5:1 Now Naaman, the commander of the king of Syria’s army, was esteemed and respected by his master, for through him the Lord had given Syria military victories. But this great warrior had a skin disease.
King David slaughtered the Syrians. After Solomon fell into idolatry, then the Syrians began plundering Israel. General Naaman was the commander of the Syrian army. Jehovah decided who would win every battle before the foundations of the world were even created. Jehovah helped General Naaman win many battles. However, Naaman was infected with leprosy.
5:2 Raiding parties went out from Syria and took captive from the land of Israel a young girl, who became a servant to Naaman’s wife.
Syrian raiding parties crossed the Israelite border. A young Hebrew girl was captured and became a servant to Naaman’s wife. This little Hebrew girl would change the nation of Syria.
5:3 She told her mistress, “If only my master were in the presence of the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his skin disease.”
Elisha lived in Samaria. This little Hebrew girl was a witness to the second most powerful family in Syria.
5:4 Naaman went and told his master what the girl from the land of Israel had said.
This witness of the little Hebrew girl made it all the way up to the King of Syria. When a believer witnesses to someone, one never knows where that one message will reach. One verbal testimony, one e-mail, one webpage, or one tweet can ripple the spirit world for eternity.
5:5 The king of Syria said, “Go! I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten suits of clothes.
This little Hebrew girl’s testimony was so powerful, that it caused the King of Syria to write a letter to the King of Israel. General Naaman traveled to Israel with about 750 lbs. of silver, 150 lbs. of gold, and 10 suits of expensive Middle-Eastern clothing.
5:6 He brought the letter to king of Israel. It read: “This is a letter of introduction for my servant Naaman, whom I have sent to be cured of his skin disease.”
The books of the Kings were not written in chronological order, but topical order. This king was most likely not King Jehoram, but King Jehoahaz. Israel and Syria had been bitter enemies for years. The King of Israel grew nervous when a large Syrian caravan led by the Syrian General entered into Samaritan territory. As the King of Israel read the letter, he was expecting the worse.
5:7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill or restore life? Why does he ask me to cure a man of his skin disease? Certainly you must see that he is looking for an excuse to fight me!”
The King of Syria sent this message to the wrong person. He should have sent the message to Elisha the prophet. The King of Israel read this letter as a pretense to war.
5:8 When Elisha the prophet heard that the king had torn his clothes, he sent this message to the king, “Why did you tear your clothes? Send him to me so he may know there is a prophet in Israel.”
Elisha was going to make sure that all of Syria knew the identity of the one true God.
5:9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood in the doorway of Elisha’s house.
General Naaman and his large caravan appeared at Elijah’s house. The description of Elisha’s house was not given, but it was most likely a very humble house. True prophets of God are not motivated by material possessions.
5:10 Elisha sent out a messenger who told him, “Go and wash seven times in the Jordan; your skin will be restored and you will be healed.”
General Naaman traveled all of the way from Syria with his large caravan and he did not even receive a personal greeting from this Jewish prophet.
5:11 Naaman went away angry. He said, “Look, I thought for sure he would come out, stand there, invoke the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the area, and cure the skin disease.
Naaman was expecting the red carpet treatment. He was wanting a big healing ceremony, similar to that of the charismatic churches today.
5:12 The rivers of Damascus, the Abana and Pharpar, are better than any of the waters of Israel! Could I not wash in them and be healed?” So he turned around and went away angry.
The Jordan River was a very small, muddy, insignificant river compared to the Abana and Pharpar rivers of Syria. General Naaman complained about the prophet’s location of healing. He wanted a fancy healing service at a prominent and beautiful location.
5:13 His servants approached and said to him, “O master, if the prophet had told you to do some difficult task, you would have been willing to do it. It seems you should be happy that he simply said, “Wash and you will be healed.”
General Naaman’s servants message was that it cannot hurt to try it. Maybe there is something to it.
5:14 So he went down and dipped in the Jordan seven times, as the prophet had instructed. His skin became as smooth as a young child’s and he was healed.
Jehovah had to humble General Naaman before He could heal him. It is interesting to note that a Syrian leper was healed, but no Israelite leper was ever healed. This points up to the degree of Israel’s apostasy.
