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Texts -- 2 Kings 5:1-23 (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 . 5:12 The rivers of Damascus , the Abana and Pharpar , are better than any of the waters of Israel ! Could I not wash in them and be healed ?” So he turned around and went away angry . 5:13 His servants approached and said to him, “O master , if the prophet had told you to do some difficult task , you would have been willing to do it. It seems you should be happy that he simply said , “Wash and you will be healed .” 5:14 So he went down and dipped in the Jordan seven times , as the prophet had instructed . His skin became as smooth as a young child’s and he was healed . 5:15 He and his entire entourage returned to the prophet . Naaman came and stood before him. He said , “For sure I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel ! Now , please accept a gift from your servant .” 5:16 But Elisha replied , “As certainly as the Lord lives (whom I serve ), I will take nothing from you.” Naaman insisted that he take it, but he refused . 5:17 Naaman said , “If not , then please give your servant a load of dirt , enough for a pair of mules to carry, for your servant will never again offer a burnt offering or sacrifice to a god other than the Lord . 5:18 May the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing : When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to worship , and he leans on my arm and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon , may the Lord forgive your servant for this .” 5:19 Elisha said to him, “Go in peace .” When he had gone a short distance , 5:20 Gehazi , the prophet Elisha’s servant , thought , “Look , my master did not accept what this Syrian Naaman offered him. As certainly as the Lord lives , I will run after him and accept something from him.” 5:21 So Gehazi ran after Naaman . When Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from his chariot to meet him and asked , “Is everything all right ?” 5:22 He answered , “Everything is fine . My master sent me with this message, ‘Look , two servants of the prophets just arrived from the Ephraimite hill country . Please give them a talent of silver and two suits of clothes .’” 5:23 Naaman said , “Please accept two talents of silver. He insisted , and tied up two talents of silver in two bags , along with two suits of clothes . He gave them to two of his servants and they carried them for Gehazi .

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • 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.

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • Gehazi

    [ebd] valley of vision, Elisha's trusted servant (2 Kings 4:31; 5:25; 8:4, 5). He appears in connection with the history of the Shunammite (2 Kings 4:14, 31) and of Naaman the Syrian. On this latter occasion he was guilty of dupli...
    [isbe] GEHAZI - ge-ha'-zi (gechazi, except in 2 Ki 4:31; 5:25; 8:4,5, where it is gechazi, perhaps "valley of vision"): The confidential servant of Elisha. Various words are used to denote his relation to his master. He is generall...
    [smith] (valley of vision), the servant or boy of Elisha. He was sent as the prophet?s messenger on two occasions to the good Shunammite, (2 Kings 4:1) ... (B.C. 889-887); obtained fraudulently money and garments from Naaman, was ...
    [nave] GEHAZI Servant of Elisha, 2 Kin. 4:12, 29, 31. Greed of, and the judgment of leprosy upon, 2 Kin. 5:20-27. Mentions to King Jehoram the miracles of Elisha, his master, 2 Kin. 8:4, 5.

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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

  • Lies and Deceits

    [nave] LIES AND DECEITS Ex. 23:1; Lev. 6:2-7; Lev. 19:11, 12, 16 Ex. 20:16. Job 13:4; Job 21:34; Job 27:4; Job 31:5, 6, 33; Job 36:4; Psa. 5:6, 9; Psa. 10:7; Psa. 12:2, 3; Psa. 28:3; Psa. 31:18; Psa. 34:13 1 Pet. 3:10. Psa. 36:3; P...

  • Greed

    [nave] GREED. Ex. 18:21; Ex. 20:17 Deut. 5:21. Neh. 5:7; Job 20:15; Job 31:24, 25, 28; Psa. 10:3; Psa. 119:36; Prov. 1:19; Prov. 11:24, 26; Prov. 15:27; Prov. 21:25, 26; Prov. 22:16; Prov. 23:4, 5; Prov. 30:8, 9; Eccl. 1:8 vs. 2-8...

  • 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."...

  • 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...

  • BAG

    [ebd] (1.) A pocket of a cone-like shape in which Naaman bound two pieces of silver for Gehazi (2 Kings 5:23). The same Hebrew word occurs elsewhere only in Isa. 3:22, where it is rendered "crisping-pins," but denotes the reticule...
    [isbe] BAG - Bags of various kinds are mentioned in the English Bible, but often in a way to obscure rather than tr the original. (1) "Bag" is used for a Hebrew word which means a shepherd's "bag," rendered "wallet" in the Revised ...
    [smith] is the rendering of several words in the Old and New Testaments. Charitim , the "bags" in which Naaman bound up the two talents of silver for Gehazi. (2 Kings 5:23) They were long cone-like bags of the size to hold a prec...

  • 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.
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  • 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...

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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • It was customary among the Philistines for a seven-day feast to precede the actual wedding ceremony (v. 10). In Samson's case the groom provided this feast, and it took place at the bride's home. It is most probable that duri...
  • (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 ...
  • The Gilgal in view may have been the one between Jericho and the Jordan, or it may have been one about seven miles north of Bethel since Elijah and Elisha went down to Bethel (v. 2).10This account presupposes previous revelat...
  • In contrast to the incident above, this one shows God's blessing on a wealthy woman. She was not the marriage partner of a prophet but a simple faithful believer in Yahweh (cf. vv. 8-10, 16, 21-22, 24-25, 27, 30, 37). She was...
  • 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 ...
  • Perhaps this oracle is shorter because Damascus had not had the history of contact with Judah in recent years that the other nations mentioned in these oracles did. However the books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles document ...
  • 7:14 Amos replied that he was not a prophet by his own choosing; he did not decide to pursue prophesying as a career. Neither had he become a prophet because his father had been one. In Amos' culture it was common and expecte...
  • The focus now changes from physical to spiritual deliverance (cf. Deut. 30:1-10).12:10 The Lord also promised to pour out on the Davidic rulers and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, representing all the Israelites, a spirit of re...
  • 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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