| 2 Kings 5:1-19 H.O.R.M. Bible Study |
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| Elisha sends Naaman to the Jordan River |
5:1 Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable,
because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valor, but he was a
leper.
[Elisha] the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian." This story of
Naaman may also be compared with the parallel event of John 9:1-12, where Jesus healed the blind man,
which was blind from his youth. That blind man's sin did not cause his blindness for he was blind from birth.
Jesus used the healing of this blind man to teach them, for of all those people that were sick, only the blind
man was healed at this time by Jesus.
John 9:6 "And when He [Jesus] had spoken, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and
He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay."
John 9:7 "And said unto him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam," (which is by interpretation, Sent,) He went his
way therefore, and washed, and came seeing."
5:2 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.
Romans 12:3 "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of
himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man
the measure of faith."
Romans 12:4 "For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:"
Romans 12:5 "So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another."
5:3 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.
and he would heal him of his leprosy. She had no doubt that
God could use Elisha to heal the leprosy. This faith was passed
from her to her master's wife, and on to Naaman. It was from
this seed of thought of the girl, that faith and hope grew in the
minds all the way to the king of Syria. Of course she had faith,
and she was faithful to her calling and mission that God had
placed her in. If she had lied to her mistress it could have caused
her death.
5:4 And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the
maid that is of the land of Israel.
5:5 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 with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
5:6 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.
5:7 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.
because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valor, but he was a
leper.
- (TR)Naaman was one of the king of Syria's best servants, trusted and loyal to the king. We know from
[Elisha] the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian." This story of
Naaman may also be compared with the parallel event of John 9:1-12, where Jesus healed the blind man,
which was blind from his youth. That blind man's sin did not cause his blindness for he was blind from birth.
Jesus used the healing of this blind man to teach them, for of all those people that were sick, only the blind
man was healed at this time by Jesus.
John 9:6 "And when He [Jesus] had spoken, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and
He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay."
John 9:7 "And said unto him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam," (which is by interpretation, Sent,) He went his
way therefore, and washed, and came seeing."
- (TR)So this healing of Naaman was important enough that Christ mentioned him in His healing ministry some
5:2 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.
- (TR)So after the armies of Israel and Judah had fled back to their homes, the Syrians had followed them and
taken many captives of the Israelites, and brought them back to be servants in the land of Syria. One of
these young ladies that was taken captive was placed in the home of Naaman to be his wife's servant.
- (TR)God wants to show us that he can use a great prophet, or he can use a young servant girl in the service
to bring about the miracles that are to be lessons for us. God is going to use this girl to start the order of
events that will turn the heart of this great general Naaman to the Father. From the mouth of this slave
child, the leaders of this heathen world would be led to Elisha, and come to see the one True God. They will
see that God is real: and that is the lesson of this entire chapter. It is important to keep focused on that
point throughout the entire chapter.
- (TR)God has His family and each of us that belong to His family have our own positions within that family, and
we are to be disciplined to what ever position we are in, within God's family.
Romans 12:3 "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of
himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man
the measure of faith."
Romans 12:4 "For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:"
Romans 12:5 "So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another."
- (TR)This young girl was in a position, doing the duties that God had placed her in, and she was faithful to
speak up in the name of God. She planted the seed, telling of the prophet of God that could lead Naaman
to the place to be healed. From that girl's willingness to speak out, Naaman and his entire household would
come to know the Lord.
5:3 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.
- (TR)She tells this wife of Naaman, that she wished to God,
and he would heal him of his leprosy. She had no doubt that
God could use Elisha to heal the leprosy. This faith was passed
from her to her master's wife, and on to Naaman. It was from
this seed of thought of the girl, that faith and hope grew in the
minds all the way to the king of Syria. Of course she had faith,
and she was faithful to her calling and mission that God had
placed her in. If she had lied to her mistress it could have caused
her death.
5:4 And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the
maid that is of the land of Israel.
- (TR)Naaman's wife went right to Naaman and told him exactly what
5:5 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 with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
- (TR)It didn't take long for Naaman to reach the king of Syria, and when the king heard the good news, he
sent Naaman immediate to the king of Israel. To show his respects to the king of Israel, the Syrian king
send great wealth to him in payment of respect. Keep in mind that this king would not be Ahab, but Ahab's
son, the silly king that walked out the upstairs window, that latter caused his death.
- (TR)Naaman was highly honored by the king of Syria, and the healing of Naaman meant a great deal to him
personally. This healing of Naaman would be unique for in Israel there were many that had leprosy, and yet
the prophet of God healed none of them. So you can see the pressure that is on the king of Israel, when
this general of the enemy army comes with all his wealth to buy his healing.
- (TR)Think of the value that is brought to the king of Israel, Ten talents of silver. Along with the silver was
6,000 pieces of Gold, beside the other goods that were brought for payment for the healing of this
honorable man. This is to be the payment for healing Naaman.
5:6 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.
