2 Kings 5

1 Naaman, prince of the chivalry of the king of Syria, was a great man, and worshipped with his lord; for by him the Lord gave health to Syria; soothly he was a strong man and rich, but he was leprous. (Naaman, the leader of the cavalry, or of the army, of the king of Syria, was a great man, and honoured by his lord; and by him the Lord gave victory to Syria; truly he was a strong man, and a rich one, but he was also a leper.)

2 Forsooth thieves went out of Syria, and led (away as) prisoner from the land of Israel a little damsel, that was in the service of the wife of Naaman (who was now in the service of Naaman's wife).

3 And she said to her lady, Would God, that my lord had been at the prophet that is in Samaria (If only my lord had been to the prophet who is in Samaria); soothly the prophet would have cured him of [the] leprosy that he hath.

4 Therefore Naaman entered to his lord, and told to him, and said, A damsel of the land of Israel spake so and so.

5 Therefore the king of Syria said to him, Go thou, and I shall send letters to the king of Israel. And when Naaman had gone forth, and had taken with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand golden pieces, either florins, and ten changings of clothes (and ten changes of clothing),

6 he brought (the) letters to the king of Israel by these words (he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read thus); When thou hast taken this epistle, know thou, that I have sent to thee Naaman, my servant, (so) that thou (can) cure him of his leprosy.

7 And when the king of Israel had read the letters, he rent his clothes, and said, Whether I am God, that may slay and quicken, for this king sent to me, that I cure a man of his leprosy? Perceive ye, and see, that he seeketh occasions against me. (And when the king of Israel had read the letter, he tore his clothes, and said, Am I God, who may kill and make alive, for this king sent to me, that I should cure a man of his leprosy? See ye, and understand, that he seeketh a reason, or an excuse, to attack me.)

8 And when Elisha, the man of God, had heard this, that is, that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, he sent to the king, and said, Why rentest thou thy clothes? come he to me, and know he, that there is a prophet in Israel. (And when Elisha, the man of God, had heard this, that is, that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, and said, Why tearest thou thy clothes? Let him come to me, and then know he, that there is a prophet in Israel.)

9 Then Naaman came with horses and chariots, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.

10 And Elisha sent to him a messenger (And Elisha sent a messenger to him), and said, Go, and be thou washed seven times in Jordan; and thy flesh shall receive health, and thou shalt be cleansed.

11 Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, I guessed, that he would have gone out to me, and that he would have stood, and inwardly have called (on) the name of the Lord his God, and that he should have touched with his hand the place of the leprosy, and should have cured me so. (And Naaman was angry, and went away, and said, I guessed, that he would have come out to me, and that he would have stood there, and inwardly called on the name of the Lord his God, and then he would have touched the place of the leprosy with his hand, and thus he would have cured me.)

12 Whether Abana and Pharpar, the floods of Damascus, be not better than all the waters of Israel, that I be washed in them, and be cleansed? Therefore when he had turned himself, and went away, having indignation, (Be not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel, and that I be washed in them, and be cleansed? And so when he had turned, and went away, having indignation,)

13 his servants nighed to him, and spake to him, Father, though the prophet had said to thee a great thing, certainly thou oughtest to do it; how much more for now he said to thee, Be thou washed, and thou shalt be cleansed. (his servants came to him, and spoke to him, and said, Father, if the prophet had said to thee to do a great thing, certainly thou wouldest have done it; how much more now for that he hath simply said to thee, Be thou washed, and thou shalt be cleansed, or healed.)

14 Then Naaman went down, and washed him(self) seven times in Jordan, by the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored as the flesh of a little child, and he was cleansed (and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young child, and he was healed).

15 And he turned again with all his fellowship to the man of God, and came, and stood before him; and said, Verily I know (now), that none other God is in all [the] earth, no but only [the] God of Israel; therefore, I beseech, that thou take [a] blessing, that is, a gift, of thy servant (and so I beseech thee, that thou receive a gift from thy servant).

