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2 Kings Chapter
Five
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 5
This
chapter gives an account of the leprosy of Naaman the Syrian
and of the cure
of it by Elisha; how he came to hear of him
and the recommendation he had from
the king of Syria to the king of Israel
2 Kings 5:1
who
coming to Elisha's house
was ordered to dip himself seven times in Jordan
which made him depart in wrath; but one of his servants persuaded him to do it
and he did
and was cured
2 Kings 5:9
upon
which he returned to Elisha
and offered him a present
which he refused
2 Kings 5:15 but
Gehazi
his servant
ran after him with a lie in his mouth
and obtained it
and returned to his master with another
for which he was smitten with the
leprosy of Naaman
2 Kings 5:20.
2 Kings 5:1 Now
Naaman
commander of the army of the king of Syria
was a great and honorable
man in the eyes of his master
because by him the Lord had given
victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor
but a leper.
YLT
1And Naaman
head of the
host of the king of Aram
was a great man before his lord
and accepted of
face
for by him had Jehovah given salvation to Aram
and the man was mighty in
valour -- leprous.
Now Naaman
captain of the host of the king of Syria
.... The
general of Benhadad's army; for he was now king of Syria
though some think
Hazael his successor was:
was a great man with his master; high in his favour and
esteem:
and honourable; not only acceptable to the king
and loaded
with honours by him
but greatly respected by all ranks and degrees among the
people:
because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria; out of the
hands of their enemies
and victory over them
and particularly in the last
battle with Israel
in which Ahab was slain
and
as the Jews suppose
by the
hands of Naaman; see Gill on 1 Kings 22:34
however
when any salvation was wrought
or victory obtained
even by Heathens
and by them over Israel
the people of God
it was of the Lord:
he was also a mighty man in valour; a very courageous
valiant man:
but he was a leper; was stricken with the leprosy
which had
deformed and disgraced his person
and weakened his strength
and dispirited
him; all his grandeur and honour could not protect him from this loathsome
disease.
2 Kings 5:2 2 And the Syrians had gone
out on raids
and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of
Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife.
YLT
2And the Aramaeans have gone
out [by] troops
and they take captive out of the land of Israel a little
damsel
and she is before the wife of Naaman
And the Syrians had gone out by companies
.... Not
regular troops
but a sort of banditti of robbers
which made excursions into
the land of Israel
to plunder and carry off what booty they could:
and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little
maid; for boys and girls were a part of the booty of such robbers
whom they could sell for money
see Joel 3:1. Jarchi
and Kimchi say she was a girl of Naaron
a city so called:
and she waited on Naaman's wife; being either made a
present of to the general by those plunderers
or was bought by him of them for
his wife's service.
2 Kings 5:3 3 Then she said to her
mistress
“If only my master were with the prophet who is in
Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.”
YLT
3and she saith unto her
mistress
`O that my lord [were] before the prophet who [is] in Samaria; then
he doth recover him from his leprosy.'
And she said unto her mistress
.... As she was waiting
upon her at a certain time
and perhaps her mistress was lamenting the case of
her husband as desperate and incurable:
would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria; meaning
Elisha
who
though sometimes in one place
and sometimes in another
yet often
at Samaria
and it seems was there when this girl was taken captive:
for he would recover him of his leprosy; the maid had
heard of the miracles wrought by Elisha
and doubted not that at the request of
her lord he would be willing
as she believed he was able
to cure him of this
disease.
2 Kings 5:4 4 And Naaman went in
and told his master
saying
“Thus and thus said the girl who is from
the land of Israel.”
YLT
4And [one] goeth in and
declareth to his lord
saying
`Thus and thus she hath spoken
the damsel who
[is] from the land of Israel.'
And one went in and told his lord
.... What the girl had
said to her mistress; one of the servants of the house that overheard it; or
rather
Naaman went and told his lord the king of Syria; for as this was said
to his wife
no doubt she told it to her husband
and not a servant; and the
following words require this sense
and is the sense of most Jewish
commentators:
saying
thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel; who for her
wit and beauty might be well known at court by the name of the Israelitish
girl.