- (TR)Remember that since the days of Jeroboam, there was no faith in God among the kings of Israel. They
were busy worshipping their two golden calves, and here this leper man comes with this letter from the king
of Syria. Syria had just run them off the battle field and killed his father, and now this Syrian king wants him
to heal Naaman, standing now before him. What do you think the king of Israel thinks of this? He is going
into another of his rages.
5:7 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.
- (TR)At least he can still identify the only One True God that can heal Naaman. The king of Israel tore his
clothes and cried and carried on passionately, for he just knew that the Syrian king was trying to trick him
and start up another war with him. At least the king knew that he could not heal leprosy. However, he
represented a nation, whereby in his title was, "protector of the faith", and that faith is in the only True God.
That little slave girl had that faith in God, back in Naaman's house, yet the leader of God's people had
absolutely no faith in God. No wonder he went into a rage, for he knew that only the One true God could
heal. The only prophets that this king of Israel listened to were those of his mother Jezebel. They claimed
to be prophets of God.
5:8 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.
5:9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
for his healing.
5:10 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.
from heaven to the earth, through both the Son and
the Holy Spirit, as well as Himself, in the person of the
Angel of God. "Seven" being the spiritual number of
completeness. This is so simple of a task that it seems
like a fairy-tale to Naaman. Elisah did not even come to
the door, but sent one of his servant to tell him to go wash in the river Jordan seven times.
All that Naaman could think of was that somebody was playing games with him.
5:11 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.
5:12 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.
5:13 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?
5:14 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.
times exactly as he was instructed by Elisha. On that seventh time, as
he came up out of the water, and saw that his flesh was as clean and
tender as that of a little child. Think of the thrill and joy that went
through his mind. Think also of the joy that all his servants had to see
their master clean of all his leprosy. Because that maiden girl had faith
that God could heal, we see that God did heal, and to the glory of God,
His name was made real in the land of Syria.
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.
- (TR)When Elisha heard what had happened in Samaria, he sent a letter to the king asking, "Why are you
punishing yourself like that, send the man with leprosy to me and he shall know that there is a prophet in
Israel. The purpose again was to let the Syrians know that there is a God in Israel.
5:9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
- (TR)Naaman pulled his chariot up at the front door
for his healing.
5:10 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.
- (TR)Remember that "Jordan" in the Hebrew tongue
from heaven to the earth, through both the Son and
the Holy Spirit, as well as Himself, in the person of the
Angel of God. "Seven" being the spiritual number of
completeness. This is so simple of a task that it seems
like a fairy-tale to Naaman. Elisah did not even come to
the door, but sent one of his servant to tell him to go wash in the river Jordan seven times.
All that Naaman could think of was that somebody was playing games with him.
5:11 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.
- (TR)This second man to the king of Syria thought that Elisha should have come to the door, and done as all
the other prophets do when they call on their gods. He thought that Elisha should have gone through an
elaborate prayer, with a religious fan fair, and shouted, "In the name of the Lord his God"; Yet all he did
was sent his servant to the door, and through his servant, Elisha told him to "go wash seven times in the
river Jordan and you would be healed". Naaman was really expecting to see some great things on his
behalf.
5:12 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.
- (TR)Naaman thought that the Abana and Pharpar rivers were cleaner than the river Jordan, and if I go to
them, shouldn't that make me even cleaner. Naaman mounted his chariot and in a rage started back for
Syria.
- (TR)The point that we are to take from this is that God works with whom ever, and what ever he choses. It
began with that little slave girl in Syria, who wanted the best for her master, Naaman. God chose that girl to
make this point. That message started in Syria and was completed by the servant of Elisha, at the
instructions of Elisha, and that message was; "Go wash seven times in the river Jordan, and you will be
healed." Elisha gave the instructions from God, and the servant of Elisha told the instructions to Naaman.
This wasn't even Elisha's number one servant for it will be obvious before the end of this chapter.
Remember that the message doesn't come from the prophet, but from God Himself.
5:13 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?
- (TR)As Naaman was heading out of Elisha's place in a rage, Naaman's servants that were with him spoke to
him and reminded him that if the prophet had told him to do some great thing, he would have done it. The
only thing that the prophet told you to do was to go wash seven times in the Jordan river, and you would be
clean. Why don't you do it? Try the prophet! So Naaman listened to his servant and went and bathed in the
Jordan. At first Naaman took it like Elisha told him to "go jump in the river", as an insult, when in fact those
instruction came or descended directly from God.
- (TR)Then his servants said, "We have tried every other god, we tried every thing else and came all this
distance, so why not try this simple act that the prophet of God told you to do?"
5:14 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.
- (TR)Naaman didn't stop at the second or third time, where there was
times exactly as he was instructed by Elisha. On that seventh time, as
he came up out of the water, and saw that his flesh was as clean and
tender as that of a little child. Think of the thrill and joy that went
through his mind. Think also of the joy that all his servants had to see
their master clean of all his leprosy. Because that maiden girl had faith
that God could heal, we see that God did heal, and to the glory of God,
His name was made real in the land of Syria.
