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Texts -- 2 Kings 5:1-11 (NET)

Context
Elisha Heals a Syrian General
5:1 Now Naaman , the commander of the king of Syria’s army , was esteemed and respected by his master , for through him the Lord had given Syria military victories . But this great warrior had a skin disease . 5:2 Raiding parties went out from Syria and took captive from the land of Israel a young girl , who became a servant to Naaman’s wife . 5:3 She told her mistress , “If only my master were in the presence of the prophet who is in Samaria ! Then he would cure him of his skin disease .” 5:4 Naaman went and told his master what the girl from the land of Israel had said . 5:5 The king of Syria said , “Go ! I will send a letter to the king of Israel .” So Naaman went , taking with him ten talents of silver , six thousand shekels of gold , and ten suits of clothes . 5:6 He brought the letter to king of Israel . It read : “This is a letter of introduction for my servant Naaman , whom I have sent to be cured of his skin disease .” 5:7 When the king of Israel read the letter , he tore his clothes and said , “Am I God ? Can I kill or restore life ? Why does he ask me to cure a man of his skin disease ? Certainly you must see that he is looking for an excuse to fight me!” 5:8 When Elisha the prophet heard that the king had torn his clothes , he sent this message to the king , “Why did you tear your clothes ? Send him to me so he may know there is a prophet in Israel .” 5:9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood in the doorway of Elisha’s house . 5:10 Elisha sent out a messenger who told him, “Go and wash seven times in the Jordan ; your skin will be restored and you will be healed .” 5:11 Naaman went away angry . He said , “Look , I thought for sure he would come out , stand there, invoke the name of the Lord his God , wave his hand over the area , and cure the skin disease .

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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • (Continued from notes on 1 Kings)3. Ahaziah's evil reign in Israel -1 Kings 22:51-2 Kings 1:184. Jehoram's evil reign in Israel 2:1-8:155. Jehoram's evil reign in Judah 8:16-246. Ahaziah's evil reign in Judah 8:25-9:29C. The ...
  • Naaman (Aram. gracious) was commander of the Aramean army under Ben-Hadad II (cf. 1 Kings 15:18, 20). Leprosy in the ancient world degenerated the bodies of its victims and eventually proved fatal. At this time no one could c...
  • Hazael was the governor of Damascus.50The Gentile King of Aram had more interest in inquiring of Yahweh than Jehoram's predecessor did (v. 8; cf. 1:2). It was customary in the Near East to make a great show of giving gifts. I...
  • Jehoash (Joash) had respect and affection for Elisha. He anticipated the loss that the death of God's spiritual warrior would be to Israel (v. 14). He recognized that Israel's real defense lay in Yahweh's angelic army and in ...
  • 8:1 This verse is transitional (cf. 5:1). Great crowds continued to follow Jesus after He delivered the Sermon on the Mount, as they had before.8:2-3 Matthew typically used the phrase kai idou("and behold,"not translated in t...
  • 7:18-20 "These things"probably include the activities of Jesus that Luke had recorded including the healing of the centurion's servant and the raising of the widow's son. John evidently had second thoughts about Jesus because...
  • Luke's narration of this miracle focuses on the response of the Samaritan whom Jesus healed. It is not so much a story that he intended to show Jesus' divine identity, though it does that. It is rather another lesson for the ...
  • The preceding controversy resulted in Jesus clarifying His relationship to His Father further. Jesus proceeded to reply to His enemies' charge that He was not equal with God the Father. This is the most thoroughgoing statemen...
  • "John evidently wants us to see that the activity of Jesus as the Light of the world inevitably results in judgment on those whose natural habitat is darkness. They oppose the Light and they bring down condemnation on themsel...
  • Having dealt with the source of interpersonal and inner personal conflicts that believers in particular and all people generally experience, James dealt next with a different aspect of the same problem. He did so to motivate ...
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