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5:1 Now Naaman <05283>, the commander <08269> of the king <04428> of Syria’s <0758> army <06635>, was <01961> esteemed <06440> <01419> <0376> and respected <06440> <05375> by his master <0113>, for <03588> through him the Lord <03068> had given <05414> Syria <0758> military victories <08668>. But this great <02428> warrior <01368> had a skin disease <06879>. 5:2 Raiding parties <01416> went out <03318> from Syria <0758> and took captive <07617> from the land <0776> of Israel <03478> a young <06996> girl <05291>, who became a servant <06440> <01961> to Naaman’s <05283> wife <0802>. 5:3 She told <0559> her mistress <01404>, “If only <0305> my master <0113> were in the presence <06440> of the prophet <05030> who <0834> is in Samaria <08111>! Then <0227> he would cure <0622> him of his skin disease <06883>.” 5:4 Naaman went <0935> and told <05046> his master <0113> what <0834> the girl <05291> from the land <0776> of Israel <03478> had said <01696>. 5:5 The king <04428> of Syria <0758> said <0559>, “Go <0935> <01980>! I will send <07971> a letter <05612> to <0413> the king <04428> of Israel <03478>.” So Naaman went <01980>, taking <03947> with him ten <06235> talents <03603> of silver <03701>, six <08337> thousand <0505> shekels of gold <02091>, and ten <06235> suits <02487> of clothes <0899>. 5:6 He brought <0935> the letter <05612> to <0413> king <04428> of Israel <03478>. It read <0559>: “This <02088> is a letter <05612> of introduction <0935> for <0413> my servant <05650> Naaman <05283>, whom I have sent <07971> to <0413> be cured <0622> of his skin disease <06883>.” 5:7 When <01961> the king <04428> of Israel <03478> read <07121> the letter <05612>, he tore <07167> his clothes <0899> and said <0559>, “Am I God <0430>? Can I <0589> kill <04191> or restore life <02421>? Why does he ask <07971> me to <0413> cure <0622> a man <0376> of his skin disease <06883>? Certainly <03588> you must <0389> see <03045> that <03588> he <01931> is looking for <07200> an excuse to fight <0579> me!” 5:8 When <01961> Elisha <0477> the prophet <0430> <0376> heard <08085> that <03588> the king <04428> had torn <07167> his clothes <0899>, he sent <07971> this message to <0413> the king <04428>, “Why <04100> did you tear <07167> your clothes <0899>? Send <0935> him to <0413> me so <03588> he may know <03045> there is <03426> a prophet <05030> in Israel <03478>.” 5:9 So Naaman <05283> came <0935> with his horses <05483> and chariots <07393> and stood <05975> in the doorway <06607> of Elisha’s <0477> house <01004>. 5:10 Elisha <0477> sent <07971> out a messenger <04397> who told <0559> him, “Go <01980> and wash <07364> seven <07651> times <06471> in the Jordan <03383>; your skin <01320> will be restored <07725> and you will be healed <02891>.” 5:11 Naaman <05283> went away <01980> angry <07107>. He said <0559>, “Look <02009>, I thought <0559> for sure he would come <03318> out <03318>, stand <05975> there, invoke <07121> the name <08034> of the Lord <03068> his God <0430>, wave <05130> his hand <03027> over <0413> the area <04725>, and cure <0622> the skin disease <06879>. 5:12 The rivers <05104> of Damascus <01834>, the Abana <071> and Pharpar <06554>, are better <02896> than <03808> any <03605> of the waters <04325> of Israel <03478>! Could I not <03808> wash <07364> in them and be healed <02891>?” So he turned around <06437> and went away <01980> angry <02534>. 5:13 His servants <05650> approached <05066> and said <01696> to <0413> him, “O master <01>, if the prophet <05030> had told <01696> you to <0413> do some difficult task <01419> <01697>, you would have been willing to do <06213> it. It seems you should be happy that <03588> he simply said <0559>, “Wash <07364> and you will be healed <02891>.” 5:14 So he went down <03381> and dipped <02881> in the Jordan <03383> seven <07651> times <06471>, as the prophet <0430> <0376> had instructed <01697>. His skin <01320> became <07725> as smooth <01320> as a young <06996> child’s <05288> and he was healed <02891>. 5:15 He <01931> and his entire <03605> entourage <04264> returned <07725> to <0413> the prophet <0430> <0376>. Naaman came <0935> and stood <05975> before <06440> him. He said <0559>, “For sure <02009> I know <03045> that <03588> there is no <0369> God <0430> in all <03605> the earth <0776> except <0518> in Israel <03478>! Now <06258>, please <04994> accept <03947> a gift <01293> from your servant <05650>.” 5:16 But Elisha replied <0559>, “As certainly as the Lord <03068> lives <02416> (whom <0834> I serve <05975>), I will take <03947> nothing <0518> from you.” Naaman insisted <06484> that he take <03947> it, but he refused <03985>. 5:17 Naaman <05283> said <0559>, “If not <03808>, then please <04994> give <05414> your servant <05650> a load <04853> of dirt <0127>, enough for a pair <06776> of mules <06505> to carry, for <03588> your servant <05650> will never <03808> again <05750> offer <06213> a burnt offering <05930> or sacrifice <02077> to a god <0430> other <0312> than the Lord <03068>. 5:18 May the Lord <03068> forgive <05545> your servant <05650> for this <02088> one thing <01697>: When my master <0113> enters <0935> the temple <01004> of Rimmon <07417> to worship <07812>, and he <01931> leans <08172> on <05921> my arm <03027> and I bow down <07812> in the temple <01004> of Rimmon <07417>, may <04994> the Lord <03068> forgive <05545> your servant <05650> for this <02088>.”

