2 Kings Chapters 5-6 Commentary

Second Kings Chapters 5-6

The story of Naaman is a marvelous but sobering account of God Who is not a tribal or ethnic God but a universal and omnipotent God. Of Naaman who is a haughty but humbled general who becomes a believer in God and of his loyal and dedicated staff who see him through a crisis, of Elisha, whose selfless service saves a king and heals an enemy general, and of Gehazi whose greed proves to be his total undoing.

Chapter 5 5:1 Here we are introduced to “Naaman” (NAY a man), whose name means “pleasant”. Naaman was the commander-in-chief of the Syrian army and BenHadad II was probably the king ruling Syria or Aram at this time. Naaman was a very successful military commander and was viewed as indispensable by the king. “Because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram”: “At first this claim may seem startling because Naaman was not an Israelite. However, First and Second Kings emphasize repeatedly God’s sovereignty over all nations and all people. The Lord had already laid claim to ownership of Syria’s political future (1 Kings 19:15). Surely He can work on behalf of a Syrian, if only to discipline Israel for idolatry (2 Kings 13:3)” (House p. 271). God is using Naaman and the Syrian army as His instrument to chasten His people. This verse reminds us that He does not ignore unbelievers and neither does He allow other nations to run around unsupervised. “But he was a leper”: Only one issue mars his life, he is a leper. Evidently Naaman could still perform his duties as a soldier and general, but leprosy does spread and evidently it would have made Naaman unable to serve any longer. Leprosy was a disfiguring skin disease and led to social ostracism in Israel (because of its contagious nature), but apparently not in Syria.

Or, Naaman had proved himself so indispensable to the king, that his leprosy was tolerated. “Sadly though, he had contracted leprosy—a disabling and repulsive skin disease for which there was no known cure. It started as scaly circles in the skin, but progressively advanced to claim the hair, fingernails, teeth, nose and eyes. Ravaged body extremities eventually withered and dropped away” (Winters p. 194).

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5:2 It just so happened that Syrian raiding parties in Israelite territory had captured a young Israelite girl who had become a servant in Naaman’s household. 5:3 Instead of being bitter, this young unnamed girl has compassion on her new Masters. Notice the great contrast: She is an Israelite, he is an Aramean; she is a little girl, he is a great man, she is a captive servant, he is a commander of the entire army, he has fame in the estimation of the king, she has none. Yet, she still shares the knowledge that her master needs most. Power and glory cannot save Naaman, but this information can. Despite her captivity, she is not bitter or unhelpful. Like Daniel, Mordecai, Ezra, and Nehemiah who were also exiles, she cares for the spiritual and physical well-being of her conqueror.

Notice now natural it was for her to share her faith! Elisha moved about often and at this time he was living in Samaria. “In Yahweh’s providence, in this story everything hangs on this little girl, on her tragic servitude. People are often brought into the kingdom of God at great cost to other people” (Dale Ralph Davis p. 87).

5:4-5 From the fact that Naaman immediately told the king and that the king immediately acted on this information, it seems clear that Naaman’s leprosy was far more than some minor skin disease. The Syrian king is willing to do anything to keep his top general healthy and alive. The Syrian king sent an enormous gift to the king of Israel (more than $80,000 in value), as incentive for the Israelite king to have his prophet cure Naaman.

5:7 Yet the Israelite king immediately assumed that such a request was insincere and that Syria was only trying to pick a fight with him. If he refused to heal Naaman or could not make good on the Syrian king’s wishes, the failure could be used as a pretext for an invasion. The Israelite king didn’t even think about Elisha, probably because he gave no credence to the reports circulating about him. Note, a little servant girl knew more truth than the king over all Israel!

“Mrs. Naaman’s girl is full of expectation and confidence; Israel’s king is full of dread and dismay” (Dale Ralph Davis p. 88).

5:8 News of the king’s distress reached Elisha and he sent word to the palace to have Naaman sent to his house. The person who really needed to believe that there was a prophet in Israel was the Israelite king! 5:9-10 Elisha avoided any personal contact with Naaman, choosing rather to greet him, and deliver his orders by means of a messenger. The cure was very simple, “wash in the Jordan seven times”.