2 Kings 5:5 5 Then the king of Syria
said
“Go now
and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he departed
and took with him ten talents of silver
six thousand shekels of gold
and ten changes of clothing.
YLT
5And the king of Aram saith
`Go thou
enter
and I send a letter unto the king of Israel;' and he goeth and
taketh in his hand ten talents of silver
and six thousand [pieces] of gold
and ten changes of garments.
And the king of Syria said
go to
go
.... On what
Naaman related to him from what the maid had said
he urged him by all means to
go directly to Samaria:
and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel; recommending
him to use his interest in his behalf; this was Jehoram the son of Ahab:
and he departed; set out on his journey immediately
as soon
as he could conveniently:
and took with him ten talents of silver
and six thousand pieces
of gold; partly for the expenses of his journey
and partly to make
presents to the king of Israel's servants
and especially to the prophet; a
talent of silver
according to BrerewoodF4De Ponder. & Pret.
Vet. Num. c. 4.
was three hundred and seventy five pounds of our money; but
according to Bishop Cumberland'sF5Scripture Weights and Measures
c.
4. p. 120. exact calculation
it was three hundred and fifty and three pounds
eleven shillings and ten and an half pence the pieces of gold are
by the
Targum
called golden pence
and a golden penny
according to the first of the
above writersF6Ut supra
(De Ponder. & Pret. Vet. Num.) c. 3.
was of the value of our money fifteen shillings; so that these amounted to 4500
pounds sterling:
and ten changes of raiment; both for his own use
and presents.
2 Kings 5:6 6 Then he brought the letter
to the king of Israel
which said
Now be advised
when this letter comes to
you
that I have sent Naaman my servant to you
that you may heal him of his
leprosy.
YLT
6And he bringeth in the
letter unto the king of Israel
saying
`And now
at the coming in of this
letter unto thee
lo
I have sent unto thee Naaman my servant
and thou hast
recovered him from his leprosy.'
And he brought the letter to the king of Israel
saying
.... The
contents of which were
so far as it concerned Naaman and his case
which are only
observed
these:
now when this letter is come unto thee; was received
by him:
behold
I have therewith sent Naaman my servant unto thee; the bearer of
it:
that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy; meaning not
he himself
but that he would recommend him to the care of a proper person
his
prophet
and enjoin him to do the best he could for him; but the king of Israel
mistook his meaning
as appears by what follows.
2 Kings 5:7 7 And it happened
when the
king of Israel read the letter
that he tore his clothes and said
“Am I
God
to kill and make alive
that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his
leprosy? Therefore please consider
and see how he seeks a quarrel with me.”
YLT
7And it cometh to pass
at
the king of Israel's reading the letter
that he rendeth his garments
and
saith
`Am I God
to put to death and to keep alive
that this [one] is sending
unto me to recover a man from his leprosy? for surely know
I pray you
and
see
for he is presenting himself to me.'
And it came to pass
when the king of Israel had read the letter
that he rent his clothes
.... As one in great distress
being thrown into perplexity of
mind by it
not knowing what to do; or
as some think
at the blasphemy he
supposed to be in it
requiring that of him which only God could do:
and said
am I God
to kill and to make alive; or have the
power of life and death
which only belongs to the Supreme Being:
that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy; for a leper
was reckoned as one dead
his disease incurable
his flesh upon him being
mortified by it
see Numbers 12:12 and
therefore not supposed to be in the power of man
only of God
to cure; and
therefore
in Israel
none had anything to do with the leper but the priest
in
the name of God:
wherefore consider
I pray you
and see how he seeketh a quarrel
against me; to pick a quarrel with him
in order to go to war with him as he
supposed. This seems to have been spoken to his lords and courtiers about him.
