2 Kings 5:1-7

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  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! ³  Then he would cure him of his skin disease.”

5:4 Naaman ⁴  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 ⁵  went, taking with him ten talents ⁶  of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, ⁷  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, ⁸  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? ⁹  Certainly you must see that he is looking for an excuse to fight me!” ¹⁰ 

2 Kings 5:16-17

5:16 But Elisha ¹¹  replied, “As certainly as the Lord lives (whom I serve), ¹²  I will take nothing from you.” Naaman ¹³  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, ¹⁴  for your servant will never again offer a burnt offering or sacrifice to a god other than the Lord. ¹⁵ 

[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.

[5:3]  ³ map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.

[5:4]  ⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Naaman) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:5]  ⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Naaman) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:5]  ⁶ tn The Hebrew term כִּכָּר (kikkar, “circle”) refers generally to something that is round. When used of metals it can refer to a disk-shaped weight made of the metal or to a standard unit of weight, generally regarded as a talent. Since the accepted weight for a talent of metal is about 75 pounds, this would have amounted to about 750 pounds of silver (cf. NCV, NLT, CEV).

[5:5]  ⁷ tn Heb “six thousand gold […].” The unit of measure is not given in the Hebrew text. A number of English versions supply “pieces” (e.g., KJV, ASV, NAB, TEV) or “shekels” (e.g., NASB, NIV, NRSV).

[5:6]  ⁸ tn Heb “and now when this letter comes to you, look, I have sent to you Naaman my servant.”

[5:7]  ⁹ tn Heb “Am I God, killing and restoring life, that this one sends to me to cure a man from his skin disease?” In the Hebrew text this is one lengthy rhetorical question, which has been divided up in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[5:7]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “Indeed, know and see that he is seeking an occasion with respect to me.”

[5:16]  ¹¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:16]  ¹² tn Heb “before whom I stand.”

[5:16]  ¹³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Naaman) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:17]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “and [if] not, may there be given to your servant a load [for] a pair of mules, earth.”

[5:17]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “for your servant will not again make a burnt offering and sacrifice to other gods, only to the Lord.”