2 Kings 5
DortNaaman cometh to Elisa, to be healed of his Leprosy, ver.1, &c. Being commanded to wash himself in the Jordan, he taketh it disdainfully at first, 10. Afterward he doth it, 13. He is healed, 14. Taketh his leave of Elisa, who refuseth to take his gifts, and lets him depart in peace, 15. His servant Gehazi taketh gifts from him, 20. For which he is punished with Naamans leprosy, 25.
1. Now Naama the chief Captain of the king of Syria, was a great man, [i.e. Of great power and antiquity, in regard of his qualities, and valiant acts. Compare Exod.11.on vers.3.] before the face of his Lord, [namely, the King of Syria: so below v.4. and 18.] and of high respect: [Heb. exalted of face; i.e. highly esteemed, and regarded by all. Oth. acceptable; according to a certain phrase, or manner of speaking; of which see Gen.32.on v.20.] for by him the LORD had given deliverance unto the Syrians: [to wit, by his wise counsel, and valiant acts] so this man a warlike champion, (but) leprous.
2. And there were hands [The Hebrew word signifieth heaps, and assembies of souldiers, that fall into a country to rob and plunder: so 1 Sam.30 8. below ch.13.21. and 24.2.] marched out of Syria, [or, the Syrians had marched forth by hands] and had brought (away) captive out of the land of Israel a little maid, which was in the servant of Naamans wife; [Hebr. before the face of Naamans wife; that is, which waited on Naamans wife, or was servant to her. So, to stand before ones face, is to serve him, or waited on him; see Deut.1.on v.38. 1 Kings on ver.2. Oth. which was before the face of Naamans wife; that is, in her presence.]
3. This (maid) said unto her mistress; Oh if my Lord were before the face of the Prophet, that is at Samaria, then he would recover him of his leprosy. Some conceiveth that this hath regard to the separation of the Lepers, and their gathering unto the people when they were healed: see Numb.12.on v.14. So below chap.6. vers.7,11. Heb. gather, &c. which phrase, to gather one of, or from his leprosy, is as much as, to gather the leprosy on, i.e. to take it away from him, because that which is gathered, is taken away from the place, from which it is gathered: see Prov.26.on v.9.]
4. Then he [Namely, Naaman the Syrian, when these words of the Israelitish woman were told him] went in, [to wit, unto the King his Lord] and made his Lord acquainted with it, saying: Thus and thus spake the maid, that is of the Land of Israel.
5. Then said the King of Syria: Go to, come, and I will send a letter to the King of Israel; and he went his way, and took in his hand [i.e. With him. Compare 1 Sam.9.8. 2 Sam.8.10. 1 Kings 14:3. and below chap.8.8.] ten talents of silver, [see of a talent, Exod.25.on ver.3 9.] and six thousand (shekels) of gold, [see of the value of a common shekel of gold, Gen.14.on ver.22. and Numb.7.on v.14] and ten changes of raiment. [see Gen.45.on v.22. These things he took along with him as a free present, to gratify the Prophet therewith. See 1 Kings 14.on v.3.]
6. And he brought the letter to the King of Israel, saying; Now when this letter shall come unto thee; behold, I have sent Naaman my servant unto thee, that thou mayest deliver him of his leprosy. [To wit, by means of thy Prophet Elisa; as a man may judge that this was his meaning, by what was related above v.4. But the King of Israel understood this thus, as if he himself in his own person were charged by the letter, to cure Prince Naaman of his leprosy, as appeareth by the following verse.]
7. And it came to pass, when the King of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said; Am I then a God, to kill, and to make alive, that this (man) doth send to me, to deliver a man of his leprosy? For, of a truth, consider, I pray, and see (how) that he seeketh occasion against me. [viz. to make war against me, if I do not cure this Naaman: for he knoweth right well that it is not in my power to do it.]
8. But it came to pass, when Elisa, the man of God, had heard, that the King of Israel had rent his clothes; that he sent to the King to tell (him); Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? [Intimating, that he ought not for this cause to have rent his clothes, but rather to have asked counsel of the Lord by him. Compare above chap.1.ver.6 16.] Let him come now to me, then he shall know, that there is a Prophet in Israel.
9. So Naaman come with his horses, and with his charet; [Or, charets. For the singular number is oft with this word, in such transaction as this, taken for the plural; as Gen.50.9. 1 Kings 1:5. & 10.26. Isa.37.24.] and stood before the door of Elisa’s house.
10. Then Elisa sent a messenger unto him, saying: Go thy ways, and wash thy self seven times in the Jordan, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, [viz. which by the leprosy was taken off, and consumed away from thee] and thou shalt be clean, [Heb. be thou clean: that is, thou shalt surely be clean. So vers.13. Neither the Jordan, nor the seven-fold washing, had the virtue to cure the leprosy, but onely the power of God, who was pleased to work by that means.]
11. But Naaman grew very angry, and went away, and said; Behold, I said with my self, he will surely come out, [Heb. Coming out, come out. Oth. I said, he will surely come out to me, etc.] and stand, and call on the Name of the LORD his God, and strike [Heb. move] his hand over the place, and recover the leper, [i.e. cure me of my leprosy. oth. that which is leprous: that is, take away the leprosy: see above on v.3.]
12. Are not Abana, [Otherwise called Amana, and by Historians Adonis] and Pharpar [in Histories called Orontes] the Rivers of Damascus, better then all the waters of Israel? might I not wash my self in them, and be clean? [he thought that the virtue of the water could cure him, whereas it was but a token and means of the promised cure] so he turned himself, and went away with indignation.
