2 Kings 5

2 KINGS CHAPTER 5

Naaman Healed of Leprosy

      • Now Naaman, the commander of the king of Syria’s army, was a great man in his master’s eyes and highly regarded because through him, Yahweh had given victory to Syria. He was a great warrior, but he had a skin disease. On one of their raids, the Syrians had taken a young girl from Israel captive, and she became a servant to Naaman’s wife. She told her mistress, “If only my lord would come before the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his skin disease.”

        • ESV Archaeology Study Bible writes, “The Arameans (in Scripture also called the Syrians) were a network of ancient interdependent kingdoms throughout the Near East…The Bible records numerous battles between the Arameans and the Israelites…In 732 BC, Damascus fell to Tiglath-pileser III, king of Assyria. Along with much of Israel’s northern territory (2 Kgs 15:27-31). Tiglath-pileser III deported a large portion of the Aramean and Israelite population, settling them in other Assyrian and Babylonian regions…At this point, the Arameans largely assimilated to the traditions and religions of the Assyrians surrounding them. The Old Aramaic language spoken by the Arameans was commonly spoken throughout the Near East. It was carried by displaced Arameans throughout the Assyrian and Babylonian kingdoms and became the administrative language for trade and diplomacy during the reign of the Persian Empire…Aramaic remained remained dominant among all of the Semitic peoples until being displaced by Arabic in the seventh century AD…”

        • ESV Study Bible remarks, “The vanquished here are not specified but may have included Israel, which was defeated at Ramoth-gilead in 1 Kings 22:29-36…”

        • On Naaman’s skin disease, NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible adds, “It is clear from Lev 13-14 that the Hebrew word here in fact refers to a wide range of patchy disfigurements of skin or material…, which may or may not have included what is now commonly called leprosy (Hansen’s disease). ‘Skin disease’ may be a better way to categorize this…Such an ailment signified to the Hebrew reader ritual uncleanness or defilement (cf Lev 13-14) and the judgment of God (cf 2 Kgs 15:5; Num 12:1-15; 2 Sam 3:28-29). Naaman is one who is in every sense, ‘outside of the camp’ (Lev 13:46…) – a foreigner, as well as a leper…”

        • Guzik says, “This girl was an unwilling missionary, taken captive from Israel and now in Syria. Yet God allowed the tragedy of her captivity to accomplish a greater good. The young girl illustrates the mysterious ways God works. She was probably raised in a godly home, yet taken from her family at a young age. It was an irreplaceable loss for her parents, and one they no doubt grieved over every day. Yet, she was greatly used in a simple way. This young girl was an outstanding example of a faithful witness in her current circumstance. She cared enough to speak up, and she had faith enough to believe that Elisha would heal him of his leprosy.”

      • Naaman went and told his lord what the girl from Israel had said, and the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he went, taking with him 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and 10 changes of clothes. He brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read: “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent my servant Naaman to you for you to cure him of his skin disease.” When the king of Israel read the letter he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God that I can give life and take it away? Why does he ask me to cure a man of his skin disease? Just look and see how he is seeking to fight with me.”

        • ESV Study Bible writes, “An uneasy truce appears to be in force between Syrian and Israel. There is sufficient tension, however, for the king of Israel to be concerned that the king of Syria is seeking a quarrel in asking him to perform a task (cure him of his leprosy) that only divinity can accomplish- akin to raising someone from the dead…The tearing of clothes, as well as indicating sorrow…could also signify consternation (cf. 22:11-13). There is sufficient quiet, on the other hand, for Naaman to travel safely to Israel with his letter and his various gifts…”

        • On the value of the gold alone, NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible notes, “…6,000 shekels of gold represented the combined annual wages of about 600 common laborers. Converted to today’s buying power, it equals about 750 million dollars.”

      • When Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king had torn his clothes, he sent him the following message: “Why did you tear your clothes? Let him come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house. Elisha sent a messenger out to him who told him, “Go wash seven times in the Jordan; your skin will be restored and you will be clean.” But Naaman got angry and left, saying, “Look, I thought surely he would come out to me, stand, and call upon the name of Yahweh his God, wave his hand over the area, and heal the skin disease. Aren’t the rivers of Damascus, Abana and Pharpar, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and left in a rage.

        • NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible notes, “Akkadian inscriptions from this period depict a magical specialist with raised hand offering an invocation and prayer for the removal of disease and evil. A magical ritual would have required the supervision of such a specialist to conduct or oversee the proper rituals. Elisha is careful to remove himself from this role, leading Naaman to think that any source of water would serve the cleansing purpose. He expects the presence of the practitioner to be the key to the success of the ritual.”

        • Guzik says, “Naaman took the trouble to come to the home of Elisha, but Elisha refused to give him a personal audience. He simply sent a messenger. This was humbling to Naaman, who was accustomed to being honored…Naaman had it all figured out. In his great need, he anticipated a way God would work, and he was offended when God didn’t work the way he expected. Because his expectation of how God should work was crushed, Naaman wanted nothing to do with Elisha. If the answer was in washing in a river, Naaman knew there were better rivers in his own land.”

      • But his servants approached him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something difficult, wouldn’t you have done it? How much more then when all he said to you was, ‘Wash and be clean’?” So he went and dipped himself into the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had instructed. Then his skin was restored and became like the skin of a little child, and he was clean.

        • Guzik remarks, “Thank God for faithful subordinates who will speak to their superiors in such a way. Naaman was obviously angry, yet they were bold enough to give him the good advice he needed to hear. The servants of Naaman used a brilliantly logical approach. If Elisha had asked Naaman to sacrifice 100 or 1,000 animals to the God of Israel, Naaman would have done it immediately. Yet because his request was easy to do and humbling, Naaman first refused.”

