2 Kings 5:4

Translation
King James Version
And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.
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KJV (with Strong's)
And one went in H935, and told H5046 his lord H113, saying H559, Thus and thus said H1696 the maid H5291 that is of the land H776 of Israel H3478.
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Complete Jewish Bible
Na'aman went in and told his lord, "The girl from the land of Isra'el said such-and-such."
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Berean Standard Bible
And Naaman went and told his master what the girl from the land of Israel had said.
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American Standard Version
And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maiden that is of the land of Israel.
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World English Bible Messianic
Someone went in, and told his lord, saying, “The maiden who is from Eretz-Israel said this.”
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Geneva Bible (1599)
And he went in, and tolde his lorde, saying, Thus and thus saith the mayde that is of the land of Israel.
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Young's Literal Translation
And one goeth in and declareth to his lord, saying, `Thus and thus she hath spoken, the damsel who is from the land of Israel.'
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See also
1 Corinthians 1:261 Corinthians 1:27Mark 16:9Mark 16:10John 4:28John 4:29Mark 5:19
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Miracles of Elisha (Part 1)
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In the KJVVerse 9,652 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

2 Kings 5:4 marks a pivotal moment in the narrative of Naaman, the esteemed Aramean commander, as his unnamed servant relays the hopeful, faith-filled message from the young Israelite captive girl to her master. This seemingly minor interaction serves as the critical catalyst, transforming a desperate situation into an extraordinary journey of healing and revelation, underscoring how God's sovereign plan often unfolds through the most humble and unexpected instruments.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse is deeply embedded within the opening narrative of 2 Kings chapter 5. The preceding verses, 2 Kings 5:1-3, introduce Naaman as a man of great stature and military success in Aram, yet afflicted with leprosy, a debilitating and socially isolating disease. Into this grim reality steps a young Israelite girl, captured during a raid, who, out of compassion and unwavering faith, suggests that Naaman seek healing from "the prophet that is in Samaria." 2 Kings 5:4 then describes the crucial act of relaying this message to Naaman, setting in motion the entire sequence of events that will culminate in his miraculous cure and profound confession of faith. It acts as the indispensable bridge between the maid's hopeful declaration and Naaman's subsequent journey to Israel.

  • Historical & Cultural Context: The setting is the ninth century BCE, a period characterized by frequent conflict and complex interactions between the kingdom of Aram (Syria) and the northern kingdom of Israel. Naaman is depicted as a high-ranking general of Aram, a formidable military power of the time. Leprosy (Hebrew: tzara'at) in ancient Israelite culture was not merely a physical ailment but carried profound social and ritualistic implications, often leading to severe isolation and uncleanness, as detailed in Leviticus 13. The Israelite girl's status as a captive slave in a foreign land highlights her extreme vulnerability and low social standing within Aramean society. Yet, despite her dire circumstances, her words are heard and acted upon, a testament to the unusual nature of this divine intervention. The fact that Naaman, a powerful Gentile, would even consider a suggestion from a slave girl from a conquered nation speaks not only to his desperation but ultimately points to God's orchestrating hand, transcending conventional social hierarchies.