16 And Elisha answered, The Lord liveth before whom I stand, for I shall not take it of thee. And when he made great force thereto, (that is, had pressed him greatly,) Elisha assented not utterly. (And Elisha answered, As the Lord liveth, whom I stand before, I shall not take it from thee. And when Naaman greatly pressed him, and insisted, Elisha would still not agree.)

17 Then Naaman said, As thou wilt; but, I beseech, grant thou to me, thy servant, that I take of this earth the charge of two burdens; for thy servant shall no more make burnt sacrifice, either slain sacrifice, to alien gods (to foreign, or other, gods), no but (only) to the Lord.

18 Forsooth this thing is only (And this thing only), of which thou shalt pray (to) the Lord for thy servant, (that) when my lord shall enter into the temple of Rimmon, that he worship (there), and while he shall lean on mine hand, if I worship in the temple of Rimmon, while he worshippeth in the same place, that the Lord forgive to thy servant, for this thing.

19 And Elisha said to him, Go thou in peace. And so Naaman went from Elisha in a chosen time of the land.

20 And Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, said in his heart, My lord hath spared this man of Syria, that he took not of him that, that he brought; (as) the Lord liveth, for I shall run after him, and I shall take of him something. (And Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, said in his heart, My lord hath spared this Naaman of Syria, and he took not from him, what he brought for him; as the Lord liveth, I shall run after him, and I shall get something from him.)

21 And Gehazi followed after the back of Naaman; and when Naaman had seen Gehazi running to him, he skipped down off the chariot into the meeting of Gehazi; and said, Whether all things be rightful? (Is everything all right?)

22 And he said, Rightfully; my lord sent me to thee, and said, Two young men of the hill of Ephraim, of the sons of (the) prophets, came now to me; give thou to them a talent of silver, and double changing (of) clothes. (And he said, All is well; but my lord hath sent me to thee, and said, Two young men, of the sons of the prophets, have now come to me, from the hill country of Ephraim; give thou to them a talent of silver, and two changes of clothing.)

23 And Naaman said, It is better that thou take two talents. And Naaman constrained him; and Naaman bound the two talents of silver in two bags, and the double clothes (with the two changes of clothing), and he put those upon his two servants, the which also bare it before Gehazi.

24 And when Gehazi had come (back) then in the eventide, he took it from the hand of them, and laid it up in the house; and he delivered the men, and they went forth. (And when Gehazi had come back in the evening, he took the bundles out of their hands, and laid them up in the house; and he let the men go, and they went away.)

25 And then Gehazi entered, and stood before his lord. And Elisha said, Gehazi, from whence comest thou? Which answered, Thy servant went not to any place.

26 And Elisha said, Whether mine heart was not present there, when the man turned again from his chariot into the meeting of thee? Now therefore thou hast taken silver, and thou hast taken clothes, (so) that thou (can) buy places of olives, and vineries, and sheep, and oxen, and servants, and handmaids;

27 but also the leprosy of Naaman shall cleave to thee, and to thy seed without end. And Gehazi went out from him leprous as snow. (but now Naaman's leprosy shall cleave to thee, and to thy descendants, forevermore. And so Gehazi went away from him leprous, as white as snow.)

2 Kings 5 Commentary

Chapter 5

Naaman's leprosy. (1-8) The cure of it. (9-14) Elisha refuses Naaman's gifts. (15-19) Gehazi's covetousness and falsehood. (20-27)

Verses 1-8 Though the Syrians were idolaters, and oppressed God's people, yet the deliverance of which Naaman had been the means, is here ascribed to the Lord. Such is the correct language of Scripture, while those who write common history, plainly show that God is not in all their thoughts. No man's greatness, or honour, can place him our of the reach of the sorest calamities of human life: there is many a sickly, crazy body under rich and gay clothing. Every man has some but or other, something that blemishes and diminishes him, some allay to his grandeur, some damp to his joy. This little maid, though only a girl, could give an account of the famous prophet the Israelites had among them. Children should be early told of the wondrous works of God, that, wherever they go, they may talk of them. As became a good servant, she desired the health and welfare of her master, though she was a captive, a servant by force; much more should servants by choice, seek their masters' good. Servants may be blessings to the families where they are, by telling what they know of the glory of God, and the honour of his prophets. Naaman did not despise what she told, because of her meanness. It would be well if men were as sensible of the burden of sin as they are of bodily disease. And when they seek the blessings which the Lord sends in answer to the prayers of his faithful people, they will find nothing can be had, except they come as beggars for a free gift, not as lords to demand or purchase.

