_A.M. 3110. B.C. 894._ Naaman hears of Elisha, 2 Kings 5:1. The king of Syria sends him to the king of Israel, 2 Kings 5:5. He goes to Elisha and is healed. 8-14. His grateful acknowledgment to Elisha, 2 Kings 5:15. Gehazi follows him, and receives gifts from him, 2 Kings 5:20. The leprosy of Naama... [ Continue Reading ]
_Naaman was a great man with his master_ In great power and favour with the king of Syria; _and honourable_ Highly esteemed, both for his quality and success; _because the Lord by him had given deliverance unto Syria_ He had been victorious in such battles as he had fought, which coming to pass thro... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Syrians had gone out by companies_ Making inroads into the land of Israel, to rob and plunder, after the manner of those times. _And had brought away captive a little maid_ The providence of God so ordering it for very important reasons. _And she waited on Naaman's wife _ Was preferred into Naa... [ Continue Reading ]
_Would God my Lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria_ In the kingdom of Samaria; or, rather, in the city of Samaria; where Elisha was when she was taken, and where he commonly resided, though he went to other places as need required. _For he would recover him of his leprosy _ She had heard of... [ Continue Reading ]
_And one went in and told his lord_ One of Naaman's servants, hearing this, told it to Naaman, and he to the king of Syria, begging his leave to go to the prophet in Israel. For though he neither loved nor honoured the Jewish nation, yet if one of that nation can but heal him of his leprosy, he will... [ Continue Reading ]
_The king said, I will send a letter to the king of Israel_ It was very natural for a king to suppose that the king of Israel could do more than any of his subjects. _He took with him ten talents of silver_, &c. That he might honourably reward the prophet, in case he should be cured by him. But it w... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now when this letter is come unto thee_, &c. The beginning of the letter, which, it is likely, contained the usual compliments, is omitted, as not pertinent to the matter in hand. _That thou mayest recover him of his leprosy_ Or, _That, by thy command, the prophet that is with thee may cleanse him;... [ Continue Reading ]
_The king of Israel rent his clothes_ Either as one in great affliction and trouble, or because he looked upon it as blasphemy, to ascribe that power to him which belonged to God alone. _Am I God, to kill and make alive?_ He expresses himself thus, because the leprosy is a kind or degree of death, N... [ Continue Reading ]
_Elisha sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes?_ There is no just occasion for thee to do so. _Let him come now to me_ It was not for his own honour, but for the honour of God and his people, that he desires the leprous Syrian to be sent to him. _And he shall know there is a... [ Continue Reading ]
_Naaman stood at the door of the house of Elisha_ Waiting for Elisha's coming to him. _And Elisha sent a messenger_, &c. Which he did partly to try and exercise Naaman's faith and obedience; partly for the honour of his religion and ministry, that it might appear he sought not his own glory and prof... [ Continue Reading ]
_Naaman was wroth_ Supposing himself to be despised and insulted by the prophet. _And said, Behold I thought_, &c. Herein he gives us an example of the perverseness of mankind, who are prone to prefer their own fancies to God's appointments. Big with the expectations of a cure, he had been imagining... [ Continue Reading ]
_Are not Abana and Pharpar better than all the waters of Israel_ How magnificently doth he speak of these two rivers, which watered Damascus, and how scornfully of all the waters of Israel! _May I not wash in them and be clean?_ Is there not as great virtue in them to this purpose? But he should hav... [ Continue Reading ]
_His servants came near_ Though at other times they kept their distance, and now saw him in a passion, yet knowing him to be a man that would hear reason at any time, and from any one, they drew near, and made bold to argue the matter with him. Happy they who have such servants as these, who both ha... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then went he down and dipped himself_, &c. Upon second thoughts he yielded to make the experiment, yet probably with no great faith or resolution. However, God was pleased to honour himself and the word of his prophet, and to effect the cure, notwithstanding his evil reasoning and unbelief. _His fl... [ Continue Reading ]
_He returned to the man of God_ To give him thanks and a recompense for the great benefit which he had received. _I know there is no God in all the earth but in Israel_ By this wonderful work I am fully convinced that the God of Israel is the only true God, and that other gods are impotent idols. A... [ Continue Reading ]
_He said, As the Lord liveth, I will receive none_ Not that he thought it unlawful to receive presents, which he did receive from others; but because of the special circumstances of the case, it being much for the honour of God that the Syrians should see the generous piety and kindness of his minis... [ Continue Reading ]
_Two mules' burden of earth_ Wherewith I may make an altar of earth, as was usual, Exodus 20:24. He desires the earth of this land, because he thought it more holy and acceptable to God, and proper for his service; or because he would, by this token, profess and declare his conjunction with the Isra... [ Continue Reading ]
_When my master goeth into the house of Rimmon_ Or rather, _went_, or _hath gone_, namely, formerly; for the Hebrew text of the whole verse may be properly rendered in the past time, thus: _In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, that when my master went into the house of Rimmon to worship there,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Gehazi, the servant of Elisha_ One would have expected that Elisha's servant should have been a saint; but we find him far otherwise. The best men, the best ministers, have often had those about them that were their grief and shame. _My master hath spared this Syrian_ A stranger, and one of that na... [ Continue Reading ]
_He lighted down from his chariot to meet him_ Thereby testifying his great respect to the prophet his master, _He said My master hath sent me_, &c. This story of Gehazi was a very unlikely one: Naaman, however, was not willing to question it, but glad of the opportunity of showing his gratitude to... [ Continue Reading ]
_When he came to the tower_ A safe and private place, which he chose for the purpose, and where possibly he hid and kept other things, which he had got by such like frauds and artifices. _And let the men go_ Before they came within sight of his master.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Went not my heart with thee?_ &c. Was not I present with thee in mind, _when the man_, &c. _Is it a time to receive money?_ &c. Was this a fit season for this action? I had but just refused his gifts, and that obstinately, for important reasons; and now thou hast given him cause to think that this... [ Continue Reading ]
_The leprosy of Naaman shall cleave unto thee and thy seed for ever_ That is, for some generations, as the expression is often used, and as may be thought by comparing this with Exodus 20:5; Exodus 34:7. This was a sentence which Gehazi justly deserved, for his crime was aggravated by a greedy covet... [ Continue Reading ]