• 2Ki 5:1-27 -- Elisha Heals a Syrian General

• Elisha

  [ebd] God his salvation, the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, who became the attendant and disciple of Elijah (1 Kings 19:16-19). His name first occurs in the command given to Elijah to anoint him as his successor (1 Kings 19:16). ...
  [isbe] ELISHA - e-li'-sha 'elisha`, "God is salvalion"; Septuagint Eleisaie; New Testament Elisaios, Eliseus, (Lk 4:27 the King James Version)): I. HIS CALL AND PREPARATION 1. His Call 2. His Preparation 3. The Parting Gift of Elij...
  [smith] (God his salvation), son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah; the attendant and disciple of Elijan, and subsequently his successor as prophet of the kingdom of Israel. The earliest mention of his name is in the command to Elijah in th...
  [nave] ELISHA, successor to the prophet Elijah. Elijah instructed to anoint, 1 Kin. 19:16. Called by Elijah, 1 Kin. 19:19. Ministers to Elijah, 1 Kin. 19:21. Witnesses Elijah's translation, receives a double portion of his spirit...
  

• Naaman

  [ebd] pleasantness, a Syrian, the commander of the armies of Benhadad II. in the time of Joram, king of Israel. He was afflicted with leprosy; and when the little Hebrew slave-girl that waited on his wife told her of a prophet in ...
  [isbe] NAAMAN - na'-a-man (na`aman, "pleasantness"; Septuagint: Codices Vaticanus and Alexandrinus Naiman; so Westcott and Hort, The New Testament in Greek in the New Testament; Textus Receptus of the New Testament, Neeman) : (1) A...
  [smith] (pleasantness). "Naaman the Syrian." (Luke 4:27) Naaman was commander-in-chief of the army of Syria, and was nearest to the person of the king, Ben-hadad II., whom he accompanied officially and supported when he went to wors...
  [nave] NAAMAN 1. Son of Benjamin, Gen. 46:21. 2. Son of Bela, Num. 26:40; 1 Chr. 8:4. 3. Son of Ehud, 1 Chr. 8:7. 4. A Syrian general, healed of leprosy by Elisha, 2 Kin. 5:1-23; Luke 4:27.
  

• Ben-hadad

  [nave] BEN-HADAD 1. King of Syria, 1 Kin. 15:18-20; 2 Chr. 16:2-4. 2. A king of Syria, who reigned in the time of Ahab, son of Ben-hadad I, 1 Kin. 20; 2 Kin. 5; 6; 7; 8:7-15. 3. Son of Hazael and king of Syria, 2 Kin. 13:3, 24, 2...
  