2 Kings 5:8 8 So it was
when Elisha the
man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes
that he sent to
the king
saying
“Why have you torn your clothes? Please let him come to me
and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
YLT
8And it cometh to pass
at
Elisha the man of God's hearing that the king of Israel hath rent his garments
that he sendeth unto the king
saying
`Why hast thou rent thy garments? let him
come
I pray thee
unto me
and he doth know that there is a prophet in
Israel.'
And it was so
when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king
of Israel had rent his clothes
.... And upon what account:
that he sent to the king
saying
wherefore hast thou rent thy
clothes? and thereby expressed so much concern and distress:
let him come now to me: meaning Naaman the
Syrian leper:
and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel; able in the
name of the Lord to work miracles
which he should be sensible of and
acknowledge
to the glory of the God of Israel
by the cure that should be
wrought upon him; and hereby he taxed the king of Israel with ignorance or
neglect of him as a prophet.
2 Kings 5:9 9 Then Naaman went with his
horses and chariot
and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house.
YLT
9And Naaman cometh
with his
horses and with his chariot
and standeth at the opening of the house for
Elisha;
So Naaman came with his horses
and with his chariot
.... In his
chariot drawn by horses; or "with horsemen and chariots"
a great
retinue
both for his own grandeur
and for the honour of the prophet
and to
make him the more respectable by him:
and stood at the door of the house of Elisha; who now dwelt
at Gilgal
as is probable
see 2 Kings 4:38
hither Naaman was directed
and here he stopped; and having sent a messenger to
Elisha to acquaint him who he was
and what was his business
he stayed waiting
for an answer.
2 Kings 5:10 10 And Elisha sent a
messenger to him
saying
“Go and wash in the Jordan seven times
and your
flesh shall be restored to you
and you shall be clean.”
YLT
10and Elisha sendeth unto him
a messenger
saying
`Go
and thou hast washed seven times in Jordan
and thy
flesh doth turn back to thee -- and be thou clean.
And Elisha sent a messenger unto him
.... Or
returned an answer by Naaman's messenger; he did not go out to him
choosing to
be retired
as he commonly did; and being perhaps employed in prayer for the
cure; and it may be also to show his contempt of or little regard he had to
worldly grandeur and honour
as well as to mortify the pride of Naaman:
saying
go and wash in Jordan seven times; so
according
to the law of the cleansing the leper
he was to be sprinkled seven times
and
on the seventh day his flesh was to be bathed or dipped all over in water
which is meant by washing here
Leviticus 14:7.
and thy flesh shall come again to thee; which was
eaten and consumed by the disease on him:
and thou shalt be clean; freed from this
pollution
or filthy disease
with which he was defiled; for a leper was
reckoned unclean
Leviticus 13:3.
2 Kings 5:11 11 But Naaman became furious
and went away and said
“Indeed
I said to myself
‘He will surely come out to
me
and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God
and
wave his hand over the place
and heal the leprosy.’
YLT
11And Naaman is wroth
and
goeth on
and saith
`Lo
I said
Unto me he doth certainly come out
and hath
stood and called in the name of Jehovah his God
and waved his hand over the
place
and recovered the leper.
But Naaman was wroth with him
.... On more accounts
than one:
and went away; not to Jordan
but from the prophet's
house
with an intention to return to his own country:
behold
I thought
he will surely come out to me this he said
within himself
making no doubt of it but that he would show him so much
respect and civility as to come out of his house to him
and converse with him
or invite him into it and not doing this was one thing made him wroth: and
stand; he supposed that he would not only come out
but stand before him
as
inferiors before their superiors in reverence
but instead of that he remained
sitting within doors:
and call on the name of the Lord his God: he expected
that as he was a prophet of the Lord
that he would have prayed to him for the
cure of him:
and strike his hand over the place; wave his hand to and
fro
as the word signifies
over the place of the leprosy
as the Targum
over
the place affected with it; or towards the place where he worshipped the Lord
as Ben Gersom
toward the temple at Jerusalem; or towards Jordan
the place
where he bid him go and wash
as Abarbinel; but the first sense seems best:
"and recover the leper"; meaning himself
heal him by the use of such
means and rites.
