2 Kings 5: Naaman is healed in the Jordan, and Gehazi takes his gifts
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, is a mighty man but has a serious skin disease (this Bible: leprosy). A young girl taken captive from Israel tells his wife about the prophet in Samaria, and the king of Syria sends Naaman with a letter and rich gifts to the king of Israel, who tears his clothes. Elisha sends word to Naaman to wash seven times in the Jordan; Naaman is angry, but his servants persuade him, and his flesh becomes like the flesh of a little boy. Naaman says that now he knows there is no God in all the earth except in Israel; Elisha refuses his gift and tells him to go in peace. Elisha's servant Gehazi runs after Naaman, asks for silver and clothing in his master's name, and lies to Elisha, and Elisha says that Naaman's skin disease will cling to him: he goes out as white as snow.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. No verse is in gold: God speaks no words in this chapter. The young girl speaks in verse 3, and someone passes on her words in verse 4. The king of Syria speaks and writes in verses 5 and 6, and the king of Israel speaks in verse 7. Elisha speaks in verses 8, 10 (through a messenger), 16, 19 and 25 to 27. Naaman speaks in verses 11 and 12, 15, 17 and 18, 21 and 23, and his servants in verse 13. Gehazi speaks in verses 20, 22 and 25. "As Yahweh lives" in verses 16 and 20 is an oath in Elisha's and Gehazi's own words. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him Yahweh had given victory to Syria; he was also a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper.
In plain English: Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria (Hebrew: Aram), was a great man before his master and highly honored (literally: lifted up of face), because through him Yahweh had given victory (or: rescue) to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he had a serious skin disease (this Bible: he was a leper).
The Hebrew words: "Leper" is from tsara, and "leprosy" (verse 3 and on) is tsara'at, the skin disease explained in the note on . The dictionary gives tsara'at as "leprosy", but it is not certain that it is the illness called leprosy today, so the plain lines here say "skin disease".
Good to know: The text says it was Yahweh who had given victory to Syria through Naaman. "Victory" is teshu'ah, which the dictionary gives as "rescue". In Jesus says there were many lepers in Israel in Elisha's time, "yet not one of them was cleansed, except Naaman, the Syrian".
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2The Syrians had gone out in bands, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little girl, and she waited on Naaman’s wife.
In plain English: The Syrians had gone out in raiding bands and had taken captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She served (literally: was before) Naaman's wife.
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3She said to her mistress, “I wish that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would heal him of his leprosy.”
In plain English: She said to her mistress, "If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would rid him of his skin disease (this Bible: heal him of his leprosy)."
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4Someone went in and told his lord, saying, “The girl who is from the land of Israel said this.”
In plain English: Someone (or: Naaman) went in and told his master, "This is what the girl from the land of Israel said (literally: like this and like this she spoke)."
Good to know: The Hebrew says only "he went in and told his master". It may be someone in the house telling Naaman, as this Bible has it, or Naaman telling his master, the king of Syria, who answers in verse 5.
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5The king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” He departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of clothing.
In plain English: The king of Syria said, "Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel." So he set out, and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of clothing.
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6He brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, “Now when this letter has come to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy.”
In plain English: He brought the letter to the king of Israel. It said, "Now when this letter reaches you, look, I have sent my servant Naaman to you, so that you may rid him of his skin disease (this Bible: heal him of his leprosy)."
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7When the king of Israel had read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends to me to heal a man of his leprosy? But please consider and see how he seeks a quarrel against me.”
In plain English: When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, "Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends to me to rid a man of his skin disease? But please think about it and see how he is looking for a quarrel with me."
Good to know: The text does not name the king of Israel in chapters 5 to 7. His words "to kill and to make alive" are close to God's words in , "I kill and I make alive", and to Hannah's prayer in , "Yahweh kills and makes alive".
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8It was so, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
In plain English: When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent word to the king: "Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me now, and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel."
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9So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariots, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
In plain English: So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots, and stood at the door of Elisha's house.
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10Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall come again to you, and you shall be clean.”
In plain English: Elisha sent a messenger to him to say, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times. Your flesh will be restored to you (literally: will return to you), and you will be clean."
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11But Naaman was angry, and went away and said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of Yahweh his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leper.’
In plain English: But Naaman was angry and went away. He said, "Look, I thought, 'He will surely come out to me, stand there, call on the name of Yahweh his God, wave his hand over the place, and rid the man of his skin disease (this Bible: heal the leper).'
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12Aren’t Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.
In plain English: Are not Abanah (or: Amanah) and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage.
The Hebrew word: The Hebrew text writes the first river's name as Avanah (this Bible: Abanah), which the dictionary gives as "a river near Damascus". The reading noted in the margin of the Hebrew text is Amanah, which the dictionary gives as "a mountain near Damascus". The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "Abana".
