. As places of burial were unclean, it was not reasonable to suppose that the living should frequent them; or that if any was missing he was likely to be found in such places.

And as they were afraid,.... That is, the women were afraid of these angels; these bright appearances and majestic forms, as it was usual for good men and women to be, as appears from the cases of Zacharias, the Virgin Mary, and others:
and bowed down their faces to the earth, through great fear and reverence of these heavenly spirits, and as not being able to bear the lustre of their countenances and garments:
they said unto them, that is, the angels:
why seek ye the living among the dead? intimating, that Christ, though he had been dead, was now living, and not to be sought for in a sepulchre; a way of speaking, much like this, is used in a parable of R. Levi's, concerning Pharaoh's not finding the name of God among the gods of the nations, upon searching for it. Moses and Aaron said to Pharaoh,
"thou fool, is it usual for the dead to "seek" them among the living? , "or ever the living among the dead?" our God is living, these thou speakest of are dead (i).''
Nor is Christ to be found among dead sinners, or lifeless professors, but among living saints, and among the churches of the living God; nor is life to be found among the dead works of the law, or to be obtained by lifeless performances on the dead letter of the law.
(i) Shemot Rabba, sect. 5. fol. 95. 3.

ANGELIC ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE WOMEN THAT CHRIST IS RISEN--PETER'S VISIT TO THE EMPTY SEPULCHRE. (Luke 24:1-12)
Why, &c.--Astonishing question! not "the risen," but "the Living One" (compare Revelation 1:18); and the surprise expressed in it implies an incongruity in His being there at all, as if, though He might submit to it, "it was impossible He should be holden of it" (Acts 2:24).