2 Kings 5:12 12 Are
not the Abanah[a] and the
Pharpar
the rivers of Damascus
better than all the waters of Israel? Could I
not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.
YLT
12Are not Abana and Pharpar
rivers of Damascus
better than all the waters of Israel? do I not wash in them
and I have been clean?' and he turneth and goeth on in fury.
Are not Abana and Pharpar
rivers of Damascus
better than all the
waters of Israel?.... Abana is
in the marginal reading
called Amana
and so the
Targum; perhaps from the Mount Amana
from whence it sprung
a mountain in
SyriaF7Tacit. Annal. l. 2. c. 83.
mentioned with Lebanon
Song of Solomon 4:8.
This river is thought to be the Chrysorrhoas of PlinyF8Nat. Hist. l.
5. c. 18.
and other writers; there are no traces of its name
or of the
following
to be met with now; the only river by Damascus is called Barrady
which supplies Damascus and its gardens
and makes them so fruitful and
pleasant as they be; it pours down from the mountains
as Mr. MaundrellF9Journey
from Aleppo
p. 122
123. describes it
and is divided into three streams
of
which the middlemost and biggest runs directly to Damascus
through a large
field
called the field of Damascus; and the other two are drawn round
the one
to the right hand
and the other to the left
on the borders of the gardens.
Pharpar is thoughtF11Cartwright's Preacher's Travels
p. 7
8.
Hiller. Onomast. Sacr. p. 908. to be the river Orontes
which runs close to the
walls of Antioch
and courses through its large and spacious plain
being
numbered among the rivers of Syria; it takes its rise from Lebanon
and
sliding through the said plain
falls into the Syrian sea. Benjamin of TudelaF12Itinerar.
p. 55. speaks of these rivers under their Scripture names; Abana or Amana as he
says
passes through the city and supplies the houses of great men with water
through wooden pipes; and Pharpar is without the city and runs among the
gardens and orchards
and waters them. Farfar is also the name of a river in
ItalyF13Servius in Virgil. Aeneid. l. 7. p. 1243. :
may I not wash in them
and be clean? as well as in
Jordan; or rather
since they are better waters
and so not have been at this
trouble and expense to come hither; or have I not washed in them every day? I
have
and am I clean? I am not; which is the sense the several Jewish writers
giveF14Ben Gersom in loc. & R. Joseph Kimchi
& R. Jonah in
Ben Melech in. loc. :
so he turned
and went away in a rage; in a great
passion
swearing and cursing perhaps
ordering his chariot driver to turn and
be gone at once.
2 Kings 5:13 13 And his servants came near
and spoke to him
and said
“My father
if the prophet had told you to
do something great
would you not have done it? How much more then
when he says to you
‘Wash
and be clean’?”
YLT
13And his servants come nigh
and speak unto him
and say
`My father
a great thing had the prophet spoken
unto thee -- dost thou not do [it]? and surely
when he hath said unto thee
Wash
and be clean.'
And his servant came near
and spake unto him
and said
my father
.... Or my
lord
as the Targum; this being not a familiar and affectionate expression
but
a term of honour
reverence
and submission:
if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing
wouldest thou not
have done it? something that was hard and difficult to done
or painful to
bear
to go through some severe operation
or disagreeable course of physic:
how much rather then when he saith to thee
wash
and be clean? which is so
easy to be done; though Abarbinel observes it may be interpreted
the prophet
has bid thee do a great thing
and which is wonderful; for though he has said
wash and be clean
consider it a great thing
and which is a wonderful mystery
and therefore do not despise his cure.
2 Kings 5:14 14 So he went down and dipped
seven times in the Jordan
according to the saying of the man of God; and his
flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child
and he was clean.
