2 Kings5
New American Standard
1Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man in the view of his master, and eminent, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man was also a valiant warrior, but afflicted with leprosy.
2Now the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she waited on Naaman’s wife.
3And she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy.”
4And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “The girl who is from the land of Israel spoke such and such.”
5Then the king of Aram said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothes.
6And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said, “And now as this letter comes to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”
7But when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to keep alive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? But consider now, and see how he is seeking a quarrel against me.”
8Now it happened, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent word to the king, saying, “Why did you tear your clothes? Just have him come to me, and he shall learn that there is a prophet in Israel.”
9So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots, and stood at the doorway of Elisha’s house.
10And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.”
11But Naaman was furious and went away, and he said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will certainly come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the site and cure the leprosy.’
12Are Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, not better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.
13Then his servants approached and spoke to him, saying, “My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”
14So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, in accordance with the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
15Then he returned to the man of God with all his company, and came and stood before him. And he said, “Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; so please accept a gift from your servant now.”
16But he said, “As surely as the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will accept nothing.” And he urged him to accept it, but he refused.
17Then Naaman said, “If not, please let your servant be given two mules’ load of earth; for your servant will no longer offer a burnt offering nor a sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord.
18Regarding this matter may the Lord forgive your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand and I bow down in the house of Rimmon, when I bow down in the house of Rimmon, may the Lord please forgive your servant in this matter.”
19He said to him, “Go in peace.” So he went some distance from him.
20But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Aramean, by not accepting from his hand what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and take something from him.”
21So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he came down from the chariot to meet him and said, “Is everything well?”
22And he said, “Everything is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothes.’”
23Naaman said, “Be sure to take two talents.” And he urged him, and tied up two talents of silver in two bags with two changes of clothes, and gave them to two of his servants; and they carried them before him.
24When he came to the hill, he took them from their hand and deposited them in the house, and he sent the men away, and they departed.
25But he went in and stood before his master. And Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant went nowhere.”
26Then he said to him, “Did my heart not go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to accept money and to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, sheep, oxen, and male and female slaves?
27Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” So he went out from his presence afflicted with leprosy, as white as snow.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 2 Kings 5.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Naaman's leprosy. (1–8). The cure of it. (9–14). Elisha refuses Naaman's gifts. (15–19). Gehazi's covetousness and falsehood. (20–27).
vv1-8
Though the Syrians were idolaters, and oppressed God's people, yet the deliverance of which Naaman had been the means, is here ascribed to the Lord. Such is the correct language of Scripture, while those who write common history, plainly show that God is not in all their thoughts. No man's greatness, or honour, can place him our of the reach of the sorest calamities of human life: there is many a sickly, crazy body under rich and gay clothing. Every man has some but or other, something that blemishes and diminishes him, some allay to his grandeur, some damp to his joy. This little maid, though only a girl, could give an account of the famous prophet the Israelites had among them. Children should be early told of the wondrous works of God, that, wherever they go, they may talk of them. As became a good servant, she desired the health and welfare of her master, though she was a captive, a servant by force; much more should servants by choice, seek their masters' good. Servants may be blessings to the families where they are, by telling what they know of the glory of God, and the honour of his prophets. Naaman did not despise what she told, because of her meanness. It would be well if men were as sensible of the burden of sin as they are of bodily disease. And when they seek the blessings which the Lord sends in answer to the prayers of his faithful people, they will find nothing can be had, except they come as beggars for a free gift, not as lords to demand or purchase.
vv9-14
Elisha knew Naaman to be a proud man, and he would let him know, that before the great God all men stand upon the same level. All God's commands make trial of men's spirits, especially those which direct a sinner how to apply for the blessings of salvation. See in Naaman the folly of pride; a cure will not content him, unless he be cured with pomp and parade. He scorns to be healed, unless he be humoured. The way by which a sinner is received and made holy, through the blood, and by the Spirit of Christ, through faith alone in his name, does not sufficiently humour or employ self, to please the sinner's heart. Human wisdom thinks it can supply wiser and better methods of cleansing. Observe, masters should be willing to hear reason. As we should be deaf to the counsel of the ungodly, though given by great and respected names, so we are to have our ears open to good advice, though brought by those below us. Wouldst thou not do any thing? When diseased sinners are content to do any thing, to submit to any thing, to part with any thing, for a cure, then, and not till then, is there any hope of them. The methods for the healing of the leprosy of sin, are so plain, that we are without excuse if we do not observe them. It is but, Believe, and be saved; Repent, and be pardoned; Wash, and be clean. The believer applies for salvation, not neglecting, altering, or adding to the Saviour's directions; he is thus made clean from guilt, while others, who neglect them, live and die in the leprosy of sin.
vv15-19
The mercy of the cure affected Naaman more than the miracle. Those are best able to speak of the power of Divine grace, who themselves experience it. He also shows himself grateful to Elisha the prophet. Elijah refused any recompence, not because he thought it unlawful, for he received presents from others, but to show this new convert that the servants of the God of Israel looked upon worldly wealth with a holy contempt. The whole work was from God, in such a manner, that the prophet would not give counsel when he had no directions from the Lord. It is not well violently to oppose the lesser mistakes which unite with men's first convictions; we cannot bring men forward any faster than the Lord prepares them to receive instruction. Yet as to us, if, in covenanting with God, we desire to reserve any known sin, to continue to indulge ourselves in it, that is a breach of his covenant. Those who truly hate evil, will make conscience of abstaining from all appearances of evil.
Key Words
נַעֲמָן: Naaman, the name of an Israelite and of a Damascene
שַׂר: a head person (of any rank or class)
צָבָא: a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (specifically, hardship, worship)
מֶלֶךְ: a king
אֲרָם: Aram or Syria, and its inhabitants; also the name of the son of Shem, a grandson of Nahor, and of an Israelite
גָּדוֹל: great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent
אִישׁ: a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
פָּנִים: the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
אָדוֹן: sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine)
נָשָׂא: to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative
Cross References
2 Kings 5Jesus directly cites Naaman the Syrian being cleansed while many Israelite lepers were not.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Matches the king's cry 'Am I God, to kill and make alive' as a divine prerogative.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Like Naaman, only a foreign stranger returned to give glory to God after being cleansed.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Elisha rejects Naaman's money, contrasting with Simon Magus attempting to buy spiritual gifts.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Gehazi's leprosy illustrates that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Leprosy described as a state of partial death, matching Jehoram's description of the disease.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Jacob responds similarly to Rachel, 'Am I in God's stead?' concerning sovereign power over life.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Naaman requests Hebrew earth to build an acceptable altar, following Israel's earthen altar laws.
Supported by JFB
Gehazi's secret covetousness, theft, and concealment of garments and silver directly parallel Achan's sin.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Gehazi lying to the prophet mirrors Ananias lying to the Holy Spirit.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Balaam, like Elisha, recognized that spiritual outcomes cannot be purchased with silver and gold.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The priestly ritual of sprinkling a cleansed leper seven times explains Elisha's directive.
Supported by JFB
Jesus healing a blind man by sending him to wash in Siloam echoes Elisha's command.
Supported by Matthew Henry
King Uzziah is similarly struck with immediate leprosy as a sudden judgment from God.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Naaman's servants, like Nabal's, respectfully appeal to their master to avert foolish rage.
Supported by Matthew Henry