Discover 2 Kings 5 and the healing of Naaman, a Syrian commander who was cleansed of leprosy.
The fifth chapter of 2 Kings presents one of the most remarkable stories of healing and conversion in the Old Testament. Naaman, a commander of the Syrian army, suffered from leprosy, a disease that made him ceremonially unclean and socially isolated. Despite his high position and military success, his leprosy was a constant reminder of his mortality and his need for deliverance. The chapter records how God used a young Israelite servant girl, the prophet Elisha, and the humble act of washing in the Jordan River to bring about Naaman's complete healing.
The narrative begins with Naaman's arrival in Israel, bearing a letter from the king of Syria to the king of Israel. The king of Israel tore his clothes in despair, fearing that Syria was seeking an excuse for war. However, Elisha intervened and offered the solution that would lead to Naaman's healing. The message was simple: "Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean" (2 Kings 5:10). This instruction required Naaman to set aside his pride and obey the word of the prophet. The healing was not accomplished through magical formulas or elaborate rituals but through simple faith and obedience to God's word.
Naaman's initial reaction was anger and disappointment. He expected the prophet to perform some dramatic act or to call upon the name of the Lord in a spectacular manner. His pride was offended by the simplicity of the instruction. However, his servants persuaded him to obey the prophet, and his obedience resulted in complete healing. The chapter demonstrates that God's grace is available to all who humble themselves and obey His word, regardless of their nationality or social status. Naaman's healing and subsequent confession of faith show that God's mercy extends beyond the borders of Israel to all who seek Him.
The Historical Context of Naaman's Story
Naaman's Position and Affliction
Naaman was "captain of the host of the king of Syria" and "a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria" (2 Kings 5:1). The text acknowledges that God had used Naaman to give victory to Syria, even though Naaman was a foreigner and did not worship the God of Israel. This demonstrates that God's sovereignty extends over all nations and that He uses even unbelievers to accomplish His purposes.
Despite his great military success, Naaman was a leper. The irony of his situation is profound: a man who commanded armies and enjoyed the favor of his king was helpless against a disease that would eventually lead to his death. Leprosy was a dreaded condition that caused disfigurement, isolation, and eventual death. No amount of military power, wealth, or social status could cure him of this affliction.
The Syrian army had captured a young Israelite girl who served Naaman's wife. This girl's faith and compassion would become the instrument of Naaman's healing. The text records her simple testimony: "Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy" (2 Kings 5:3). Her words demonstrated that she had not forgotten her God despite her captivity and that she believed in the power of God's prophet.
The Political and Spiritual Tensions
The relationship between Syria and Israel was characterized by ongoing conflict. The Syrians had been raiding Israel, and Israel had suffered defeat at the hands of the Syrians. The request for healing from the king of Israel created a diplomatic crisis. The king of Israel tore his clothes and exclaimed, "Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy?" (2 Kings 5:7).
Elisha's intervention averted a crisis and demonstrated the superiority of Israel's God over the gods of Syria. The prophet sent word to the king: "Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel" (2 Kings 5:8). Elisha's response showed confidence in God's power and willingness to demonstrate His supremacy to a foreign commander.
The healing of Naaman was not just a personal miracle but a public demonstration of God's power. The fact that a Syrian commander was healed through the prophet of Israel would have been known throughout the region, testifying that the God of Israel is the true God. The miracle served as a witness to the surrounding nations and a rebuke to Israel's unbelief.
The Healing of Naaman
The Prophetic Instruction
Naaman arrived at Elisha's house with his horses and chariots, expecting a grand reception. However, Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean" (2 Kings 5:10). The instruction was simple and required no special ceremony or ritual. The healing was to come through ordinary water, not through any mystical power of the prophet.
Elisha's refusal to come out and perform a dramatic act was a deliberate humbling of Naaman's pride. The prophet taught that healing comes from God, not from the prophet's own power. The instruction to wash in the Jordan was also significant because it required Naaman to humble himself by obeying a simple command. The water of the Jordan was not magical; it was the obedience that brought the blessing.
The command to wash seven times was specific. The number seven in Scripture often represents completeness or perfection. Naaman was to wash seven times, indicating that his healing required complete obedience to God's word. The repetition of the act of washing also required patience and persistence, testing Naaman's faith and willingness to obey.
