5:1 Now Naaman, the commander of the king of Syria’s army, was esteemed and respected by his master, 1 for through him the Lord had given Syria military victories. But this great warrior had a skin disease. 2
1 tn Heb “was a great man before his master and lifted up with respect to the face.”
2 tn For a discussion of מְצֹרָע (mÿtsora’), traditionally translated “leprous,” see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 63. Naaman probably had a skin disorder of some type, not leprosy/Hansen’s disease.
3 tn The phrase כָל צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם (khol tsÿva’ hashamayim), traditionally translated “all the host of heaven,” refers to the heavenly lights, including stars and planets. In 1 Kgs 22:19 these heavenly bodies are pictured as members of the Lord’s royal court or assembly, but many other texts view them as the illegitimate objects of pagan and Israelite worship.
4 tn Or “served.”
5 sn See the note at 2 Kgs 17:16.
6 tn Or “served.”
7 tn Perhaps, “destroyed.”
8 tn Or “burn incense.”
9 tn Or “burned incense.”