2 Kings 5:1

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, ¹  for through him the Lord had given Syria military victories. But this great warrior had a skin disease. ² 

2 Kings 13:17

13:17 Elisha ³  said, “Open the east window,” and he did so. ⁴  Elisha said, “Shoot!” and

he did so. ⁵  Elisha ⁶  said, “This arrow symbolizes the victory the Lord will give you over Syria. ⁷  You will annihilate Syria in Aphek!” ⁸ 

2 Kings 13:19

13:19 The prophet ⁹  got angry at him and said, “If you had struck the ground five or six times, you would have annihilated Syria! ¹⁰  But now, you will defeat Syria only three times.”

2 Kings 16:6

16:6 (At that time King Rezin of Syria ¹¹  recovered Elat for Syria; he drove the Judahites from there. ¹²  Syrians ¹³  arrived in Elat and live there to this very day.)

[5:1]  ¹ tn Heb “was a great man before his master and lifted up with respect to the face.”

[5:1]  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.

[13:17]  ³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:17]  ⁴ tn Heb “He opened [it].”

[13:17]  ⁵ tn Heb “and he shot.”

[13:17]  ⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:17]  ⁷ tn Heb “The arrow of victory of the Lord and the arrow of victory over Syria.”

[13:17]  ⁸ tn Heb “you will strike down Syria in Aphek until destruction.”

[13:19]  ⁵ tn Heb “man of God.”

[13:19]  ⁶ tn Heb “[It was necessary] to strike five or six times, then you would strike down Syria until destruction.” On the syntax of the infinitive construct, see GKC 349 §114.k.

[16:6]  ⁷ tc Some prefer to read “the king of Edom” and “for Edom” here. The names Syria (Heb “Aram,” אֲרָם, ’aram) and Edom (אֱדֹם, ’edom) are easily confused in the Hebrew consonantal script.

[16:6]  ⁸ tn Heb “from Elat.”

[16:6]  ⁹ tc The consonantal text (Kethib), supported by many medieval Hebrew mss, the Syriac version, and some mss of the Targum and Vulgate, read “Syrians” (Heb “Arameans”). The marginal reading (Qere), supported by the LXX, Targums, and Vulgate, reads “Edomites.”