Verses 9-14 Elisha knew Naaman to be a proud man, and he would let him know, that before the great God all men stand upon the same level. All God's commands make trial of men's spirits, especially those which direct a sinner how to apply for the blessings of salvation. See in Naaman the folly of pride; a cure will not content him, unless he be cured with pomp and parade. He scorns to be healed, unless he be humoured. The way by which a sinner is received and made holy, through the blood, and by the Spirit of Christ, through faith alone in his name, does not sufficiently humour or employ self, to please the sinner's heart. Human wisdom thinks it can supply wiser and better methods of cleansing. Observe, masters should be willing to hear reason. As we should be deaf to the counsel of the ungodly, though given by great and respected names, so we are to have our ears open to good advice, though brought by those below us. Wouldst thou not do any thing? When diseased sinners are content to do any thing, to submit to any thing, to part with any thing, for a cure, then, and not till then, is there any hope of them. The methods for the healing of the leprosy of sin, are so plain, that we are without excuse if we do not observe them. It is but, Believe, and be saved; Repent, and be pardoned; Wash, and be clean. The believer applies for salvation, not neglecting, altering, or adding to the Saviour's directions; he is thus made clean from guilt, while others, who neglect them, live and die in the leprosy of sin.

Verses 15-19 The mercy of the cure affected Naaman more than the miracle. Those are best able to speak of the power of Divine grace, who themselves experience it. He also shows himself grateful to Elisha the prophet. Elijah refused any recompence, not because he thought it unlawful, for he received presents from others, but to show this new convert that the servants of the God of Israel looked upon worldly wealth with a holy contempt. The whole work was from God, in such a manner, that the prophet would not give counsel when he had no directions from the Lord. It is not well violently to oppose the lesser mistakes which unite with men's first convictions; we cannot bring men forward any faster than the Lord prepares them to receive instruction. Yet as to us, if, in covenanting with God, we desire to reserve any known sin, to continue to indulge ourselves in it, that is a breach of his covenant. Those who truly hate evil, will make conscience of abstaining from all appearances of evil.

Verses 20-27 Naaman, a Syrian, a courtier, a soldier, had many servants, and we read how wise and good they were. Elisha, a holy prophet, a man of God, has but one servant, and he proves a base liar. The love of money, that root of all evil, was at the bottom of Gehazi's sin. He thought to impose upon the prophet, but soon found that the Spirit of prophecy could not be deceived, and that it was in vain to lie to the Holy Ghost. It is folly to presume upon sin, in hopes of secrecy. When thou goest aside into any by-path, does not thy own conscience go with thee? Does not the eye of God go with thee? He that covers his sin, shall not prosper; particularly, a lying tongue is but for a moment. All the foolish hopes and contrivances of carnal worldlings are open before God. It is not a time to increase our wealth, when we can only do it in such ways as are dishonourable to God and religion, or injurious to others. Gehazi was punished. If he will have Naaman's money, he shall have his disease with it. What was Gehazi profited, though he gained two talents, when thereby he lost his health, his honour, his peace, his service, and, if repentance prevented not, his soul for ever? Let us beware of hypocrisy and covetousness, and dread the curse of spiritual leprosy remaining on our souls.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 5

This chapter gives an account of the leprosy of Naaman the Syrian, and of the cure of it by Elisha; how he came to hear of him, and the recommendation he had from the king of Syria to the king of Israel, 2Ki 5:1-8, who, coming to Elisha's house, was ordered to dip himself seven times in Jordan, which made him depart in wrath; but one of his servants persuaded him to do it, and he did, and was cured, 2Ki 5:9-14, upon which he returned to Elisha, and offered him a present, which he refused, 2Ki 5:15-19 but Gehazi, his servant, ran after him with a lie in his mouth, and obtained it, and returned to his master with another, for which he was smitten with the leprosy of Naaman, 2Ki 5:20-27.