Home | What's New |
Mission Statement | Location|
Services | Calendar |
Lessons |
Committees | Activities |
Search | Links
Music, Search By: Hymnal / By Tune
/ Music Book |
Scott's Reference Library
2 Kings 5:1 through 2 Kings 5:14 (NIV)
1Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great
man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD
had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.
2Now bands from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from
Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3She said to her mistress, “If only my
master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his
leprosy.”
4Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. 5“By
all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of
Israel.” So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand
shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing. 6The letter that he took to the king
of Israel read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that
you may cure him of his leprosy.”
7As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, “Am
I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to
me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!”
8When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he
sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me
and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9So Naaman went with his
horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 10Elisha sent a
messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your
flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.”
11But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out
to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the
spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of
Damascus, better than any of the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and
be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage.
13Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told
you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then,
when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” 14So he went down and dipped himself
in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was
restored and became clean like that of a young boy.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
VERSES 1-8
Though the Syrians were idolaters, and oppressed God’s people, yet the
deliverance of which Naaman had been the means, is here ascribed to the Lord.
Such is the correct language of Scripture, while those who write common history,
plainly show that God is not in all their thoughts. No man’s greatness, or
honour, can place him our of the reach of the sorest calamities of human life:
there is many a sickly, crazy body under rich and gay clothing. Every man has
some but or other, something that blemishes and diminishes him, some allay to
his grandeur, some damp to his joy. This little maid, though only a girl, could
give an account of the famous prophet the Israelites had among them. Children
should be early told of the wondrous works of God, that, wherever they go, they
may talk of them. As became a good servant, she desired the health and welfare
of her master, though she was a captive, a servant by force; much more should
servants by choice, seek their masters’ good. Servants may be blessings to the
families where they are, by telling what they know of the glory of God, and the
honour of his prophets. Naaman did not despise what she told, because of her
meanness. It would be well if men were as sensible of the burden of sin as they
are of bodily disease. And when they seek the blessings which the Lord sends in
answer to the prayers of his faithful people, they will find nothing can be had,
except they come as beggars for a free gift, not as lords to demand or purchase.
VERSES 9-14
Elisha knew Naaman to be a proud man, and he would let him know, that before the
great God all men stand upon the same level. All God’s commands make trial of
men’s spirits, especially those which direct a sinner how to apply for the
blessings of salvation. See in Naaman the folly of pride; a cure will not
content him, unless he be cured with pomp and parade. He scorns to be healed,
unless he be humoured. The way by which a sinner is received and made holy,
through the blood, and by the Spirit of Christ, through faith alone in his name,
does not sufficiently humour or employ self, to please the sinner’s heart. Human
wisdom thinks it can supply wiser and better methods of cleansing. Observe,
masters should be willing to hear reason. As we should be deaf to the counsel of
the ungodly, though given by great and respected names, so we are to have our
ears open to good advice, though brought by those below us. Wouldst thou not do
any thing? When diseased sinners are content to do any thing, to submit to any
thing, to part with any thing, for a cure, then, and not till then, is there any
hope of them. The methods for the healing of the leprosy of sin, are so plain,
that we are without excuse if we do not observe them. It is but, Believe, and be
saved; Repent, and be pardoned; Wash, and be clean. The believer applies for
salvation, not neglecting, altering, or adding to the Saviour’s directions; he
is thus made clean from guilt, while others, who neglect them, live and die in
the leprosy of sin.
See Leviticus 13:1-17
See Leviticus 14:1-20
See Healing