2 Kings 5:10

10 Elisha sent a messenger out to him. The messenger said, "Go. Wash yourself in the Jordan River seven times. Then your skin will be healed. You will be pure and clean again."

2 Kings 5:10 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 5:10

And Elisha sent a messenger unto him
Or returned an answer by Naaman's messenger; he did not go out to him, choosing to be retired, as he commonly did; and being perhaps employed in prayer for the cure; and it may be also to show his contempt of or little regard he had to worldly grandeur and honour, as well as to mortify the pride of Naaman:

saying, go and wash in Jordan seven times;
so, according to the law of the cleansing the leper, he was to be sprinkled seven times, and on the seventh day his flesh was to be bathed or dipped all over in water, which is meant by washing here, ( Leviticus 14:7 Leviticus 14:9 )

and thy flesh shall come again to thee;
which was eaten and consumed by the disease on him:

and thou shalt be clean;
freed from this pollution, or filthy disease, with which he was defiled; for a leper was reckoned unclean, ( Leviticus 13:3 ) .

2 Kings 5:10 In-Context

8 Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes. So he sent the king a message. It said, "Why have you torn your robes? Tell the man to come to me. Then he will know there is a prophet in Israel."

9 So Naaman went to see Elisha. He took his horses and chariots with him. He stopped at the door of Elisha's house.

10 Elisha sent a messenger out to him. The messenger said, "Go. Wash yourself in the Jordan River seven times. Then your skin will be healed. You will be pure and clean again."

11 But Naaman went away angry. He said, "I was sure he would come out to me. I thought he would stand there and pray to the LORD his God. I thought he would wave his hand over my skin. Then I would be healed.

12 And what about the Abana and Pharpar rivers of Damascus? Aren't they better than any of the rivers of Israel? Couldn't I wash in them and be made pure and clean?" So he turned and went away. He was burning with anger.