Naaman's Anger and Pride
Naaman was angry at the simplicity of the instruction. He 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" (2 Kings 5:11). Naaman expected a dramatic and impressive display of power. His pride was offended that Elisha did not come out personally to perform the healing.
Naaman also complained about the waters of Israel, saying, "Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean?" (2 Kings 5:12). His pride was offended by the suggestion that Israel's waters were superior to Syria's rivers. He turned away in anger, ready to return to Syria in his leprous condition.
Naaman's reaction is a warning against the pride that prevents us from receiving God's blessings. He expected to be healed on his own terms, but God required him to submit to His terms. The lesson is that pride must be humbled before God's grace can be received. The apostle James writes, "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble" (James 4:6).
The Servant's Wise Counsel
Naaman's servants approached him with a wise and humble counsel. They 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?" (2 Kings 5:13). The servants' logic was compelling: if Naaman was willing to perform a great act for healing, why would he refuse a simple act?
The servants' words persuaded Naaman to change his mind. He went down to the Jordan and washed seven times according to the word of Elisha. The text records, "And his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean" (2 Kings 5:14). The healing was complete and immediate, showing that God's power can restore even the most hopeless conditions.
The lesson from the servants' counsel is the importance of humble submission to God's word. Naaman was willing to do great things but was offended by the simplicity of the instruction. The servants helped him see that obedience to God's word, no matter how simple, is the key to receiving His blessings. Believers today must guard against the temptation to seek spectacular experiences while neglecting the simple commands of Scripture.
Naaman's Confession and Response
The Declaration of Faith
Naaman returned to Elisha and declared, "Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel" (2 Kings 5:15). The healing had brought him to faith in the God of Israel. Naaman's confession was a complete reversal of his previous beliefs. He had come to Israel as a powerful commander, expecting to be healed by a prophet's power; he left as a humble worshipper of the one true God.
Naaman offered a gift to Elisha, saying, "Take, I pray thee, a blessing of thy servant" (2 Kings 5:15). Elisha refused the gift, saying, "As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none" (2 Kings 5:16). Elisha refused the gift to make it clear that the healing was from God, not from the prophet's power. The gift would have given the impression that God's power was for sale.
Elisha's refusal of the gift was a testimony to the free nature of God's grace. The healing was not earned through payment or merited by Naaman's position. It was a gift from God, received through faith and obedience. The lesson is that God's grace cannot be purchased; it is freely given to all who receive it with humility and faith.
Naaman's Request for Earth
Naaman made a request: "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" (2 Kings 5:17). Naaman's request for earth from Israel showed his desire to worship the God of Israel, perhaps believing that the land of Israel was holy and that worship on Israelite soil would be more acceptable to God.
Naaman also asked for forgiveness for a specific action: "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" (2 Kings 5:18). Naaman was concerned about his official duties that required him to bow before the Syrian god Rimmon.
Elisha responded, "Go in peace" (2 Kings 5:19). The prophet did not condemn Naaman for his past association with idolatry but sent him away with a blessing. Naaman's request for earth showed that he desired to worship the Lord even in Syria, and his concern about bowing before Rimmon showed a sensitive conscience. The grace that had healed his body was now at work in his soul.
The Judgment on Gehazi
Gehazi's Greed and Deception
Gehazi, Elisha's servant, was not satisfied with his master's refusal of Naaman's gift. He 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" (2 Kings 5:20). Gehazi's motivation was greed. He saw an opportunity to enrich himself at Naaman's expense.
Gehazi pursued Naaman and lied to him, saying, "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" (2 Kings 5:22). The lie was a betrayal of Elisha's integrity and a misuse of the prophet's name. Gehazi used the reputation of his master to obtain money and goods for himself.
Naaman gave Gehazi the requested gifts, and Gehazi secretly carried them away. When he returned to Elisha's house, he attempted to conceal his actions. But Elisha, through prophetic insight, knew what Gehazi had done. The prophet's question, "Whence comest thou, Gehazi?" (2 Kings 5:25), exposed the servant's sin.
The Judgment Pronounced
Elisha pronounced judgment on Gehazi: "The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever" (2 Kings 5:27). The judgment was severe and immediate. Gehazi, who had watched Naaman's healing, now became a leper himself. The grace that had been extended to Naaman was withheld from Gehazi because of his greed and deception.