YLT
14And he goeth down and
dippeth in Jordan seven times
according to the word of the man of God
and his
flesh doth turn back as the flesh of a little youth
and is clean.
Then went he down
and dipped himself seven times in Jordan
according to the saying of the man of God
.... He listened to the
reasoning of his servant
and his passion subsided
and did as the prophet
ordered him:
and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child; clear and
fresh
soft and tender as an infant
quite new flesh:
and he was clean; from the leprosy
and all the filthy
symptoms of it.
2 Kings 5:15 15 And he returned to the man
of God
he and all his aides
and came and stood before him; and he said
“Indeed
now I know that there is no God in all the earth
except in
Israel; now therefore
please take a gift from your servant.”
YLT
15And he turneth back unto
the man of God
he and all his camp
and cometh in
and standeth before him
and saith
`Lo
I pray thee
I have known that there is not a God in all the
earth except in Israel; and now
take
I pray thee
a blessing from thy
servant.'
And he returned to the man of God
he and all his company
.... To give
him thanks for the advice he had given him
and by him to give thanks to God
for the cure he had received; for he was sensible it was from the Lord
his
words show:
and came and stood before him; for being admitted into
the prophet's house
instead of the prophet standing before him
as he before
expected
he now stood before the prophet in veneration of him
and sensible of
his obligation to him:
behold
now I know there is no God in all the earth
but in Israel; though he did
not before
but his cure fully convinced him of it:
I pray thee
take a blessing of thy servant; not a wish of
health and happiness
which the prophet would not have refused
but a present;
the Targum calls it an offering.
2 Kings 5:16 16 But he said
“As
the Lord
lives
before whom I stand
I will receive nothing.” And he urged him to take it
but he refused.
YLT
16And he saith
`Jehovah
liveth
before whom I have stood -- if I take [it];' and he presseth on him to
take
and he refuseth.
But he said
as the Lord liveth
before whom I stand
.... Whose
minister and prophet he was
and by whom he swears:
I will receive none: to let him know that
this cure was not to be attributed to him
but the Lord only; and that what
concern he had in it was not for the sake of money
but for the glory of the
God of Israel:
and he urged him to take it
but he refused it; Naaman was
very pressing upon him to receive a gift from him
but he could not be
prevailed upon to accept it.
2 Kings 5:17 17 So Naaman said
“Then
if
not
please let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth; for your servant
will no longer offer either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods
but to
the Lord.
YLT
17And Naaman saith
`If not
-- let be given
I pray thee
to thy servant
a couple of mules' burden of
earth
for thy servant doth make no more burnt-offering and sacrifice to other
gods
but to Jehovah.
And Naaman said
shall there not then
I pray thee
be given to
thy servant two mules' burden of earth..... Not that he desired
of Elisha that he would suffer his servant Gehazi to receive a present as much
as two mules could carry; but inasmuch as the prophet refused a present from
him
his servant
he asks a favour of him
that he would permit him to take
with him
out of the land of Israel
as much earth two mules could carry
that
is
to make an altar of earth
as the next words indicate: but as he might have
this any where without the prophet's leave
some Jewish writersF15Ben
Gersom & Abarbinel in loc. think he requested it from his own house
and
from the place his feet trod on
as conceiving in a superstitious way that
there was a sort of holiness in it; or however
that wheresoever he had it
if
with the prophet's leave
a blessing would go with it
or that would be a sort
of a consecration of it; and having an altar made of the earth of this land
would show that he was in the faith of the same God
and performed the same
worship to him Israel did:
for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor
sacrifice unto other gods
but unto the Lord: hence the Jews say
he
became a proselyte of righteousnessF16Shalshalet Hakabala
fol. 11.
2.
embraced the true religion
and the worship of the true God
according to
the laws given to Israel; and the following words
rightly understood
confirm
the same.
