2 Kings 5:7-8

7 When the king of Israel read the letter, 1he tore his clothes and said, "2Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? But 3consider now, and see how he is seeking a quarrel against me."
8 It happened when Elisha 4the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent word to the king, saying, "Why have you torn your clothes? Now let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel."

2 Kings 5:7-8 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Cross References 4

  • 1. Genesis 37:29
  • 2. Genesis 30:2; 1 Samuel 2:6
  • 3. 1 Kings 20:7; Luke 11:54
  • 4. 1 Kings 12:22

Footnotes 1

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