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“To put this mighty one into the right position before Jehovah, Elisha refused to see him personally, and instructed him to wash seven times in the muddy Jordan. No magic incantation or mysterious hand-waving (nor all the clean waters of Damascus) could solve this man’s problem—only the direct intervention of the living God. Would he be willing to do a very simple and apparently foolish thing, believing that God could meet his need according to His promise?” (Whitcomb p. 77). In like manner, what a person must do to be saved is very simple (Mark 16:16).

5:11 How many people have rejected God’s truth on the basis of preconceived ideas? Naaman was angry and offended that Elisha hadn’t personally greeted him and performed an elaborate ceremony, with him as the center of attention, “and cure the leper”. “Naaman went charging up to Elisha’s house with his retinue, expecting to be received in a way befitting his rank and perhaps to be asked to do something dramatic to obtain healing” (Vos p. 152). Naaman needed to learn the lesson that God is no respecter of persons. Human rank means nothing to God, in addition, it is our job to obey God’s simple instructions, and it isn’t our job to give God advice. Finally, there is nothing we can do to earn our cleansing. God’s plan of salvation demands humility. Today, many people seem willing to do anything spectacular to ensure their salvation, but they won’t submit to the command to be baptized for the remission of their sins. “Naaman was somebody and he knows it—and he expects others to recognize it. But all he gets is a bare word. Elisha treated Naaman like a leper who needed to be healed.

And Naaman didn’t like that. So you just as well brace yourself: God may not make a fuss over you” (Dale Ralph Davis p. 90). How often do we become disappointed with God when He doesn’t operate in a way that agrees with out expectations?

5:12 “Abanah” (AB ah nah) and “Pharpar” (FAHR phar) were rivers in Damascus, which in the mind of Naaman were far superior to the Jordan.

“These clear rivers of legendary beauty made the ancient city of Damascus a beautiful oasis” (Dilday p. 306). Once again we have a man who is offended by God’s exclusive choices. “Why can not there be several viable approaches of the matter? Why couldn’t he wash in the Abana and Pharpar and get the same results?” (Dale Ralph Davis p. 91).

5:13 Servants to the rescue! Naaman was caught up in national and personal pride, thus he was blind to common sense. When we are arrogant, God’s will doesn’t make any sense, but when we humble ourselves, it makes perfect sense.

His servants suggested that since Elisha’s instructions were simple enough, they 3

ought to be tested. What did he have to lose? In addition, since Naaman was prepared to do some great thing to be healed (or pay a great price), how much more should he be eager to do something very simple! Give these servants credit for having to courage to correct their master! Notice how a soft answer or a persuasive rebuke can accomplish much (Proverbs 15:1; 1 Timothy 5:1).

5:14 The disease wasn’t simply stopped, rather, it was as if he had never had leprosy. He was instantly and totally cured! 5:15 Give Naaman credit for swallowing his pride and for immediately believing in God when confronted with the evidence. Naaman returned from the Jordan to Elisha’s house in Samaria (about 25 miles) with a heart full of gratitude and hands full of gifts.

Naaman willingly stood before the prophet and confessed that “I know there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel”. Unfortunately many in Israel, including her king, had not come to the same realization. Like Rahab (Joshua 2:9-13), Ruth (Ruth 1:16-18), and the sailors and Ninevites in Jonah (Jonah 1:16; 3:6-10), Naaman believes in God as being the one true God. “Sadly, Naaman’s confession of faith condemns most Israelites of that era, since they have rejected the one true God and embraced gods that cannot heal. Jesus makes this point while rebuking the people of Nazareth in Luke 4:23-30” (House p. 273). Faith isn’t that difficult. Naaman realized that the only God who deserved his loyalty and allegiance was the God would could save him. Why should we give our loyalty to something or someone who can’t save us? Consider the tremendous transformation in this man. Five times in verses 15-18, while speaking to Elisha, he calls himself “your servant”. This is a major shift from the arrogant ranting in verses 11-12.