2 Kings 5:18 18 Yet in this thing may the Lord pardon your
servant: when my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there
and he
leans on my hand
and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon—when I bow down in the
temple of Rimmon
may the Lord please pardon your
servant in this thing.”
YLT
18For this thing Jehovah be
propitious to thy servant
in the coming in of my lord into the house of Rimmon
to bow himself there
and he was supported by my hand
and I bowed myself [in]
the house of Rimmon; for my bowing myself in the house of Rimmon Jehovah be
propitious
I pray thee
to thy servant in this thing.'
In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant
.... Which he
next mentions
and on account of which he desires the prayers of Elisha for
him
as the Vulgate Latin version; or it may be
this is a prayer of his own
put up at this time to the true Jehovah
in whom he believed:
that when my master: meaning the king of
Syria:
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; the house of
Rimmon was a temple of an idol of that name; what idol it was is not easy to
say; the Septuagint version calls it Remman
thought by some to be the same
with Remphan
Acts 7:43
a name
of Saturn
said to be given him from a Greek word
which signifies to
"wander"F17A ρεμβεσθαι
"vagari"
Hesychius.
he being placed among the wandering stars in
the supreme heavens; which is not likely
for the word is certainly of a Syriac
signification
and comes either from רום
which
signifies "high"
and so the same with Elioun
the Phoenician deity
called the most highF18Vid. Selden. de Dis Syris Syntagm. 2. c. 10.
; or
as "Rimmon" is used for a pomegranate
this is thought to
design the Syrian goddess
to whom this sort of fruit was sacred; or Juno
whose statue
in her temple at MycenasF19Pausan. Corinthiac. sive
l. 2. p. 114.
had a pomegranate in one hand; or rather this Rimmon was
Jupiter Cassius
so called from Mount Cassius
which divided Syria from Egypt
who is painted with his hand stretched out
and a pomegranate in itF20Achilles
Tatius
l. 3. Vid. Reland. Palestin. Illustrat. tom. 2. p. 934. ; and may be
the same with Caphtor
the father of the Caphtorim
Genesis 10:14 who might
be deified after his death
their names
Rimmon and Caphtor
being of the same
significationF21See Clayton's Origin of Hieroglyphics
p. 113. . But
be this deity as it may
it was worshipped by the Syrians; and when the king of
Syria went in to worship
he used to lean upon the hand of one of his officers
either being lame
or for state sake
in which office Naaman was; and his
request to the prophet
or to the Lord
is
not for pardon for a sin to be
committed; nor to be indulged in his continuance of it; not to worship the idol
along with his master; nor to dissemble the worship of it
when he really
worshipped it not; nor to be excused any evil in the discharge of his post and
office; but for the pardon of the sin of idolatry he had been guilty of
of
which he was truly sensible
now sincerely acknowledges
and desires
forgiveness of; and so Dr. LightfootF23Works
vol. 1. p. 86.
and
some othersF24Vid. Quenstedt. Dissert. de. Petit. Naaman. sect. 21
22.
interpret it; and to this sense the words may be rendered:
when my master went in to the house of Rimmon to worship there; which was his
usual custom; and he leaned on my hand
which was the common form in which he
was introduced into it:
and I worshipped in the house of Rimmon
as his master
did
for the same word is used here as before:
in as much
or seeing I have worshipped in the house of Rimmon
have been
guilty of such gross idolatry:
the Lord
I pray
forgive thy servant in this thing; the language
of a true penitent.
2 Kings 5:19 19 Then he said to him
“Go
in peace.” So he departed from him a short distance.
YLT
19And he saith to him
`Go in
peace.' And he goeth from him a kibrath of land
And he said unto him
.... That is
the prophet
said to Naaman:
go in peace: in peace of mind; be assured that God has pardoned this and all
other transgressions:
so he departed from him a little way; about a mile
as the Targum
and so other Jewish writers; of this phrase; see Gill on Genesis 35:16
some
say a land's length
that is
about one hundred and twenty feet; rather it was
a thousand cubits
or half a mile.
