2 Kings 5

2 Kings 5:1-8

Two more of Elisha’s miracles are recorded in this chapter. 1. The cleansing of Naaman, a Syrian, from his leprosy, ver. 1—14. 2. The grateful acknowledgements be made to Elisha hereafter, ver. 15—19. 3. The fasting of Gelami, his own servant, with that leprosy, v. 20—27.

1. NOW: Naaman captain of the hoft of the king of Syria, was a great man with his malice, 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. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel. 5. 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 it with him ten talents of silver, and fix thousand years of gold, and ten changes of raiment. 6. And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have thereunto sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayst recover him of his leprosy. 7. And it came to pass when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, “for 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. 8. 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.

Elisha’s greatness and glory continues still the subject of the history. It is a pleasing episode, and a relief from the uniform tenor of evil that was in Israel and her kings.

1. Naaman, by means of a captive girl, bears of the prophet’s miracles. He was a great general, suspected in war, a vast favourite with his master, but a leper. The captive girl, though a child when taken, remembered the great prophet in Samaria, and as a good servant, tells her mistress of him, and wishes her master could see him, he could do more for him, than all the physicians of Damascus. Note, (1.) A little child taught the knowledge of Jesus the great prophet, may be a successful preacher; and by the mouths of Satan and forklings God can perfect his praise. (2.) Every good servant must seek the welfare of the family they are in. (3.) Greatness is no precaution from the sweet calamities incident to human life. Disease and death find as easy access to the palace as the cottage. (4.) But all you can of a man’s worldly felicity, success, honour, one has spoils the whole. If he hath the accused leprosy of sin upon him, all besides is but splendid misery.

death find as easy access to the palace as the cottage. (4.) But all you can of a man’s worldly felicity, success, honour, one has spoils the whole. If he hath the accused leprosy of sin upon him, all besides is but splendid misery.

2. Naaman is eager to improve the lust, though given by so mean a person, and instantly prepares to wait on this great prophet. Having mentioned the matter to the king of Syria, and received a strong recommendation to Jehovah, pertaining his acquaintance and authority with the prophet would facilitate the application and cure. With a great retinue, and loaded with suitable presents for the occasion, he hailess on his journey; and being arrived at Samaria, delivers the letter to the king of Israel. Note, How willing are men to try every expedient, and grudge no expence or trouble to obtain a cure of their bodily diseases? Who shews such eagerness to bring their disinclined fouls to the great physician, though the cure there is infallible, and also without many, and without price.

3. Jehovah no sooner read the letter, than he men his cloaths, whether shocked at the blasphemy he supposed it contained, enjoining him the cure of a leper, which was God’s work alone, or terrified with the apprehension, that this was done with a design to quarrel with him, in order to invade his country. He had so little concern with God’s prophets himself, that he had no idea of a Syrian’s coming so far to court their assistance. Note, They who are conscious of their own ill defects, are ready to terrify themselves at every flashing, and put the word constructions on what hath not the least ill design.

4. Elisha heard the king’s diffeft, and the caust of it, and though he had just reason to complain of being neglected, yet when the glory of Israel’s God is concerned, unfounded he profess his service, and will do for this Syrian what Israel’s king cannot, that he may know there is a prophet in Israel. Note, Though wicked men have forfeited every mercy, yet God for his own glory will sometimes help them beyond all they have reason to expect.

5. So Naaman came with his horses, and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. 10. And Elisha’s tent a messenger unto him, saying, “Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again unto thee, and thou shalt be clean. 11. But Naaman was wrath, and I 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 I strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. 12. Are not Abana and Pharphat, 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. 13. And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldn’t thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wath and be clean? 14. 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.

2 Kings 5:9-14

We have here,

1. Naaman, in all his pomp and splendor, a humble fuitor at the prophet’s door: and he receives an ardent pleas and satisfactory, which required only his obedience, and ensured his cure. Note, They who are found waiting upon God, may expect from him an ardent of peace.

2. Naaman’s pride could not bear either the reception he met with, or the preëription ordered him; and in a rage he departs. He had promised himself deep respect, some immediate application to his discule, and prayer over him for his cure: and not to see the prophet, to have only a message by a servant; and such a message, so foolish in his eyes, so useless: Were not the waters of Syria as good as Jordan; and need he have come so far to wash, when he might have the nobler rivers of Abana and Pharphat at home? Note, (1.) A proud spirit interpres the least suspected flight into an heinous affiant. (2.) The self-righteous heart, like Naaman, wife in his own conceits, with pride refrain to apply the simple habits of a Saviour’s blood, and fancies something beside is necessary to his cure. (3.) They who turn away from God’s methods of grace, reject these own mercies.

3. His servants, whom his first age was fathomed, prelame, with fathom, no reason with him on the side. If he would have submitted to the most expensive or most painful methods, which might have been prescribed, how much more ought he to yield to one so cheap, and so easy? Note, (1.) Men in a pattern are deaf to the plainest arguments; when they cool, reason will be heard. (2.) A good servant will rather hazard to dissuade his master, than see him wound himself by his folly; but if he would succeed, he must wait the proper time, and will the respect and dishonesty which may engage attention. (3.) None ought

The English words are to be above being sold of their faults; and there are none that are so high in grace, as not to have some so foul in them. (4.) The plainness and freedom of the way of salvation, will render those who reject it the more inexcusable.