13. Then his servants step forth, and spake unto him, and said, my Father, [This is an appellation of reverence, love, and fear, which inferiors are wont to give to their superiors, when they carry themselves indeed as Fathers. Compare the annotate. Gen.41.on v.43.] (if) that Prophet had spoken a great thing unto thee, [i.e. had bid thee do some difficult thing] wouldest thou not have done it? how much ,ore, seeing he hath said unto thee, Wash thy self, and thou shalt be clean?
14. Then he went down, and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the Word of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he became clean.
15. Then be returned to the man of God, he, and his host, [Heb. all his camp. Understand hereby all those that he had taken along with him in journey, which were for multitude like an army] and came, and stood before his face, and said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all earth, but in Israel: now then, I pray thee, take a blessing [i.e. Gift, Present: see Gen.33.on ver.11.] of thy servant.
16. But he said (As true as) the LORD liveth, before whose face I stand, [i.e. Whom I serve: see Deut.10.on ver.8.] of I take it; [understand withal, the Lord punish me. For in oaths the Hebrew did commonly conceal this punishment: see Gen.14.on v.23.] and he was instant with him, to take it; but he refuseth it.
17. And Naaman said, If not [i.e. If thou wilt not receive my gifts, grant me at least another request, which I intend now to put up unto thee: see the like phrase, 2 Sam.13.26.] let (there then), I pray be given to thy servant [that is, to me, that do owe thee service] a burden of earth of a mules: [i.e. as much as two mules are able to carry at once] for thy servant will no more offer burnt-offering, or slay-offering unto other Gods, but unto the LORD.
18. In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant: when my Lord [To wit, the King of Syria: see above v.1,4.] shall go into the house of Rimmon, [the name of an Idol, which the Syrians worshipped] to how down himself there, [to wit, to worship the Idol] and he shall lean on mine hand, and I shall how down me self in the house of Rimmon; [not to worship the Idol, or to perform any religious honor or service unto it, but to wait and attend upon his King, that leaned on his hand, when he bowed himself down his Idol: for which cause Naaman was also constraint to bow himself] when I shall (thus) bow down me self in the house of Rimmon, the LORD now pardon thy servant in this thing: [he then knew full well, that bowing down before Idols, though it be not done to their honour, cannot be done or performed without sin. In these two verses, viz. the 17, and 18. he requesteth two things of the Prophet. First, to carry some quantity of the Countrys earth along with him into Syria, to build an altar therewith, on which he might offer sacrifice unto the LORD. Secondly, that he might be pardoned, when so ever he should be present in the house of the Idol Rimmon, to wait upon his Lord there, whereby indeed he bewrayeth a good intention to serve the true God, but not according to knowledge, thinking that one kind of earth was holier then another, and that a just man might offer sacrifice to God in any other place, as well as in Jerusalem, and praying for pardon of that which could not be done, without wounding his own conscience, and offending others.]
19. And he said unto him, Go in peace: [The Prophet without answering hereby to his request, or consenting to it, wisheth him onely the blessing of the LORD. The 18. verse may be thus also sitly translated, according to the Hebrew text; The Lord pardon thy servant in this thing, when my Lord went into the house of Rimmon to bow down himself there, and he loaned on mine hand, and I bowed down my self in the house of Rimmon; when I (thus) bowed down my self in the house of Rimmon, the LORD now pardon thy servant in this thing: speaking thus not of that which was to come, or to be done, but of that which was already done and past, of which he desireth pardon: see alike answer, 1 Sam.1.17.] and he departed from him a little space of ground. [see Gen.35.on v.16.]
20. Now Gehazi the lad of Elisa the man of God said, [To wit, with himself, as above v.11. and Gen.20.on ver.11.] Behold; my Lord hath hindred Naaman that Syrian, that what he had brought, hath not been received at his hand: but (as true as) the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and will take somewhat of him.
21. So Gehazi followed after Naaman: and when Naamman saw that he ran after him, he fell down from the charet, [That is, he step down with all sped from it. Compare Gen.24 64. Item, Jos.15.18. and Judg.1.14.] to meet him; and he said, is it well? [Heb. is it peace? see above chap.4. on vers.26. and so in the sequel.]
22. And he said, It is well? my Lord sent me, to say (to thee), Behold even now (there) be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the Prophets; give then, I pray, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.
23. And Naaman said, If it please thee, take two talents; and he was importunate with him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and he laid them on two of his lads, that carried them before his face.
24. Now when he came upon the high place, [An high place, or hill, lying not far from Samaria, where Elisa now dwelt] he took them from their hand, and bestowed them [or, laid them away, or, gave them to be kept] in an house, and let the men go, and they departed.
25. Then he came in, and stood before his Lord: and Elisa said unto him; From whence (comest thou), Gehazi? and he said, Thy servant went neither hither, nor thither.
26. But he said unto him; Went not mine heart with (thee), when that man turned him about from his charet to meet thee? [As if he should say, Hath not the Lord acquainted me in the spirit, and shewed me in a vision, whither thou wentest, what thou hast spoken, and done, and received, as if I my had been there present in person, and had seen all with mine own eyes?] was it (a) time to receive that silver, and receive agarments, and olive-trees, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and (men-) servants, and maid-servants? [i.e. with which silver, or money, thou didst intend to buy these things.]
27. Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed forever: [That is, the leprosy that Naaman had, shall come upon thee, and upon thy children, for an example of the just judgement of God for covetousness, simony, and lying] then he went out from before his face, a leper, (white) as the snow. [i.e. in leprosy as white as snow. See Numb.12.on v.10. 2 Chron.26.19,20.]