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Texts -- 2 Kings 5:13-27 (NET)

Context
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 . 5:24 When he arrived at the hill , he took them from the servants and put them in the house . Then he sent the men on their way . 5:25 When he came and stood before his master , Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi ?” He answered , “Your servant hasn’t been anywhere .” 5:26 Elisha replied , “I was there in spirit when a man turned and got down from his chariot to meet you. This is not the proper time to accept silver or to accept clothes , olive groves , vineyards , sheep , cattle , and male and female servants . 5:27 Therefore Naaman’s skin disease will afflict you and your descendants forever !” When Gehazi went out from his presence , his skin was as white as snow .

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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.

  • 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...
    [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.

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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-...

  • 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...

  • Worldliness

    [nave] WORLDLINESS. 1 Sam. 8:19, 20; Job 20:4-29; Job 21:11-15; Psa. 49:16-18; Psa. 73:2-22; Prov. 14:12, 13; Prov. 15:21; Prov. 21:17; Prov. 23:20, 21; Prov. 27:1, 7; Eccl. 1:8; Eccl. 2:1-12; Eccl. 6:11, 12; Eccl. 8:15-17; Eccl. ...

  • LIE; LYING

    [isbe] LIE; LYING - li, (sheqer (usually, e.g. Isa 9:15; Zec 13:3), or kazabh verb (Job 34:6; Mic 2:11); pseudos (Jn 8:44; Rev 21:27), "to speak falsely," "to fabricate," "to make a false statement"; pseudomai, in Acts 5:3,1): 1. L...

  • 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...

  • COVETOUSNESS

    [isbe] COVETOUSNESS - kuv'-et-us-nes: Has a variety of shades of meaning determined largely by the nature of the particular word used, or the context, or both. Following are some of the uses: (1) To gain dishonestly (batsa`), e.g. ...

  • Leprosy

    [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...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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. ...

  • 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

  • Decision

    [nave] DECISION. Deut. 30:19; Josh. 23:8. Josh. 24:15; 1 Sam. 12:20; 1 Kin. 18:21; Psa. 37:34; Psa. 69:13; Prov. 4:25-27; Isa. 50:7; Matt. 24:13 Mark 13:13; Matt. 10:22. Matt. 25:23; Luke 7:23 Matt. 11:6. John 8:31; John 15:4, 5, ...

  • PALESTINE, 2

    [isbe] PALESTINE, 2 - III. Palestine in the Historic Books of the Old Testament. 1. Book of Joshua: Joshua is the great geographical book of the Old Testament; and the large majority of the 600 names of places, rivers and mountains...
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The procedures described here were not curative but ritual. God prescribed no treatment for the cure of leprosy here, but He explained how the priests and the Israelites could recognize healed skin so formerly afflicted indiv...
  • 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 ...
  • 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 ...
  • "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...
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