5:15-16 Naaman insists on paying Elisha, but the prophet refuses. While others did feed and care for Elisha, the prophet refused to be paid for performing a miracle. “Perhaps to head off any notion on the part of Naaman that the gifts of God might be purchased with money (Acts 8:18-23)” (Winters p. 198). Naaman needed to learn that God was the real healer and that Elisha was simply his representative. Yet let us give credit to Naaman for asking to give something to Elisha. He was now a humble man, stead of hurrying back to Damascus, he was deeply grateful and went out of his way to return and say “thank you”. Naaman is like the Samaritan leper of Luke 17:15, who turned back and expressed his gratitude.

5:17 In the mind of this newly converted man, the ground of Israel would be more holy, more appropriate for the worship of the God of Israel. Like many new converts, Naaman still probably had some false concepts in his mind which 4

are cured by time and study. Some say that Naaman is still a slave of the polytheistic notion that a god could be worshipped only on his own land.

Maybe, but maybe he has learned a lesson, i.e., everything in Syria isn’t better than in Israel and that an altar made out of Israelite soil simply seems more appropriate. 5:18 Second, Naaman asked for understanding if his official duties required him to be involved in the worship of idols, specifically the worship of Rimmon, the Aramaean manifestation of the storm-god. Evidently, he would be required to accompany the Syrian king at such worship services. Thus he is going back to Syria and he will worship God exclusively, and he is very “sensitive” about the fact that his official duties will demand his presence with the king in an idols temple, yet he seems to be saying that he will not be worshipping the idol—he now knows the difference!

5:19 Elisha neither approved nor disapproved Naaman’s request, but simply said, “Go in peace”. Observe that Naaman has been thinking! If Jehovah is the true God, then the worship of any other god would be wrong, but when he goes back home, he will have to accompany the king at idolatrous worship services.

Yet even in this question, Naaman places himself under Elisha’s authority.

Naaman simply asks whether or not God would forgive such an act, he isn’t asking for permission to worship a false god. In addition, it would appear that Naaman is asking whether he can worship the true God in his heart, even though he is present in an idol’s temple. Third, Naaman realizes that Rimmon is a false god. Naaman must create what amounts to a personal outpost of God in Syria.

He can pray, but there is no opportunity for community or public worship, nor is it likely that he can come back to Israel to worship at the Temple in Jerusalem (since Syria, Israel and Judah were often at war with each other), under such circumstances Naaman is asking Elisha whether or not God will understand his predicament.

5:20-24 Here we learn that anyone can be infected with greed, even the personal servant of Elisha. Gehazi could not bear the thought of the Aramean going home with all his treasure. Apparently, he had convinced himself that Naaman deserved to be taken advantage of because he was an enemy of Israel. “As Jehovah lives” are strange words in the mouth of one who has set his mind on a course of lying and stealing. Note how one sin naturally leads to another sin.

Greed moves him to lie to both Naaman and Elisha. 5:23-24 At a hill just outside Samaria, Gehazi took the money from Naaman’s servants, and dismissed them.

He could not run the risk of having these foreigners seen entering Samaria again,

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5:25-27 Sin can blind us to very simple truths such as, “You can’t get away with lying to a prophet!” Some believe Elisha was reading Gehazi’s mind when he spoke of buying olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants. Gehazi must have been thinking at that very moment about what he was going to do with Naaman’s gifts. Gehazi wanted to get rich quick (1Timothy 6:9f). 5:27 Apparently Gehazi could keep the money—but he also could keep the leprosy which had clung to Naaman.

The judgment was immediate, as Naaman had been cured instantly, Gehazi had been struck instantly and went out from Elisha’s presence “as white as snow”.

This disease would be passed down to his descendants. While the guilt of sin is not inherited (Ezekiel 18:4,20), the physical consequences of our sins can be inherited (i.e., child born with aids, crack babies, poverty, etc..). Yet, such a judgment might in the end save Gehazi’s descendants. This might have been a family prone to trust in self or wealth and such a judgment could serve the purpose of humbling this family and bringing them to God. “Gehazi’s most lurid offense was his distorting the truth about Yahweh. Gehazi destroyed in a moment all that Elisha had tried to teach Naaman in verse 16…At any rate, Gehazi’s greed implied that Yahweh was a ‘taker’ like all the other deities that littered the Near East…Gehazi was trying to put a price on the goodness of God” (Dale Ralph Davis pp. 97,98).