  • Key Themes: 2 Kings 5:4 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes evident in the book of 2 Kings and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it exemplifies God's use of unconventional and humble instruments to accomplish His divine purposes. The captive maid, seemingly insignificant, becomes the primary catalyst for a national leader's encounter with the true God, echoing themes found in 1 Corinthians 1:27-29. Secondly, it underscores the power of a simple, faithful testimony. The maid's words, born of genuine faith in God's prophet, carried immense weight and hope, demonstrating that God can use anyone, anywhere, to spread His truth. Thirdly, the narrative highlights God's sovereign grace extending beyond Israel's borders, foreshadowing the inclusion of Gentiles into God's redemptive plan, a theme explicitly referenced by Jesus in Luke 4:27. This verse initiates the journey from despair to hope, revealing God's compassion for all humanity.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • went in (Hebrew, bôwʼ', H935): This verb (H935) signifies a movement of entering or coming. In this context, it describes the action of the unnamed individual who approached Naaman. The root meaning, "to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)," emphasizes the deliberate and purposeful nature of this entry, indicating that the messenger gained access to Naaman's presence with the intent of conveying an important message. This act initiates the critical communication chain.
  • told (Hebrew, nâgad', H5046): The verb (H5046) means "to front, i.e. stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causatively), to manifest; figuratively, to announce." This term suggests a formal and direct declaration, not a casual remark. The messenger "told" Naaman, implying a clear, unhesitating presentation of the maid's words, underscoring the seriousness with which the maid's suggestion was received and conveyed to the highest authority.
  • maid (Hebrew, naʻărâh', H5291): This noun (H5291) refers to a "girl (from infancy to adolescence); damsel, maid(-en), young (woman)." The use of this specific term highlights the youth and gender of the Israelite captive. Her identity as a "maid" or "young woman" emphasizes her vulnerability and low social status as a slave, making her message's impact all the more remarkable. It underscores the divine irony that such a significant revelation would come through one so seemingly insignificant.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And one went in": This opening clause immediately shifts the scene from the maid's compassionate suggestion to the decisive action of relaying it. The unnamed individual, whether Naaman's wife or a trusted servant, takes the maid's words seriously enough to gain access to the powerful general. This act demonstrates the maid's credibility and the urgency of Naaman's condition, prompting immediate attention to even an unconventional remedy.
  • "and told his lord, saying": This phrase confirms that the message was delivered directly to Naaman, identified here as "his lord" (H113, ʼâdôwn), emphasizing his authority and the messenger's subservience. The messenger acts as a faithful conduit, transmitting the maid's words without alteration. The act of "telling" (H5046, nâgad) implies a formal report, indicating that the maid's suggestion was not dismissed as idle chatter but presented as a legitimate piece of information worthy of Naaman's consideration.
  • "Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel": This is the core of the verse, highlighting both the precise content and the crucial source of the message. The idiomatic phrase "Thus and thus said" (H1696, dâbar and H559, ʼâmar) emphasizes the faithful and direct quotation of the maid's words, underscoring their importance and accuracy. The identification of the messenger as "the maid that is of the land of Israel" (H776, ʼerets and H3478, Yisrâʼêl) is paramount. It reminds the audience of her identity as a captive from the nation where God's prophet resides, imbuing her words with an unexpected authority and divine potential, despite her social standing.

Literary Devices

The narrative in 2 Kings 5:4 masterfully employs several powerful literary devices. Irony is profoundly prominent, as the mighty Aramean general, Naaman, is utterly dependent on the wisdom and compassion of a nameless, captive Israelite slave girl for his healing. Her low social status and vulnerability stand in stark contrast to his high military rank and power, yet her words hold the key to his deliverance. There is also a significant element of Understatement in the maid's simple declaration, "would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy." This seemingly modest statement initiates a chain of events of immense theological and historical significance, demonstrating God's ability to work through humble means. The entire narrative also functions as Foreshadowing, subtly hinting at God's universal concern and His plan to extend salvation beyond the boundaries of Israel, a theme that finds its ultimate fulfillment in the New Testament. Finally, the swift and direct relaying of the message ("Thus and thus said") contributes to the Pacing of the narrative, building immediate anticipation for Naaman's response and the unfolding miracle.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

2 Kings 5:4 serves as a profound theological statement on God's sovereignty and His unconventional methods of operation. It demonstrates that God is not limited by human hierarchies, social status, or national boundaries. He can use the most humble and overlooked individuals—a captive slave girl—to initiate His divine plan and bring about miraculous intervention. This verse underscores the power of a simple, faith-filled testimony, highlighting that God often chooses the weak and despised things of the world to confound the wise and mighty, thereby ensuring that all glory redounds to Him alone. It is a powerful reminder that every believer, regardless of their position, has the potential to be an instrument of God's grace and truth in the lives of others, even those in positions of power or influence.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

2 Kings 5:4 offers a powerful and enduring challenge for contemporary believers. It compels us to consider the profound impact of our words and actions, particularly in environments where we might feel insignificant or powerless. The Israelite maid, stripped of her freedom and living in a foreign land, did not allow her circumstances to diminish her faith or compassion. Her simple, yet profound, testimony became the catalyst for a miracle that touched a nation. This reminds us that God can use anyone, anywhere, to advance His kingdom. We are called to be faithful witnesses, sharing the hope we have in Christ with those around us, regardless of their status or our own perceived limitations. Our seemingly small acts of faith or words of truth can be the very spark God uses to ignite spiritual transformation in the lives of others, demonstrating His omnipotence and our vital role as His humble messengers.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what areas of my life do I underestimate the potential impact of my simple acts of faith or words of truth?
  • How does the maid's compassion for Naaman, despite her captivity, challenge my own willingness to extend grace and hope to others, especially those who might be considered "enemies" or "outsiders"?
  • Who in my sphere of influence might be desperate for a word of hope that I, as a believer, am uniquely positioned to offer?