      • Then Naaman and all of his attendants went back to the man of God. Naaman came and stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in the whole world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.” But Elisha replied, “As surely as Yahweh lives, before whom I stand, I will not accept it.” Naaman urged him to accept it, but he refused. Naaman responded, “If not, then please give your servant two mule loads of dirt, because your servant will never again make sacrifices or burnt offerings to any god other than Yahweh. But may Yahweh pardon your servant for this one thing: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he is leaning on my arm so that I also bow down in the house of Rimmon, may Yahweh pardon your servant for this.” Elisha said to him, “Go in peace.”

        • NLT Illustrated Study Bible writes, “Naaman’s physical healing led to spiritual conversion. Like the healed leper in Jesus’ parable, Naaman returned to give thanks to his benefactor (Luke 17:15-16). Naaman offered a gift out of gratitude, but Elisha refused; God’s grace and blessings were not to be obtained through money, gifts, or favors (Isa 55:1-5; Rom 2:4; 1 Cor 2:12; Eph 4:8).”

        • Why in the world would Naaman request loads of dirt? In my opinion, Dr. Michael Heiser gives the superior explanation. It relates to the concept of “cosmic geography,” which we’ve discussed back in Deuteronomy 32. The following is a synopsis of the concept of cosmic geography using this incident with Naaman as support via excerpts from Heiser’s “The Unseen Realm” (pp. 116-118):

          • Regarding the disinheritance of the nations which takes place in Deut 32:8-9, Heiser explains, “This was the theological lens through which an ancient Israelite viewed her own nation with respect to all others, and her elohim, Yahweh, against the gods of those nations. By definition Yahweh was superior…”

        • “The Old Testament therefore describes a world where cosmic-geographical lines have been drawn. Israel was holy ground because it was Yahweh’s ‘inheritance,’ in the language of Deuteronomy 32:8-9. The territory of other nations belonged to other elohim because Yahweh had decreed it…”

        • “This cosmic-geographical perspective explains several odd passages in the Bible, and provides theological backdrop to others…Another fascinating story that illustrates the Israelite cosmic-geographical worldview is the story of Naaman, the commander of the army of Syria…”

        • “The brief trip into Israel and the encounter with Yahweh’s prophet have taught Naaman some good theology. He affirms that ‘there is no God in all of the world except in Israel’ (v. 15). From henceforth he will sacrifice only to Yahweh. But how can he keep that vow after returning to Syria? Simple- he pleads for dirt to take home. Naaman views the land of Israel as holy ground- it is Yahweh’s territory. Naaman takes as much dirt as his mules can carry so he can worship Yahweh on Yahweh’s own territory, even though Naaman lives in the domain of the god Rimmon.”

        • NLT Illustrated Study Bible actually alludes to this and provides a possible use for Naaman’s dirt, “Ancient Near Eastern custom identified a nation’s god with the soil of the country where he was worshiped; Naaman apparenlty believed he needed Israelite soil in order to build an altar to properly worship Israel’s God.”

        • Pulpit Commentary makes this interesting note mentioned an occasion when the Israelites did the same, “The Jews themselves are known to have acted similarly, transferring earth from Jerusalem to Babylonia, to build a temple on it…”

        • On Rimmon, NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible writes, “In the OT, the storm-god Hadad is almost always called by the name ‘Baal’ (which is, strictly speaking, a title…) Zech 12:11, however, mentions a postexilic cult of Hadad Rimmon associated with the central portion of the Jezreel Valley near the city of Megiddo, and this deity is referred to here in shortened form. The epithet’s Akkadian form is ramman, from the verb rmm, ‘to roar’; the full name Hadad Ramman thus means ‘Hadad the thunderer.’ It is under this name of Hadad Ramman/Rimmon that Hadad was worshiped in the kingdom of Damascus in the period of the divided monarchy in Israel…”

Elisha Confronts Gehazi

      • When Naaman had traveled a short distance, Elisha’s servant Gehazi thought to himself, “My master has let this Syrian Naaman off lightly by not accepting the gift he brought. As surely as Yahweh lives, I will run after him and get something from him.” So Gehazi ran after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him and asked, “Is everything all right?” Gehazi said, “Everything is all right. My master has sent me to say: ‘Two young men from the sons of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them 75 pounds of silver and two changes of clothes.’” Naaman said, “Please accept 150 pounds.” He urged Gehazi, then packed 150 pounds of silver in two bags with two changes of clothes. He gave them to two of his servants and they carried them ahead of Gehazi. When he arrived at the citadel, he took them from the servants, and put them in the house. He sent the men away and they left.

        • NLT Illustrated Study Bible notes, “Naaman believed Gehazi’s fabricated story to be genuine and was happy to repay Elisha. The Hebrew word [for citadel] means hill or high point in a city. Citadels were often erected in such places (2 Chr 27:3).”

      • When he went and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been Gehazi?” Gehazi answered, “Your servant hasn’t been anywhere.” Elisha answered, “I was there in spirit when a man turned and got down from his chariot to meet you. Is this a time to accept silver and clothes, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants? Therefore Naaman’s skin disease will afflict you and your descendants forever.” So Gehazi left Elisha diseased, his skin as white as snow.

        • Guzik says, “It seems that Elisha had no absolute law against receiving support from those who were touched by his ministry. Yet it was spiritually clear to Elisha, and should have been clear to Gehazi, that it was not appropriate at this time and circumstance. Obviously, Gehazi did not bring all of these things home with him from Naaman. Yet he wanted all of these things, and Elisha exposed his greedy heart…This was a severe judgment, but as a man in ministry Gehazi was under a stricter judgment. When he allowed himself to covet what Naaman had, he thought only in terms of the money Naaman possessed. God allowed him to keep the riches, but also gave him the other thing Naaman had – severe leprosy.”

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