- (TR)Sometimes it seems very simple the way that God works, but the blessings of God come when we are
obedient of the following of God's instructions. Never under estimate the power of our God, and never take
any of the credit for the power of God that comes forth in you, as a servant of God. If our Heavenly Father
gives you a gift, take it and use it to the glory of God, no matter what your position in life, or where God has
placed you here on earth. God will use you only when you are obedient to His calling for your life. You are
not responsible for for another man's gifts, but you are accountable for all the gifts that God has placed in
your hands: as to whether you are a good and faithful servant of His.
- (TR)The point is that you should always know where the voice came from and where the power that God has
placed in you came from, when you lose that sight, you are in serious trouble. When you look to your
hands for the cause of any healing, you have lost your focus on the Father. Keep yourself humble before
God, because all blessings flow from God. Without the blessings of God, we are on a dead end street, but
remember that our God works in simple ways.
5:15 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
.
Elisha twenty times the gold that he brought to the king of Israel. As
he arrived he went up to Elisha, and told him, "Now I know that there is
no God in all the earth, but in Israel." Remember all those goodies of
gold and silver and garments that are on their saddles, Naaman
wanted Elisha to receive those gifts as payment for his healing.
to the prophet before you asked the favor from the prophet. Naaman
did not do that, he left in a rage, and withheld the blessing until after
the healing took place. Therefore the blessing could not be received
by the prophet, that was the way that God made it. Then there could be no
conditions placed on the gift or the healing. The one was not a condition of the other. If you never received the
healing you could not take back the blessing given to the prophet. It wasn't the prophet that gave the healing, but
God that determined if you should be healed or not.
5:16 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.
5:17 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.
5:18 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.
5:19 And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.
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
.
- (TR)The whole train of Syrians returned from the river and went
Elisha twenty times the gold that he brought to the king of Israel. As
he arrived he went up to Elisha, and told him, "Now I know that there is
no God in all the earth, but in Israel." Remember all those goodies of
gold and silver and garments that are on their saddles, Naaman
wanted Elisha to receive those gifts as payment for his healing.
- (TR)Remember what the customs were in the land at that time. If you
to the prophet before you asked the favor from the prophet. Naaman
did not do that, he left in a rage, and withheld the blessing until after
the healing took place. Therefore the blessing could not be received
by the prophet, that was the way that God made it. Then there could be no
conditions placed on the gift or the healing. The one was not a condition of the other. If you never received the
healing you could not take back the blessing given to the prophet. It wasn't the prophet that gave the healing, but
God that determined if you should be healed or not.
5:16 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.
- (TR)Elisha would not take one thing from Naaman, and it wasn't because he never offered it first, but Elisha
wanted Naaman to know that his healing came from God, and not from the hand of the prophet. God did
the healing and no amount of money would cleanse the any leprosy. Though it all was well intentioned, but
in this case, it could not be received. Remember that there had been great trouble between the peoples of
the house of Israel and the Syrians all the back for centuries, and many men had lost their lives in wars. Yet
the God of Israel was also the God of the Syrian, and would heal them as well as bless Israel. You know
that the king of Syria would hear of the blessing that the God of Israel gave to his honored servant Naaman.
5:17 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.
- (TR)So now Naaman is asking a favor of Elisha, and that favor is for two mule loads of soil from Israel to take
back to Syria. This again was a custom of the area, that if you prayed to a god, you had to be on his soil. In
that God was the God of Israel, Naaman wanted to take earth back so that he could also pray to the God
of Israel. Israel's God was the only God that Naaman would pray to the rest of his life so he wanted this two
donkey loads of dirt from Israel. He would spread it on the ground, and that is where he would go and pray.
- (TR)Remember that Christ had not died on the cross at this time, and all people worshipped at the altar of
God. Even though that altar was only in Israel, amongst the Israelites. God's instructions were that if a
stranger came among you, they could worship with you, as long as he (she) obeyed the laws of the land,
and so on. So this is a carry over of the Syrian tradition, and applied to the God of Israel, in the mind of
Naaman. Elisha does not correct Naaman for this misunderstanding, for if that is the way that Naaman
thinks, then allow him to do so, for he will be worshipping the one True God.
5:18 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.
- (TR)What Naaman is telling Elisha here is; "I am the aid or servant of the king of Syria, and my king worships
Rimmon, and there is no way that he will allow me to worship the God of Israel there." In my position there is
no way that I can avoid going into the house of Rimmon, and bowing down to the god of my king. My life
depends on it, now I want to know that if I do this, can I be pardon by the true God, for doing that?
5:19 And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.
- (TR)Elisha said, "Go in peace". So what was God's answer to the man? He didn't answer yes or no. A
prophet can only teach that which the Lord has revealed to him, and no more.
- (TR) The Syrian storm god called "Ramman" had a temple and an altar within the temple, and the offerings to
that heathen god were for the control of the weather. Can Naaman be strong enough to hold to the true
God, while assisting the king in his civil obligations to Rimmon.