Chapter 6 6:1-2 The living quarters for the prophets had become too small and they sought to build a larger facility. 6:3-5 Along the banks of the Jordan is a thicket about a mile wide, where they could cut down willow, acacia, tamarisk and other trees.

During this community effort to build, one of the prophets loses an ax head in the Jordan River. He immediately cries out, for such an object was expensive, the student-prophet was probably poor, and the ax head had been begged or borrowed. This incident of the lost ax head and Elisha’s miraculous recovery of it is considered by some an insignificant event, causing them to wonder aloud why it consumes space in Scripture, or even why he performed the miracle in the first place. Yet this section of Scripture reminds us: No miracle is small and God pays attention to even the small problems among His people! This miracle isn’t small when people try to duplicate it—and fail! The floating iron necessitated the suspension of the universal law of gravity. The fact that the ax head was borrowed shows the poverty and difficult circumstances under which these prophets labored. It also shows Elisha as a man of compassion and one who had

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time for the smaller problems of life. This example goes against the idea that God is some type of cosmic CEO who does not care about the average person.

“Ah, but that is not our God. Part of His greatness appears in the fact that He does attend to the small problems, the dinky details, the individual needs, the mundane and ordinary affairs of the believer’s life. The hairs of your head are numbered; God does care about your axe-head” (Dale Ralph Davis p. 104).

6:5-7 “Even though Elisha tossed a floating stick into the water first, the incident was not an example of imitative magic, but another miracle from the hand of the prophet. The floating stick was merely a symbol of what Elisha wanted the ax head to do. The text says, “…and he made the iron float” (Dilday pp. 310-311).

6:8 Once again Syria is at war with Israel. 6:9-12 Evidently the Syrians were trying to ambush the Israelite army, but Elisha informs the Israelite king of the Syrian plans for ambush. Immediately the prophet sent a warning to the Israelite king to change any plans he had for travel in that area. The Israelite king took Elisha’s warnings seriously and apparently sent out military patrols to verify it.

It may be that Israel’s troops preceded the Syrian troops to the spot and set up a fortified camp there themselves, thus frustrating the Syrian plan. The Syrian king was enraged and immediately suspected that someone in his command was actually an Israelite spy. “All the power and no traction. And that was the King of Aram here. All his plans, his tricks and strategies, and no success” (Dale Ralph Davis p. 111). Here we find that Elisha’s powers were well known upon the Syrian soldiers. The king was advised of the facts by his own soldiers. Elisha the prophet was monitoring and exposing their every military move. Even words spoken in the secrecy of his most intimate quarters were common knowledge to this prophet. Observe in this section, that Elisha is the only person whose personal name is mentioned.

6:13-14 The Syrians also had an intelligence gathering network and learned that Elisha was in the city of Dothan, which was about ten miles north of Samaria.

Since they were aware of Elisha’s ability to predict every troop movement, it is strange that they did not assume that the prophet would see through their new strategy as well. It seemingly never occurred to these Syrians that the prophet who knew miraculously where they were planning their ambush would also know when and where they were planning to come for him! But unbelief is always short-sighted. 6:15 When Elisha’s servant (Gehazi? Or a new servant?) awoke, he discovered that the city was surrounded by Syrians. 6:16-17 Here is a lesson that we need to learn. “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them”. This is always true for the believer (1 John 4:4).

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It is not God’s people, but God’s enemies who are surrounded and helpless (Psalm 34:7). It remains us of what Jesus said to Peter in Gethsemane, “Or do you think I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53). In Gethsemane it was as if Jesus turns and says quietly, ‘Peter, I don’t lack resources’” (Dale Ralph Davis p.

113).