The contrast between Naaman and Gehazi is striking. Naaman, a foreigner, humbled himself and was healed. Gehazi, an Israelite servant of the prophet, acted with greed and was punished. The lesson is that God's grace is available to all, but those who attempt to profit from God's grace through deception will be judged. The apostle Peter writes, "For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell... the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished" (2 Peter 2:4, 9).
The judgment on Gehazi also served as a warning against the love of money and the desire for material gain. The apostle Paul writes, "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" (1 Timothy 6:10). Gehazi's desire for wealth led him to deceive Naaman and to suffer the consequences of his sin.
Lessons from 2 Kings 5
The Universality of God's Grace
The healing of Naaman demonstrates that God's grace is available to all people, regardless of their nationality, status, or background. Naaman was a Syrian, a foreigner, and an enemy of Israel, yet God healed him because he humbled himself and obeyed His word. The lesson is that God's grace is not limited to any particular group or nation.
The apostle Peter, reflecting on this lesson, declared, "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him" (Acts 10:34-35). The story of Naaman confirms that God's grace extends beyond the borders of Israel and is available to all who seek Him in faith.
The Importance of Humility
Naaman's healing required him to humble himself and obey the simple instruction of the prophet. His initial anger and pride almost prevented him from receiving the blessing. The lesson is that humility is essential for receiving God's grace. The apostle James writes, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up" (James 4:10).
The contrast between Naaman and Gehazi further underscores the importance of humility. Naaman humbled himself and was healed; Gehazi acted in pride and greed and was punished. The lesson is that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Believers are called to walk in humility, recognizing their dependence on God for every blessing.
The Power of Simple Obedience
Naaman was healed by performing a simple act of obedience: washing in the Jordan seven times. The instruction was not dramatic or impressive, but it required faith and submission to God's word. The lesson is that God often works through simple means to accomplish His purposes.
The psalmist writes, "I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart" (Psalm 119:32). The simplicity of the command to wash in the Jordan tests the heart's willingness to obey. Believers are called to obey God's word, even when it seems simple or ordinary, trusting that God will bless their obedience.
The Danger of Greed
Gehazi's greed led him to deception and judgment. His desire for material gain caused him to misuse his position and to suffer the consequences of his sin. The lesson is that the love of money is a dangerous temptation that can lead to spiritual destruction.
The apostle Paul writes, "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition" (1 Timothy 6:9). Gehazi's example warns believers to guard against the temptation of greed and to find their contentment in God rather than in material possessions.
The Witness of Faithful Servants
The young Israelite servant girl who told Naaman about Elisha is a model of faithful witness. Despite her captivity and lowly position, she did not hide her faith but spoke boldly about what God could do. The lesson is that faithful witness can lead others to salvation.
The apostle Paul writes, "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" (Romans 10:14). The servant girl's testimony was used by God to bring Naaman to salvation. Believers today are called to be faithful witnesses, speaking about God's power and grace to those who need to hear.
Connections to Scripture
The Healing of the Leper by Jesus
The healing of Naaman foreshadows Jesus' healing of a leper in Matthew 8:1-4. In both accounts, a leper is healed through faith and obedience. Jesus healed the leper by touching him and saying, "I will; be thou clean" (Matthew 8:3). The connection demonstrates that Jesus is the ultimate healer, with power over disease and sin.
The healing of Naaman also points to the spiritual cleansing that comes through faith in Christ. The leprosy of Naaman represents the sin that infects all humanity. The healing represents the cleansing that comes through faith in Jesus Christ. The apostle John writes, "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7).
The Cleansing of Naaman and the Water of Baptism
Naaman's washing in the Jordan seven times is a type of baptism. The act of washing symbolizes the cleansing that comes through faith and obedience. The sevenfold washing represents the completeness of the cleansing. The connection to baptism is made by Jesus, who said, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5).
The apostle Peter writes, "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 3:21). Naaman's physical cleansing points to the spiritual cleansing that believers receive through baptism and faith in Christ.
The Healing of the Syrophoenician Woman's Daughter
The healing of Naaman is paralleled by the healing of the Syrophoenician woman's daughter in Mark 7:24-30. In both accounts, a foreigner receives healing through faith. Jesus commended the Syrophoenician woman's faith and healed her daughter, demonstrating that God's grace extends to Gentiles as well as Jews.
