II Kings 5:1-19
“Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.” (II Kings 5:1)
While Syria had largely turned to idolatry, they still had a knowledge of God and many still served him. It is easy to forget that Abraham was originally a Syrian, as Deuteronomy 26:5 reminds us. “And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous:”
Unlike the Canaanites and Amorites, they had not completely turned their backs on God. As a result, we find God still working among them in various ways. One of these was in using Naaman to deliver Syria from some of their enemies. Not only was Naaman respected by his king, he was an honorable man, a man who did what was right. Unfortunately, he also had Leprosy, which would eventually disable and finally kill him. Because it was contagious, he was forced to minimize contact with other people.
“And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife. And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.” (II Kings 5:2-3)
In their fighting, the Syrians had taken a little Israelite girl as a slave, and she was placed as a servant to Naaman’s wife. Being well treated in the household, she became concerned about Naaman’s welfare and told someone she wished Naaman would go see the prophet in Israel. She was sure the prophet could heal him of his leprosy.
“And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.
And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.” (II Kings 5:4-5)
Not wanting to lose a valuable military leader, when the king heard about her comment, he gladly volunteered to pay whatever such a series of treatments might costing in hope that it would make a difference, because obviously the standard treatment wasn‘t effective.. It was definitely worth trying something different. He sent a vast amount of money with Naaman to pay for the treatment. Apparently medical care those days was as expensive as it is today.
“And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.
And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.” (II Kings 5:6-7)
Not knowing who to contact, and assuming the king would be the best informed, the king of Syria wrote to the king of Israel that he had sent Naaman to be cured of leprosy. Since he knew nothing of any leprosy clinic and the thought of asking God for healing never even occurred to him, Jehoram had no idea how to heal Naaman. He assumed that the king of Syria was just looking for an excuse to attack them.
“And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” (II Kings 5:8)
When Elisha heard what was going on he sent a message to have Naaman come to him. At least Naaman and the king of Syria would know there was prophet of God in Israel even the king of Israel didn’t seem to. There was no need for Jehoram to get upset about the request.
“So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.” (II Kings 5:9-12)
When Naaman arrived with his entourage, Elisha didn’t even bother to go out to meet him, but just sent a servant to tell him to go wash in the Jordan river seven times and he’d be clean.
As a powerful Syrian official, Naaman was used to having a big production wherever he went. He felt that Elisha had disrespected him by not even bothering to meet him personally. To be treated as just an ordinary person was really an affront to him, and he decided he’d rather go back to Syria with his leprosy than be so humiliated. He could get just as clean washing in one of the rivers in Syria.
Sadly, it is an attitude that many wealthy or powerful people develop. They forget that they aren’t better or more deserving than other people and began to demand special treatment, with no clue what they are missing because of their attitude.
“And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?” (II Kings 5:13)
Fortunately, his servants were not caught up in his pride and were able to help him see things in perspective. As they pointed out, if Elisha had demanded he accomplish some great feat such as conquering a city at the risk of his life he would not have been offended so why should he be upset about being asked to just wash in the Jordan, which would cost him nothing. It was at least worth a try.
“Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.” (II Kings 5:14-15)
Though it seemed way too simple, he did as directed, and was cured of his leprosy. Forgetting all about any perceived disrespect, he went back to Elisha to thank him, and acknowledge that God was the only true God. He asked him to accept payment for his healing
“But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD. In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy servant in this thing.
“And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.” (II Kings 5:17-19)
Elisha refused payment for what God had done, So Naaman asked for enough dirt from Israel to be used in making an altar to worship God. He also asked to be forgiven when, in the course of fulfilling his duties he might be forced to attend the worship of idols as part of his job. Elisha told him it would be no problem. As Christians, we may be required to do something we don’t feel good about as part of our job. God understands our predicament.
“Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.” (II Kings 5:1)
While Syria had largely turned to idolatry, they still had a knowledge of God and many still served him. It is easy to forget that Abraham was originally a Syrian, as Deuteronomy 26:5 reminds us. “And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous:”
Unlike the Canaanites and Amorites, they had not completely turned their backs on God. As a result, we find God still working among them in various ways. One of these was in using Naaman to deliver Syria from some of their enemies. Not only was Naaman respected by his king, he was an honorable man, a man who did what was right. Unfortunately, he also had Leprosy, which would eventually disable and finally kill him. Because it was contagious, he was forced to minimize contact with other people.
“And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife. And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.” (II Kings 5:2-3)
In their fighting, the Syrians had taken a little Israelite girl as a slave, and she was placed as a servant to Naaman’s wife. Being well treated in the household, she became concerned about Naaman’s welfare and told someone she wished Naaman would go see the prophet in Israel. She was sure the prophet could heal him of his leprosy.
“And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.
And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.” (II Kings 5:4-5)
Not wanting to lose a valuable military leader, when the king heard about her comment, he gladly volunteered to pay whatever such a series of treatments might costing in hope that it would make a difference, because obviously the standard treatment wasn‘t effective.. It was definitely worth trying something different. He sent a vast amount of money with Naaman to pay for the treatment. Apparently medical care those days was as expensive as it is today.
“And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.
And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.” (II Kings 5:6-7)
Not knowing who to contact, and assuming the king would be the best informed, the king of Syria wrote to the king of Israel that he had sent Naaman to be cured of leprosy. Since he knew nothing of any leprosy clinic and the thought of asking God for healing never even occurred to him, Jehoram had no idea how to heal Naaman. He assumed that the king of Syria was just looking for an excuse to attack them.
“And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” (II Kings 5:8)
When Elisha heard what was going on he sent a message to have Naaman come to him. At least Naaman and the king of Syria would know there was prophet of God in Israel even the king of Israel didn’t seem to. There was no need for Jehoram to get upset about the request.
“So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.” (II Kings 5:9-12)
When Naaman arrived with his entourage, Elisha didn’t even bother to go out to meet him, but just sent a servant to tell him to go wash in the Jordan river seven times and he’d be clean.
As a powerful Syrian official, Naaman was used to having a big production wherever he went. He felt that Elisha had disrespected him by not even bothering to meet him personally. To be treated as just an ordinary person was really an affront to him, and he decided he’d rather go back to Syria with his leprosy than be so humiliated. He could get just as clean washing in one of the rivers in Syria.
Sadly, it is an attitude that many wealthy or powerful people develop. They forget that they aren’t better or more deserving than other people and began to demand special treatment, with no clue what they are missing because of their attitude.
“And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?” (II Kings 5:13)
Fortunately, his servants were not caught up in his pride and were able to help him see things in perspective. As they pointed out, if Elisha had demanded he accomplish some great feat such as conquering a city at the risk of his life he would not have been offended so why should he be upset about being asked to just wash in the Jordan, which would cost him nothing. It was at least worth a try.
“Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.” (II Kings 5:14-15)
Though it seemed way too simple, he did as directed, and was cured of his leprosy. Forgetting all about any perceived disrespect, he went back to Elisha to thank him, and acknowledge that God was the only true God. He asked him to accept payment for his healing
“But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD. In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy servant in this thing.
“And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.” (II Kings 5:17-19)
Elisha refused payment for what God had done, So Naaman asked for enough dirt from Israel to be used in making an altar to worship God. He also asked to be forgiven when, in the course of fulfilling his duties he might be forced to attend the worship of idols as part of his job. Elisha told him it would be no problem. As Christians, we may be required to do something we don’t feel good about as part of our job. God understands our predicament.
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