6:18-20 Upon Elisha’s request, God struck the entire Syrian army with blindness, but such blindness that didn’t damage their eyes. It was more a mental blindness, where what they were seeing wasn’t reality. “Since the soldiers could see well enough to drive their horses and chariots behind Elisha directly into Israel’s fortress of Samaria, it appears that the miracle was one of confused sight, a supernatural impediment that deceived them” (Dilday p. 318). Elisha went out and told them that this wasn’t the city (and they didn’t recognize his face or voice), and Elisha then proceeded to lead the entire army to the Israelite capital of Samaria. 6:21 “There is a touch of humor in verse 21 when the king of Israel suddenly realized Ben-Hadad’s great army had just been deposited helpless within the very walls of his royal capital. One can almost see the dignified monarch, his royal composure shattered, waving his arms and shouting excitedly, ‘My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?’” (Dilday p. 318).

6:22-23 Elisha wanted to convict the hearts of the Syrian army with kindness and impress upon them the all-sufficient power of God. It was also a demonstration of God’s mercy to Syria and the king of Syria, it was in effect a second chance.

Beyond sparing their lives, God even treated the Syrian army to a wonderful potluck before sending them on their way (see Romans 12:17ff). “Furthermore, this would be one more opportunity to confirm in the thinking of the Syrians that ‘the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings’ (1 Kings 20:31), because their God is a merciful God. The Syrians must have been greatly impressed, not only with Jehovah’s mercy, but also with Elisha’s superhuman insight” (Whitcomb p.

79). God was giving every soldier in this army and all his family members a chance to think seriously about believing in Jehovah and renouncing their faith in idols. God does give His enemies a chance to repent (2 Peter 3:9). Now this may mean that God’s enemy might abuse such an opportunity (Romans 2:1-4), but we need to rejoice that God is giving even the extremely wicked chances to be saved.

6:23-24 For a while the Syrians were impressed with the above miracle, but without the decision to believe, without repentance, such lessons are eventually lost and forgotten. 6:25 Some time after the events in verses 1-23, Ben Hadad II 8

tried again to defeat Israel. This time instead of sending raiding parties, he mobilized his entire army and besieged the capital city of Samaria. Since no one could enter or leave the city a great famine resulted. So great was the famine that one donkey’s head, one of the least nourishing and most repulsive parts of this animal, unclean to the Israelites, became a highly valued commodity, selling for two pounds of silver ($50.00), and approximately a half-pint of dove’s dung, which is the literal translation of the Hebrew, for about two ounces of silver ($3.00). Josephus says that during the siege of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, the people actually ate cow’s dung. Some say that people were buying this for fuel, so they could cook whatever food they had.

6:26-30 During the siege an actual case of cannibalism was reported to the Israelite king as he was inspecting the walls. In verse 27, the king sarcastically told the woman that he could not provide bread from the grain on the threshing floor or wine from the grapes in the winepress. 6:31 Instead of repenting and putting his trust completely in God, the Israelite king blamed Elisha for the famine. “The king blames Elisha for the siege, perhaps reasoning that Syria still wants to eliminate the prophet. Ironically, the king seems to forget how Elisha protected Israel from the Syrians in those instances” (House p. 278). In addition, the king may have been mad at Elisha for allowing the Syrian army to escape and go back home, rather than letting him kill them. Whatever the cause of his irrational anger, the king decided to take out his frustration on Elisha and ordered the royal executioner to find Elisha and behead him. 6:32-33 Meanwhile Elisha has been sitting at home with the elders of the city. Apparently the elders held Elisha in high regard. Elisha instructs the visitors to bar the door against the king’s assassin. This command was evidently given to postpone any violence until the king himself arrived, “is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?”

(6:32) The phrase, “son of a murderer”, is a Hebrew idiom tantamount to saying simply, “murderer”. However, it may actually refer to the fact that the king was a descendant of Ahab, who massacred prophets and killed Naboth. Apparently Elisha had been telling the Israelite king that the siege would be lifted, that God would intervene. But his attitude is, “Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?” (Isaiah 40:31) Here we see political helplessness. The government simply can’t find a solution.

“Barbara Tuchman reminds us, ‘Revolutions produce other men, not new men’.

There is no solid hope in politics. We must beware of the subtle idolatry that whispers, ‘The government must cope with this’. The text implies that governments don’t cope very well” (Dale Ralph Davis pp. 120-121).

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