4. Naaman heard the wife advice, and convinced of the reasonableness of the trial, defends to the river, where the experiment exceeds his expectation. His leprosy departed, and his death became soft, fair and plump, as the death of a little child. Can the waters of Jordan thus cleanse the leprous Syrian, and shall not the fountain of a Saviour’s blood much more cleanse the leprous sinner, that in faith defends to walk his spotted foul in this all-purifying stream?

5. ¶ 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 birthing of thy servant. 16. 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. 17. 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. 18. In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he teneth 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. 19. And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.

6. 15-19. He who turned away in a rage, convinced by experience, returns with humility and gratitude to acknowledge the mercy he had received.

7. He solemnly confesses his faith in Israel’s God, as the above Jehovah; and renouncing all his idols, relieves henceforth to offer sacrifice to no other God. Note, we then only truly know God, when, not by mere reasoning, but by blessed experience we find his saving power exercised on our hearts.

8. He professes the prophet to accept a pretext from him, as the token of his gratitude; but this, though indigent, and able well to employ it for his poor pupils, he solemnly refuses, not as unlawful, but as inexpedient: it would be more for the honour of his God to show a contempt of this world’s wealth. Note, (1.) Nothing so dishonourable in a prophet, as the appearance of a mercenary spirit. (2.) Where the heart is fixed on a better portion, it can fit loose to gold as drops.

9. He makes a two-fold request, with which the prophet complies. (1.) He begs two mules burden of earth, to build an altar to Israel’s God, and henceforth his own. He looked on the land of Syria as polluted with idols; and now is as attached to the very earth of Israel, as he seemed before to defile it. Note, When the heart is turned to God, how differently do we regard every thing which relates to him? that which was our contempt or aversion, has now our warmest affections. (2.) He begs Elisha’s prayers for him, as it was his own; that his past idolatry might be pardoned: not that he might be permitted still, as our translation intimates, to bow in the house of Rimmon, in complaisance to his master: the words may be rendered, When my master went into the house of Rimmon, and bound on my hand, and I issued myself: when I issued myself, the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing; which intimates, that the acts of idolatry were past, and that henceforward he would do so no more. To such a gracious appearance the prophet cannot but give his approbation, and dismisses him in peace, as one accepted of God. Note, (1.) Past transgressions should be ever remembered and lamented. (2.) They are to be encouraged, who give gracious symptoms of real conversion to God.

10. ¶ But Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but as the LORD liveth, ‘I will run after him, and take somewhat of him. 21. So Gehazi followed after Naaman: and when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well? 22. And he said, All is well: my master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments. 23. And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants, and they bare them

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before him. 24. And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and befrowed them in the house; and he let the men go, and they departed. 25. But he went in, and stood before his master: and Elisha said unto him, Whence row’d alaw, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither. 26. And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and olive-yards, and vine-yards, and sheep, and oxen, and men-servants and maid-servants? 27. The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and ‘unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as salute as snow.

9. 20-27. Of all men in Israel, there was not one from whom we might expect more exemplary piety, than from the favoured Gehazi, the companion almost rather than servant of the prophet, which with his daily conversation, and beholding continually his bright example; and yet we find him as wife and hardened as the most idolatious Israelites. Note, The bulk of men and ministers cannot change even those under their own roof. Nay, to their grief they behold them sometimes more insensible and stupid than any others.

10. Gehazi’s sin was great. A lover of filthy lucre, 9. 20. he could not for the gifts without huckering for them, and blaming his master’s refusal. A liar and rubber, 9. 22, 23. careless, what dishonour he brought on the prophet, or what disgust Naaman might take against God from such a procrudence. Crafty and dissembling, 9. 24. and as if he could deceive the spirit of God in his master, seeking to cover one lye by a word. Note, (1.) The love of money is the root of all evil. They who resolve to be rich, resolve to be damned, 1 Tim. vi. q. (2.) Covetousness and lying are near allied. (3.) When the heart is hardened by one sin, it is more easily disposed to a greater. (4.) Hope of concealment and impunity is the great encouragement to do evil.

11. His punishment was exemplary. Elisha silences his lying tongue. His spirit followed him to the chariot, and to the place where the robbery was deposited, and clearly foresaw how he designed to lay out their wages of unrighteousness, 9. 26. but short enjoyment shall his wickedness afford him. The curse of God is denounced upon him, the felony of Naaman is turned into his leprosy to eat up his flesh, and the disease entailed upon his latest potency. Elisha’s doors are immediately shut against him, and he departs a leper, loathsome as incurable. Note, (1.) The joy of prosperous wickedness is short-lived, transitory, and terminates in forrows bitter as endless. (2.) Thus shall God at last lay open men’s folly, sin, and shame; and speechless before him, they shall be driven from his presence, to suffer the just reward of their deeds.