The connection shows that God's grace is not limited by ethnicity or nationality. The apostle Paul writes, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28). Naaman's healing and the Syrophoenician woman's faith both demonstrate the universality of God's grace.
The Cleansing of the Temple
The judgment on Gehazi echoes the cleansing of the temple by Jesus. In both cases, the misuse of God's house or authority is met with judgment. Jesus drove out the money changers and those who were buying and selling in the temple, saying, "My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves" (Matthew 21:13).
Gehazi's attempt to profit from Naaman's healing was a misuse of prophetic authority. The judgment on Gehazi serves as a warning against the commercialization of God's grace. The lesson is that the things of God are not to be bought or sold but received with gratitude and humility.
The Judgment on Miriam
The judgment of leprosy on Gehazi recalls the judgment of leprosy on Miriam in Numbers 12. Miriam spoke against Moses, and God struck her with leprosy. Moses prayed for her, and she was healed after seven days. The connection shows that leprosy is a symbol of divine judgment and that the sin of pride and rebellion leads to severe consequences.
The apostle Paul writes, "Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted" (1 Corinthians 10:6). The judgment on Gehazi serves as an example and a warning to believers to avoid the sins of greed, deception, and pride.
Conclusion
The fifth chapter of 2 Kings records the remarkable healing of Naaman and the power of God's grace to reach beyond the borders of Israel. Naaman's leprosy was healed through his humble obedience to the prophet's simple instruction to wash in the Jordan seven times. His healing brought him to faith in the God of Israel, and he left as a transformed man, testifying that there is no God in all the earth but the God of Israel.
The story of Naaman demonstrates that God's grace is available to all who humbly seek Him, regardless of their nationality or social status. The healing was not earned by Naaman's position or military success but was received through simple faith and obedience. The contrast between Naaman and Gehazi highlights the importance of humility and the danger of greed. Believers today are called to follow Naaman's example of humble faith and to avoid Gehazi's sin of covetousness and deception.
The chapter also shows the importance of faithful witnesses who speak boldly about God's power. The young Israelite servant girl, though captive, did not hide her faith but directed Naaman to the prophet of God. Her example encourages believers to be faithful witnesses, trusting that God will use their testimony to bring others to salvation. The power of God's grace, demonstrated in the healing of Naaman, is available to all who will humble themselves and obey His word.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why did Elisha refuse Naaman's gift after healing him?
Elisha refused Naaman's gift to demonstrate that God's grace cannot be purchased. The healing was a free gift from God, not something that could be earned through payment or rewarded with material gifts. Elisha's refusal also preserved the integrity of his prophetic ministry, showing that he was not motivated by personal gain. The lesson is that God's grace is freely given to all who receive it with faith and humility.
2. What was the significance of Naaman's request for earth from Israel?
Naaman's request for earth from Israel showed his desire to worship the God of Israel and his belief that the land of Israel was holy. He may have thought that worshipping on Israelite soil would be more acceptable to God. The request also showed Naaman's commitment to abandon his former gods and to worship the Lord exclusively. The lesson is that a genuine encounter with God leads to a desire to worship Him in truth.
3. Why did God require Naaman to wash in the Jordan River specifically?
God required Naaman to wash in the Jordan River to test his humility and obedience. The Jordan was not the most impressive river, but it was the river of Israel, and washing in it required Naaman to set aside his pride and submit to God's word. The lesson is that God often uses simple means to accomplish His purposes, and obedience to His word is more important than the impressiveness of the method.
4. What can we learn from the young Israelite servant girl in Naaman's house?
The young Israelite servant girl is a model of faithful witness. Despite her captivity and lowly position, she did not forget her God and spoke boldly about the power of His prophet. Her testimony led Naaman to seek healing from Elisha. The lesson is that faithful witness, even in difficult circumstances, can lead others to salvation. Believers are called to be bold in sharing their faith, trusting that God will use their words to bring others to Himself.
5. Why was Gehazi punished with leprosy?
Gehazi was punished with leprosy because of his greed, deception, and misuse of prophetic authority. He attempted to profit from Naaman's healing, lied about his master's instructions, and concealed his actions from Elisha. The judgment was severe because Gehazi, as Elisha's servant, should have known better and should have upheld the integrity of prophetic ministry. The lesson is that those who misuse their position for personal gain will face judgment, and that God's grace cannot be exploited for selfish purposes.
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