FAQ

Who was "one" who went in and told Naaman, and why is their identity not specified?

Answer: The text uses an indefinite pronoun (Hebrew: vayyavo', "he went in" or "one went in"), which does not specify the individual. While some traditions suggest it was Naaman's wife or a trusted servant, the ambiguity serves a literary and theological purpose. It highlights that the message itself, rather than the messenger's identity, is paramount. The focus remains on the maid's powerful testimony and the fact that it was deemed significant enough to reach the highest authority. This underscores God's ability to work through any channel, emphasizing the divine orchestration of events rather than human agency. The important detail is that the message reached Naaman, setting the miracle in motion.

What is the significance of the maid being "of the land of Israel"?

Answer: Her origin is crucial because it connects her testimony directly to the God of Israel and His prophet, Elisha. As a captive from Israel, she carries with her the knowledge of the one true God and His power, which contrasts sharply with the pagan deities of Aram. Her status as an Israelite, though enslaved, authenticates her message as coming from the land where God's miraculous power is known to operate. This detail subtly introduces the theme of God's grace extending beyond Israel, as a foreign general is pointed to the God of Israel for healing, foreshadowing the inclusion of Gentiles into God's redemptive plan, a theme later echoed in the New Testament (e.g., Luke 4:27).

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

The narrative of Naaman's healing, initiated by the humble maid's testimony in 2 Kings 5:4, powerfully foreshadows the expansive nature of God's grace revealed in Jesus Christ. Just as Naaman, a Gentile, was directed to the prophet of Israel for physical cleansing, so too is salvation offered to all humanity, Jew and Gentile alike, through the ultimate Prophet, Priest, and King—Jesus Christ. Naaman's journey to Israel and his eventual dipping in the Jordan River for cleansing (2 Kings 5:14) can be seen as a type of baptism, pointing to the spiritual cleansing and new life found in Christ. Jesus Himself, the true Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, came not only for the lost sheep of Israel but also to gather those from "every tribe and language and people and nation" (Revelation 5:9). The maid's simple, faith-filled words are a testament to how God uses the seemingly insignificant to accomplish His grand purposes, a truth perfectly embodied in Christ's humble birth and sacrificial death, which brought about the greatest miracle of all—redemption for all who believe (Philippians 2:7-8). Naaman's subsequent confession of faith (2 Kings 5:15) echoes the call for all to confess Jesus as Lord and believe in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead to be saved (Romans 10:9-10).

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Commentary on 2 Kings 5 verses 1–8

Our saviour's miracles were intended for the lost sheep of the house of Israel, yet one, like a crumb, fell from the table to a woman of Canaan; so this one miracle Elisha wrought for Naaman, a Syrian; for God does good to all, and will have all men to be saved. Here is,

I. The great affliction Naaman was under, in the midst of all his honours, Kg2 5:1. He was a great man, in a great place; not only rich and raised, but particularly happy for two things: - 1. That he had been very serviceable to his country. God made him so: By him the Lord had often given deliverance to Syria, success in their wars even with Israel. The preservation and prosperity even of those that do not know God and serve him must be ascribed to him, for he is the Saviour of all men, but especially of those that believe. Let Israel know that when the Syrians prevailed it was from the Lord. 2. That he was very acceptable to his prince, was his favourite, and prime-minister of state; so great was he, so high, so honourable, and a mighty man of valour; but he was a leper, was under that loathsome disease, which made him a burden to himself. Note, (1.) No man's greatness, or honour, or interest, or valour, or victory, can set him out of the reach of the sorest calamities of human life; there is many a sickly crazy body under rich and gay clothing. (2.) Every man has some but or other in his character, something that blemishes and diminishes him, some allay to his grandeur, some damp to his joy; he may be very happy, very good, yet, in something or other, not so good as he should be nor so happy as he would be. Naaman was a great as the world could make him, and yet (as bishop Hall expresses it) the basest slave in Syria would not change skins with him.