2 Kings 5:20 20 But Gehazi
the servant of
Elisha the man of God
said
“Look
my master has spared Naaman this Syrian
while not receiving from his hands what he brought; but as the Lord lives
I will
run after him and take something from him.”
YLT
20And Gehazi
servant of
Elisha the man of God
saith
`Lo
my lord hath spared Naaman this Aramaean
not to receive from his hand that which he brought; Jehovah liveth; surely if I
have run after him
then I have taken from him something.'
But Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God said
.... Within
himself
observing what had passed:
behold
my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian
in not receiving
at his hands that which he brought: he speaks contemptibly
of Naaman
as an alien from the commonwealth of Israel
and reproaches his
master for letting him go free
without paying for his cure; when he thought he
should have taken what he brought and offered
and given it to needy
Israelites
and especially to the sons of the prophets
that wanted it; and
perhaps it mostly disturbed him
that he had no share of it himself:
but
as the Lord liveth
I will run after him
and take somewhat
of him; the word for "somewhat"
wanting a letter usually in
it
is what is sometimes used for a blot; and Jarchi observes
that Gehazi
taking something from Naaman
was a blot unto him
and indeed such an one that
he could not wipe off.
2 Kings 5:21 21 So Gehazi pursued Naaman.
When Naaman saw him running after him
he got down from the chariot to
meet him
and said
“Is all well?”
YLT
21And Gehazi pursueth after
Naaman
and Naaman seeth one running after him
and alighteth from off the
chariot to meet him
and saith
`Is there peace?'
So Gehazi followed after Naaman
.... As fast as he could:
and when Naaman saw him running after him; which he
might observe
looking back
or be informed of by some of his servants:
he lighted down from the chariot to meet him; in honour to
the prophet
whose servant he was:
and said
is all well? fearing something ill
had befallen Elisha; or he himself had done something wrong
which occasioned
the servant to run after him.
2 Kings 5:22 22 And he said
“All is
well. My master has sent me
saying
‘Indeed
just now two young men of the
sons of the prophets have come to me from the mountains of Ephraim. Please give
them a talent of silver and two changes of garments.’”
YLT
22And he saith
`Peace; my
lord hath sent me
saying
Lo
now
this
come unto me have two young men from
the hill-country of Ephraim
of the sons of the prophets; give
I pray thee
to
them
a talent of silver
and two changes of garments.'
And he said
all is well
.... He need give himself
no uneasiness at the coming and sight of him:
my master hath sent me
saying
behold
even now there be come to
me; just then
since he departed from him:
from Mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: where perhaps
was a school of them:
give them
I pray thee
a talent of silver
and two changes of
garments: which
as it was a downright lie
so highly improbable that
Elisha should ask so large a sum of money
with two changes of raiment
for two
young scholars
see 2 Kings 5:5 and
which Naaman
with a little reflection
might have seen through; but his heart
was so filled with gratitude for the benefit received
that he was glad of an
opportunity
at any rate
of showing respect to the prophet.
2 Kings 5:23 23 So Naaman said
“Please
take two talents.” And he urged him
and bound two talents of silver in two
bags
with two changes of garments
and handed them to two of his
servants; and they carried them on ahead of him.
YLT
23And Naaman saith
`Be
pleased
take two talents;' and he urgeth on him
and bindeth two talents of
silver in two purses
and two changes of garments
and giveth unto two of his
young men
and they bear before him;
And Naaman said
be content
.... Or be pleased; do
not object to it:
take two talents: a talent for each young man
which amounted
to between three hundred and four hundred pounds apiece:
and he urged; pressed him hard
insisted upon his taking
them
who might pretend a great deal of modesty
and a strict regard to his
master's orders:
and bound two talents of silver in two bags
with two changes of
garments; for each young man:
and laid them upon two of his servants
the servants
of Naaman
not choosing to burden Elisha's servant with them; for such a
quantity of money and clothes was pretty heavy:
and they bare them before him; both for his
ease
and for his honour.