5:15 He and his entire entourage returned to the prophet. Naaman came and stood before him. He said, “For sure I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel! Now, please accept a gift from your servant.”
The purpose of this healing was to bring General Naaman to a point of salvation. General Naaman was one of the elect chosen before the foundations of the world.
5:16 But Elisha replied, “As certainly as the Lord lives (whom I serve), I will take nothing from you.” Naaman insisted that he take it, but he refused.
Elisha was not a prophet for hire, like the false prophets in Israel and the surrounding nations. The purpose of his miracles was to glorify God, authenticate His message, and bring others to salvation.
5:17 Naaman said, “If not, then please give your servant a load of dirt, enough for a pair of mules to carry, for your servant will never again offer a burnt offering or sacrifice to a god other than the Lord.
General Naaman’s soul, or personality, was still full of paganism teachings. He knew that Jehovah was the one true Creator God, but that was it. In his immature state, he wanted to return to Syria, throw the dirt of Israel on the ground, and burn offerings to Jehovah on the Israelite dirt. This was superstition. He would eliminate this superstition as he matured spiritually.
5:18 May the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to worship, and he leans on my arm and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this.”
Rimmon means “pomegranate.” This was another name for the Syrian god Hadad. Hadad was the Syrian version of the Canaanite Baal. He was the god of weather. General Naaman was in a political position where he had to enter the temple of Rimmon and bow to this false god. He asked Jehovah to forgive him for this compromise. Daniel and his three friends were mature believers. They would have never accepted this type of compromise. Immature believers will compromise with the world. Mature believers will not compromise with the world. Maturity comes from the intake of bible doctrine. Application comes from the outtake of bible doctrine.
If one desires spiritual maturity, then he should ask God for biblical wisdom. Then, he needs to study the entire counsel of the Word of God at the deepest level through a gifted pastor-teacher. Ephesians 4 gives more details in how on can obtain spiritual maturity.
5:19 Elisha said to him, “Go in peace.” When he had gone a short distance,
Elisha informed the Syrian general to return in peace. The Hebrew word for peace is שָׁלוֹם (shalom), meaning peace with God.
5:20 Gehazi, the prophet Elisha’s servant, thought, “Look, my master did not accept what this Syrian Naaman offered him. As certainly as the Lord lives, I will run after him and accept something from him.”
Gehazi was greedy and interested in money.
5:21 So Gehazi ran after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from his chariot to meet him and asked, “Is everything all right?”
Gehazi ran and was able to catch up with the caravan, which was moving much slower.
5:22 He answered, “Everything is fine. My master sent me with this message, ‘Look, two servants of the prophets just arrived from the Ephraimite hill country. Please give them a talent of silver and two suits of clothes.’ ”
Gehazi told General Naaman a lie so that he could gain some material possessions.
5:23 Naaman said, “Please accept two talents of silver. He insisted, and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, along with two suits of clothes. He gave them to two of his servants and they carried them for Gehazi.
General Naaman agreed to this request.
5:24 When he arrived at the hill, he took them from the servants and put them in the house. Then he sent the men on their way.
Gehazi placed the material possessions in his house so that no one would know about his lie.
5:25 When he came and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” He answered, “Your servant hasn’t been anywhere.”
Elijah was a prophet. He asked a question in which he already knew the answer.
5:26 Elisha replied, “I was there in spirit when a man turned and got down from his chariot to meet you. This is not the proper time to accept silver or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, sheep, cattle, and male and female servants.
The Hebrew word for “spirit” is לֵב (lab), meaning heart, mind, spirit, or personality. Although Elisha’s body did not move from his home, his mind had seen all that had transpired between Gehazi and Naaman.
5:27 Therefore Naaman’s skin disease will afflict you and your descendants forever!” When Gehazi went out from his presence, his skin was as white as snow.
There was no cure for leprosy. Gehazi could have become the next prophet of Israel, but he received leprosy instead.
At this time in biblical history, General Naaman of Syria was the only man healed of leprosy. Jesus repeated this miracle and healed many lepers, proving that He was the Messiah of Israel.