II. The notice that was given him of Elisha's power, by a little maid that waited on his lady, Kg2 5:2, Kg2 5:3. This maid was, by birth, an Israelite, providentially carried captive into Syria, and there preferred into Naaman's family, where she published Elisha's fame to the honour of Israel and Israel's God. The unhappy dispersing of the people of God has sometimes proved the happy occasion of the diffusion of the knowledge of God, Act 8:4. This little maid, 1. As became a true-born Israelite, consulted the honour of her country, and could give an account, though but a girl, of the famous prophet they had among them. Children should betimes acquaint themselves with the wondrous works of God, that, wherever they go, they may have them to talk of. See Psa 8:2. 2. 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 of choice seek their masters' good. The Jews in Babylon were to seek the peace of the land of their captivity. Jer 29:7. Elisha had not cleansed any leper in Israel (Luk 4:27), yet this little maid, from the other miracles he had wrought, inferred that he could cure her master, and from his common beneficence inferred that he would do it, though he was a Syrian. 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.

III. The application which the king of Syria hereupon made to the king of Israel on Naaman's behalf. Naaman took notice of the intelligence, though given by a simple maid, and did not despise it for the sake of her meanness, when it tended to his bodily health. he did not say, "The girl talks like a fool; how can any prophet of Israel do that for me which all the physicians of Syria have attempted in vain?" Though he neither loved nor honoured the Jewish nation, yet, if one of that nation can but cure him of his leprosy, he will thankfully acknowledge the obligation. O that those who are spiritually diseased would hearken thus readily to the tidings brought them of the great Physician! See what Naaman did upon this little hint. 1. He would not send for the prophet to come to him, but such honour would he pay to one that had so much of a divine power with him as to be able to cure diseases that he would go to him himself, though he himself was sickly, unfit for society, the journey long, and the country an enemy's; princes, he thinks, must stoop to prophets when they need them. 2. He would not go incognito - in disguise, though his errand proclaimed his loathsome disease, but went in state, and with a great retinue, to do the more honour to the prophet. 3. He would not go empty-handed, but took with him gold, silver, and raiment, to present to his physician. Those that have wealth, and want health show which they reckon the more valuable blessing; what will they not give for ease, and strength, and soundness of body? 4. He would not go without a letter to the king of Israel from the king his master, who did himself earnestly desire his recovery. He knows not where in Samaria to find this wonder-working prophet, but takes it for granted the king knows where to find him; and, to engage the prophet to do his utmost for Naaman, he will go to him supported with the interest of two kings. If the king of Syria must entreat his help, he hopes the king of Israel, being his liege-lord, may command it. The gifts of the subject must all be (he thinks) for the service and honour of the prince, and therefore he desires the king that he would recover the leper (Kg2 5:6), taking it for granted that there was a greater intimacy between the king and the prophet than really there was.

IV. The alarm this gave to the king of Israel, Kg2 5:7. He apprehended there was in this letter, 1. A great affront upon God, and therefore he rent his clothes, according to the custom of the Jews when they heard or read that which they thought blasphemous; and what less could it be than to attribute to him a divine power? "Am I a God, to kill whom I will, and make alive whom I will? No, I pretend not to such an authority." Nebuchadnezzar did, as we find, Dan 5:19. "Am I a God, to kill with a word, and make alive with a word? No, I pretend not to such a power;" thus this great man, this bad man, is made to own that he is but a man. Why did he not, with this consideration, correct himself for his idolatry, and reason thus: - Shall I worship those as gods that can neither kill nor make alive, can do neither good nor evil? 2. A bad design upon himself. He appeals to those about him for this: "See how he seeketh a quarrel against me; he requires me to recover the leper, and if I do not, though I cannot, he will make that a pretence to wage war with me," which he suspects the rather because Naaman is his general. had he rightly understood the meaning of the letter, that when the king wrote to him to recover the leper he meant that he would take care he might be recovered, he would not have been in this fright. Note, We often create a great deal of uneasiness to ourselves by misinterpreting the words and actions of others that are well intended: it is charity to ourselves to think no evil. If he had bethought himself of Elisha, and his power, he would easily have understood the letter, and have known what he had to do; but he is put into this confusion by making himself a stranger to the prophet: the captive maid had him more in her thoughts than the king had.

V. The proffer which Elisha made of his services. He was willing to do any thing to make his prince easy, though he was neglected and his former good services were forgotten by him. Hearing on which occasion the king had rent his clothes, he sent to him to let him know that if his patient would come to him he should not lose his labour (Kg2 5:8): He shall know that there is a prophet in Israel (and it were sad with Israel if there were not), that there is a prophet in Israel who can do that which the king of Israel dares not attempt, which the prophets of Syria cannot pretend to. It was not for his own honour, but for the honour of God, that he coveted to make them all know that there was a prophet in Israel, though obscure and overlooked.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–8. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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