2 Kings 5:7

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.)

2 Kings 5:7 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 5:7

And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the
letter, that he rent his clothes
As one in great distress, being thrown into perplexity of mind by it, not knowing what to do; or, as some think, at the blasphemy he supposed to be in it, requiring that of him which only God could do:

and said, am I God, to kill and to make alive;
or have the power of life and death, which only belongs to the Supreme Being:

that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy;
for a leper was reckoned as one dead, his disease incurable, his flesh upon him being mortified by it, see ( Numbers 12:12 ) and therefore not supposed to be in the power of man, only of God, to cure; and therefore, in Israel, none had anything to do with the leper but the priest, in the name of God:

wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel
against me;
to pick a quarrel with him, in order to go to war with him as he supposed. This seems to have been spoken to his lords and courtiers about him.

2 Kings 5:7 In-Context

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.