5:1Leprosy, much like AIDS today, was one of the most feared diseases of the time. Some forms were extremely contagious and, in many cases, incurable. In its worst forms, eprosy led to death. Many lepers were forced out of the cities into quarantined camps. Because Naaman still held his post, he probably had a mild form of the disease, or perhaps it was still in the early stages. In either case, his life would have been tragically shortened by his disease. (For more about leprosy in Bible times, see the note on Leviticus 13:1 ff.)
Life Application Study Bible2 KingsChapter 5
2 Kings 5
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 574, 575, 576
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
52 Kings 5
The Healing of Naaman
15 The king of Aram had great admiration for Naaman, the commander of his army, because through him the LORD had given Aram great victories. But though Naaman was a mighty warrior, he suffered from leprosy.* 2At this time Aramean raiders had invaded the land of Israel, and among their captives was a young girl who had been given to Naaman’s wife as a maid. 3One day the girl said to her mistress, “I wish my master would go to see the prophet in Samaria. He would heal him of his leprosy.” 4So Naaman told the king what the young girl from Israel had said. 5“Go and visit the prophet,” the king of Aram told him. “I will send a letter of introduction for you to take to the king of Israel.” So Naaman started out, carrying as gifts 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold,* and ten sets of clothing. 6The letter to the king of Israel said: “With this letter I present my servant Naaman. I want you to heal him of his leprosy.” 7When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes in dismay and said, “This man sends mea leper to heal! Am I God, that I can give life and take it away? I can see that he’s just trying to pick a fight with me.” 8But when Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes in dismay, he sent this message to him: “Why are you so upset? Send Naaman to me, and he will learn that there is a true prophet here in Israel.” 9So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and waited at the door of Elisha’s house. But Elisha sent a messenger out to him with this message: “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy.” But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!” he said. 11I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the LORD his God and heal me! 12Aren’t the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than any of the rivers of Israel? Why shouldn’t I wash in them and be healed?” So Naaman turned and went away in a rage. 13But his officers tried to reason with him and said, “Sir,* if the prophet had told you to do something very difficult, wouldn't you have done it? So you should certainly obey him when he says simply, ‘Go and wash and be cured!’” 14So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child’s, and he was healed! 15Then Naaman and his entire party went back to find the man of God. They stood before him, and Naaman said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.” 16But Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives, whom I serve, I will not accept any gifts.” And though Naaman urged him to take the gift, Elisha refused. 17Then Naaman said, “All right, but please allow me to load two of my mules with earth from this place, and I will take it back home with me. From now on I will never again offer burnt offerings or sacrifices to any other god except the LORD. ‘However, may the LORD pardon mein this one thing: When my master the king goes into the temple of the god Rimmon to worship there and leans on my arm, may the LORD pardon me when I bow, too.” 19"Go in peace,” Elisha said. So Naaman started home again.
The Greed of Gehazi
2020But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, the man of God, said to himself, “My master should not have let this Aramean get away without accepting any of his gifts. As surely as the LORD lives, Iwill chase after him and get something from him.” 21So Gehazi set off after Naaman. When Naaman saw Gehazi running after him, he climbed down from his chariot and went to meet him. “Is everything all right?” Naaman asked. 22“Yes,” Gehazi said, “but my master has sent me to tell you that two young prophets from the hill country of Ephraim have just arrived. He would like 75 pounds* of silver and two sets of clothing to give to them.” 23“By all means, take twice as much* silver,” Naaman insisted. He gave him two sets of clothing, tied up the money in two bags, and sent two of his servants to carry the gifts for Gehazi. 24But when they arrived at the citadel,* Gehazi took the gifts from the servants and sent the men back. Then he went and hid the gifts inside the house. 25When he went in to his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” “T haven't been anywhere,” he replied. 26But Elisha asked him, “Don’t you realize that was there in spirit when Naaman stepped down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to receive money and clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and cattle, and male and female servants? 27Because you have done this, you and your descendants will suffer from Naaman’s leprosy forever.” When Gehazi left the room, he was covered with leprosy; his skin was white as snow.
Textual footnotes
- various skin diseases.
- 5:1 Or from a contagious skin disease. The Hebrew word used here and throughout this passage can describe
- 5:5 Hebrew 10 talents (340 kilograms] of silver, 6,000 shekels (68 kilograms} of gold,
- 5:24 Hebrew the Ophel.