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13His servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had asked you do some great thing, wouldn’t you have done it? How much rather then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”
In plain English: His servants came near and spoke to him: "My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he says to you, 'Wash, and be clean'?"
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14Then went he down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
In plain English: So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had said (literally: by the word of the man of God). His flesh was restored like the flesh of a little boy, and he was clean.
Good to know: "A little boy" is na'ar qatan. In verse 2, the girl who first spoke of the prophet is na'arah qetannah, "a little girl": the same two words, said of a girl.
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15He returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him; and he said, “See now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel. Now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.”
In plain English: He went back to the man of God, he and all his company (literally: his camp). He came and stood before him and said, "Look, now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. So now, please accept a gift (literally: a blessing) from your servant."
The Hebrew word: "Gift" is berakah, which the dictionary gives as "benediction; by implication prosperity". This Bible says "blessing" or "blessings" in 54 of the 64 verses that use it. Here it is a gift Naaman offers, and Elisha refuses it in verse 16.
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16But he said, “As Yahweh lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.” He urged him to take it; but he refused.
In plain English: But Elisha said, "As Yahweh lives, before whom I stand (or: whom I serve), I will not accept anything." Naaman urged him to take it, but he refused.
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17Naaman said, “If not, then, please let two mules’ load of earth be given to your servant; for your servant will from now on offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice to other gods, but to Yahweh.
In plain English: Naaman said, "If not, then please let your servant be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry. For from now on your servant will offer no burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but only to Yahweh.
Good to know: The text gives Naaman's reason in his own words: from now on he will offer burnt offerings and sacrifices to no other gods, but only to Yahweh. It does not say what he would do with the earth.
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18In this thing may Yahweh pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon. When I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, may Yahweh pardon your servant in this thing.”
In plain English: In this one thing may Yahweh forgive your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to bow down (this Bible: to worship) there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow down in the house of Rimmon. When I bow down in the house of Rimmon, may Yahweh forgive your servant in this thing."
The Hebrew words: "Rimmon" is a name the dictionary gives as "a Syrian deity" (and also of five places). "Worship" and "bow" are the same Hebrew word, shachah, the word for bowing down low before a king or before God. Naaman uses it three times in this verse.
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19He said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him a little way.
In plain English: Elisha said to him, "Go in peace." So Naaman went from him a short distance (literally: a stretch of land).
The Hebrew word: "A little way" is kibrat erets, a stretch of land. The dictionary gives kibrah as "a measure (of uncertain dimension)". It is in only 3 verses of the Bible; the other two, and , say "some distance".
Good to know: Elisha's whole answer to Naaman's request is "Go in peace." The text does not say more about it.
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20But Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought. As Yahweh lives, I will run after him, and take something from him.”
In plain English: But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, "Look, my master has let this Naaman the Syrian off (this Bible: has spared him), by not accepting from his hand what he brought. As Yahweh lives, I will run after him and take something from him."
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21So Gehazi followed after Naaman. When Naaman saw one running after him, he came down from the chariot to meet him, and said, “Is all well?”
In plain English: So Gehazi went after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him and said, "Is all well (literally: peace)?"
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22He said, “All is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, even now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.’”
In plain English: He said, "All is well. My master has sent me to say, 'Look, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.'"
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23Naaman said, “Be pleased to take two talents.” He urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and laid them on two of his servants; and they carried them before him.
In plain English: Naaman said, "Please, take two talents." He urged him, and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and gave them to two of his servants, and they carried them ahead of him.
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24When he came to the hill, he took them from their hand, and stored them in the house. Then he let the men go, and they departed.
In plain English: When he came to the hill (or: the mound), he took them from their hands and put them away in the house. Then he sent the men away, and they left.
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25But he went in, and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, “Where did you come from, Gehazi?” He said, “Your servant went nowhere.”
In plain English: Then he went in and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, "Where have you come from, Gehazi?" He said, "Your servant has not gone anywhere."
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26He said to him, “Didn’t my heart go with you when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and olive groves and vineyards, and sheep and cattle, and male servants and female servants?
In plain English: Elisha said to him, "Did not my heart go with you when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is this a time to accept silver (this Bible: money) and clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and cattle, and male and female servants?
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27Therefore the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and to your offspring forever.” He went out from his presence a leper, as white as snow.
In plain English: So Naaman's skin disease (this Bible: leprosy) will cling to you and to your descendants forever." Gehazi went out from his presence with the skin disease (this Bible: a leper), as white as snow.
Good to know: The same two Hebrew words, "leprous" and "as snow", are used of Moses' hand in and of Miriam in (see the note there), where this Bible says "leprous, as white as snow". Gehazi is named again in , talking with the king.
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