• Joram

  [nave] JORAM 1. A son of Toi, 2 Sam. 8:9, 10. Called Hadoram, 1 Chr. 18:10. 2. Called also Jehoram. King of Israel, 2 Kin. 1:17; 3:1. King of Syria sends Naaman to, that he may be healed of his leprosy, 2 Kin. 5:1-27. Has war w...
  

• Miracles

  [nave] MIRACLES. Index of Sub-topics Catalog of, and Supernatural Events, Of Jesus, in Chronological Order, Of the Disciples of Jesus; Convincing Effect of; Design of; Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit; Miscellany of Minor Sub-...
  

• Readings, Select

  [nave] READINGS, SELECT. Judah's Defense Gen. 44:18-34 Joseph Revealing His Identity Gen. 45:1-15 The Deliverance of the Israelites from Pharaoh Ex. 14:5-30 Song of Moses When Pharaoh and His Army Were Overthrown Ex. 15:1-1...
  

• Leprosy

  [ebd] (Heb. tsara'ath, a "smiting," a "stroke," because the disease was regarded as a direct providential infliction). This name is from the Greek lepra, by which the Greek physicians designated the disease from its scaliness. We ...
  [nave] LEPROSY Law concerning, Lev. 13; 14; 22:4; Num. 5:1-3; 12:14; Deut. 24:8; Matt. 8:4; Luke 5:14; 17:14. Sent as a judgment: On Miriam, Num. 12:1-10; Gehazi, 2 Kin. 5:27; Uzziah, 2 Chr. 26:20, 21. Entailed, 2 Kin. 5:27. Iso...
  

• Excuses

  [nave] EXCUSES. Gen. 3:12, 13; Ex. 4:1, 10-14; Ex. 32:22-24; Deut. 30:11-14; Judg. 6:12-17; 1 Kin. 19:19-21; 2 Kin. 5:10-14; Jer. 1:1, 4-10; Matt. 8:21; Luke 9:59-62; Luke 14:18-20; Acts 24:25; Rom. 1:20; Rom. 2:1
  

• Jordan

  [nave] JORDAN A river in Palestine. Empties into the Dead Sea, Josh. 15:5. Fords of, Gen. 32:10; Josh. 2:7; Judg. 3:28; 7:24; 8:4; 10:9; 12:5, 6; 2 Sam. 2:29; 17:22, 24; 19:15, 31; 1 Chr. 19:17. Swelling of, at harvest time, Josh...
  

• Pharpar

  [ebd] swift, one of the rivers of Damascus (2 Kings 5:12). It has been identified with the 'Awaj, "a small lively river." The whole of the district watered by the 'Awaj is called the Wady el-'Ajam, i.e., "the valley of the Persian...
  [isbe] PHARPAR - far'-par (parpar; Septuagint: Codex Vaticanus Apharpha; Codex Alexandrinus Pharphara): A river of Damascus, mentioned in 2 Ki 5:12, along with the Abana or Amana.e and James, Psalms of Solomon. xliv ff; Nicolas. Do...
  [smith] (swift), the second of the "two rivers of Damascus" --Abana and Pharpar --alluded to by Naaman. (2 Kings 5:18) The two principal streams in the district of Damascus are the Barada and the Awaj, the former being the Abana a...
  [nave] PHARPAR, a river of Damascus. Referred to by Naaman, 2 Kin. 5:12.
  

• RECOVER

  [isbe] RECOVER - re-kuv'-er: "Recover" has (1) the transitive meaning of "to retake" or "regain" (anything); and (2) the intransitive sense of "to regain health" or "become well." In Judith 14:7 it means "restore to consciousness."...
  

• EPISTLE

  [isbe] EPISTLE - e-pis'-'-l (epistole, "a letter," "epistle"; from epistello, "to send to"): 1. New Testament Epistles 2. Distinctive Characteristics 3. Letter-Writing in Antiquity 4. Letters in the Old Testament 5. Letters in the ...
  