Life Application Notes 5 notes
5:2Aram was Israel's neighbor to the northeast, but the two nations were rarely on friendly terms. Under David, Aram paid tribute to Israel. tn Elisha’s day, Aram was growing in power and frequently conducted raids on Israel, trying to frustrate the people and bring about political confusion. tsraelite captives often would be taken back to Aram after successful raids. §:9-15 Naaman, a great hero, was used to getting respect, so he was outraged when Elisha treated him like an ordinary person. A proud man, he expected royal treatment. To wash in a great river would be one thing, but the Jordan was small and dirty. To wash in the Jordan, Naaman thought, was beneath a man of his position. But Naaman had to humble himself and obey Elisha’s commands in order to be healed. Obedience to God begins with humility. We must believe that his way is better than our own. We may not always understand his ways of working, but by humbly obeying, we will receive his blessings. We must remember that (1) God’s ways are best; (2) God wants our obedience more than anything else; (3) God can use anything to accomplish his purposes.
5:12Naaman left in a rage because the cure for his disease seemed too simple. He was a hero, and he expected a heroic cure. Full of pride and self-will, Naaman could not accept the simple cure of faith. Sometimes people react to God’s offer of forgiveness in the same way. Just to believe in Jesus Christ somehow doesn’t seem signiticant enough to bring eternal life. To obey God’s commands doesn’t seem heroic. What Naaman had to do to have his leprosy washed away is similar to what we must do to have our sin washed away—humbly accept God’s mercy. Don’t let your reaction to the way of faith keep you from the cure you need the most.
5:16Elisha refused Naaman’s money to show that God’s favor cannot be purchased. Our money, like Naaman’s, is useless when we face death. No matter how much wealth we accumulate in this life, it will evaporate when we stand before God, our Creator. Our faith in Jesus Christ will save us, not our bank accounts.
5:18,19How could Naaman be forgiven for bowing to a pagan idol? Naaman was not asking for permission to worship the god Rimmon but to do his civil duty, helping the king get down and up as he bowed. Also known as Hadad, Rimmon, the gad of Damascus, was believed to be a god of rain and thunder. Unlike most of his contemporaries, Naaman showed a keen awareness of God's power. instead of adding God to his nation’s collection of idols, he acknowledged that there was only one true God. He did not intend to worship other gods. His asking for pardon in this one area shows the marked contrast between Naaman and the Israelites, who were continually worshiping many idols. in the Bible between the healing of an Aramean general and the deliverance of Israel's army, this miracle also shows Elisha’s personai contact with the students in the groups of the prophets. Although he had the respect of kings, Elisha never forgot to care for the faithful. Don’t let the importance of your work crowd out your concern for human need.
Charts, profiles & sidebars from the printed pages
Personality profile · page 575
Profile: Elisha
Few “replacements” in Scripture were as effective as Elisha, who was Elijah’s replacement as God's prophet to Israel. But Elisha had a great example to follow in the prophet Elijah. He remained with Elijah until the last moments of his teacher’s life on earth. He was willing to follow and learn in order to gain power to do the work to which God had called him. Both Elijah and Elisha concentrated their efforts on the particular needs of the people around them. The fiery Elijah confronted and exposed idolatry, helping to create an.atmosphere where people could freely and publicly worship God. Elisha then moved in to demonstrate God’s powerful, yet caring, nature to all who came to him for help. He spent tess time in conflict with evil and more in compassionate care of people. The Bible records 18 encounters between Elisha and needy people. Elisha saw more in life than most people because he recognized that with God there was more to life. He knew that all we are and have come to us from God. The miracles that occurred during Elisha’s ministry put people in touch with the personal and all-powerful God. Elijah would have been proud of his replacement’s work. We, too, have great examples to follow—both people in Scripture and those who have positively influenced our lives. We must resist the tendency to think about the limitations that our family background or environment create for us. Instead, we should ask God to use us for his purposes—perhaps, like Elijah, to take a stand against great wrongs or, like Elisha, to show compassion for the daily needs of those around us. Ask him to use you as only he can.
• Was Elijah’s successor as a prophet of God
• Had a ministry that lasted over 50 years
• Had a major impact on four nations: Israel, Judah, Moab, and Aram
• Was a man of integrity who did not try to enrich himself at others’ expense
• Did many miracles to help those in need
Strengths and accomplishments
¢ ln God’s eyes, one measure of greatness is the willingness to serve the poor as well as the powerful An effective replacement not only learns from his master but also builds upon his master’s achievements
Lessons from his life
• Where: Prophesied to the northern kingdom
• Occupations: Farmer, prophet
• Relative: Father: Shaphat.
• Contemporaries: Elijah, Ahab, Jezebel, Jehu
Vital statistics
“When they came to the other side, Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken away.’ And Elisha replied, ‘Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit and become your successor’” (2 Kings 2:9).
Key verse
Elisha’s story is told in 1 Kings 19:16—2 Kings 13:20. He is also mentioned in Luke 4:27.
🗺 This feature includes a map, chart or picture — view the original page image.
Study feature · page 576
🗺 This feature includes a map, chart or picture — view the original page image.