2 Kings 5:24 24 When he came to the
citadel
he took them from their hand
and stored them away in
the house; then he let the men go
and they departed.
YLT
24and he cometh in unto the
high place
and taketh out of their hand
and layeth up in the house
and
sendeth away the men
and they go.
And when he came to the tower
.... Of Samaria
or which
was near it; a fortified place
and where was a watch
to whom he could safely
commit the money and clothes:
he took them from their hand; not willing they should
go any further with him
lest the affair should be discovered to his master:
and bestowed them in the house; deposited
them there in the hands of some person whom he could trust; or laid them out
or ordered them to be laid out
in the purchase of houses
lands
vineyards
&c. see 2 Kings 5:26.
and he let the men go
and they departed; to their
master.
2 Kings 5:25 25 Now he went in and stood
before his master. Elisha said to him
“Where did you go
Gehazi?” And
he said
“Your servant did not go anywhere.”
YLT
25And he hath come in
and
doth stand by his lord
and Elisha saith unto him
`Whence -- Gehazi?' and he
saith
`Thy servant went not hither or thither.'
But he went in
and stood before his master
.... To know
his will
and minister to him
as he had used to do
and as if he had never
been from the house:
and Elisha said unto him
whence comest thou
Gehazi? where had he
been
and where was he last?
and he said
thy servant went no whither; he pretended
he had never been out of doors
which was another impudent lie; one would have
thought that he who had lived so long with the prophet
and had seen the
miracles wrought by him
and knew with what a spirit of prophecy he was
endowed
would never have ventured to tell such an untruth
since he might
expect to be detected; but covetousness had blinded his eyes and hardened his
heart.
2 Kings 5:26 26 Then he said to him
“Did
not my heart go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to
meet you? Is it time to receive money and to receive clothing
olive
groves and vineyards
sheep and oxen
male and female servants?
YLT
26And he saith unto him
`My
heart went not when the man turned from off his chariot to meet thee; is it a
time to take silver
and to take garments
and olives
and vines
and flock
and herd
and men-servants
and maid-servants?
And he said unto him
went not mine heart with thee?.... Did my
heart or knowledge go from me
that what thou hast done should be hid from me?
so Ben Gersom and others; or my heart did not go with thee
it was contrary to
my mind and will what thou didst; so Abendana; or rather
as the Targum
by a
spirit of prophecy it was shown unto me
&c. I knew full well what thou
wentest for
and hast done; and so MaimonidesF25Moreh Nevochim
par.
1. c. 39. ; was not I employed in my thoughts? or
did I not think that so it
was as thou hast done? I did:
when the man turned again from chariot to meet thee? meaning
Naaman the Syrian:
is it a time to receive money
and to receive garments: as Gehazi had
now done:
and oliveyards
and vineyards
and sheep and oxen
and
menservants
and maidservants? that is
to purchase those with the two
talents of silver he had received
as he thought in his heart
or intended to
do
as the Targum; or had given orders to purchase such for him to the persons
to whom he had committed the care of them in the tower; this was not a proper
time
when the honour of the prophet
and the credit of religion
and the good
of this man
as a new proselyte
were in danger thereby.
2 Kings 5:27 27 Therefore the leprosy of
Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever.” And he went out from
his presence leprous
as white as snow.
YLT
27yea
the leprosy of Naaman
doth cleave to thee
and to thy seed
-- to the age;' and he goeth out from
before him -- leprous as snow.
The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee
and unto
thy seed for ever
.... As long as any of his race remained; as through his
covetousness he had his money
so for his punishment he should have his
disease:
and he went out from his presence; as one ashamed and
confounded
and discharged from his master's service:
a leper as white as snow; a leprosy of which
colour is the worst
and is incurable.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)