• Mule

  [ebd] (Heb. pered), so called from the quick step of the animal or its power of carrying loads. It is not probable that the Hebrews bred mules, as this was strictly forbidden in the law (Lev. 19:19), although their use was not for...
  [isbe] MULE - mul (peredh (1 Ki 10:25; 18:5; Ezr 2:66; Isa 66:20; Zec 14:15), the feminine pirdah (1 Ki 1:33,38,44), rekhesh, "swift steeds," the King James Version "mules" (Est 8:10,14), 'achashteranim, "used in the king's service...
  [nave] MULE Uses of: For royal riders, 2 Sam. 13:29; 18:9; 1 Kin. 1:33, 38; ridden by posts, Esth. 8:10, 14; by saints in Isaiah's prophetic vision of the kingdom of Christ, Isa. 66:20; as pack animals, 2 Kin. 5:17; 1 Chr. 12:40. ...
  

• Motive

  [nave] MOTIVE Ascribed to God, Psa. 106:8; Ezek. 36:21, 22, 32. Right, required, Matt. 6:1-18. Sinful, illustrated by Cain, Gen. 4:7; 1 John 3:12. Misunderstood The tribes of Reuben and Gad, in asking inheritance E. of Jordan, ...
  

• Intercession

  [nave] INTERCESSION. Of One Person with Another 1 Sam. 2:25 Instances of: Reuben for Joseph, Gen. 37:21, 22. Judah for Joseph, Gen. 37:26, 27. Pharaoh's chief baker for Joseph, Gen. 41:9-13, with Gen. 40:14. Jonathan for David...
  

• Abana

  [ebd] stony (Heb. marg. "Amanah," perennial), the chief river of Damascus (2 Kings 5:12). Its modern name is Barada, the Chrysorrhoas, or "golden stream," of the Greeks. It rises in a cleft of the Anti-Lebanon range, about 23 mile...
  [smith] (perennial, stony), one of the "rivers of Damascus." (2 Kings 5:12) The Barada and the Awaj are now the chief streams of Damascus, the former representing the Abana and the latter the Pharpar of the text. The Barada (Abana...
  [nave] ABANA, river of Damascus, 2 Kin. 5:12.
  

• Prophets

  [nave] PROPHETS Called Seers, 1 Sam. 9:19; 2 Sam. 15:27; 24:11; 2 Kin. 17:13; 1 Chr. 9:22; 29:29; 2 Chr. 9:29; 12:15; 29:30; Isa. 30:10; Mic. 3:7. Schools of, 1 Kin. 20:35; 2 Kin. 2:3-15; 4:1, 38; 9:1. Kept the chronicles, 1 Chr....
  

• Pride

  [nave] PRIDE. Ex. 18:10, 11; Lev. 26:19; Deut. 8:11-14, 17-20; Judg. 9:14, 15; 1 Sam. 2:3-5; 1 Kin. 20:11; 2 Kin. 14:9, 10 2 Chr. 25:18, 19. Job 11:12; Job 12:2, 3; Job 13:2, 5; Job 15:1-13; Job 18:3, 4; Job 21:31, 32; Job 32:9-13...
  

• Servant

  [nave] SERVANT Distinguished as bond servant, who was a slave, and hired servant. Bond Laws of Moses concerning, Ex. 21:1-11, 20, 21, 26, 27, 32; Lev. 19:20-22; 25:6, 10, 35-55; Deut. 15:12, 14, 18; 24:7. Kidnapping forbidden, D...
  

• Rimmon

  [ebd] pomegranate. (1.) A man of Beeroth (2 Sam. 4:2), one of the four Gibeonite cities. (See Josh. 9:17.) (2.) A Syrian idol, mentioned only in 2 Kings 5:18. (3.) One of the "uttermost cities" of Judah, afterwards given to Simeon...
  [smith] a deity worshipped by the Syrians of Damascus, where there was a temple or house of Rimmon. (2 Kings 5:18) Rimmon is perhaps the abbreviated form of Hadad-rimmon, Hadad being the sun-god of the Syrians. Combining this with...
  [nave] RIMMON 1. Father of the murderers of Ish-bosheth, 2 Sam. 4:2, 5, 9. 2. A city S. of Jerusalem, Zech. 14:10. Allotted to Judah, Josh. 15:32; Neh. 11:29; afterward to Simeon, Josh. 19:7; 1 Chr. 4:32. Called Remmon, Josh. 19...
  

• Elisha and Naaman

  

• What is the significance of numbers in Scripture?
  The following material from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia should be helpful here: III. Significant numbers Numbers are also used with a symbolical or theological significance. One is used to convey th...

Inspiration

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