TRV
Translation
King James Version
And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.
Complete Jewish Bible
He brought the king of Isra'el the letter, which said, "When this letter reaches you, you will see that I have sent my servant Na'aman to you, so that you can heal his tzara'at."
Berean Standard Bible
And the letter that he took to the king of Israel stated: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman, so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”
American Standard Version
And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, And now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.
World English Bible Messianic
He brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, “Now when this letter has come to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy.”
Geneva Bible (1599)
And brought the letter to the King of Israel to this effect, Now when this letter is come vnto thee, vnderstand, that I haue sent thee Naaman my seruant, that thou maiest heale him of his leprosie.
Young's Literal Translation
And 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.'
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Commentary on 2 Kings 5 verses 1–8
1 ¶ Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.
2 And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife.
3 And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.
4 And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.
5 And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.
7 And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.
8 And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.
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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SUMMARY
Second Kings 5:6 introduces the pivotal diplomatic letter from King Ben-Hadad of Aram (Syria) to King Jehoram of Israel, accompanying Naaman, the esteemed Syrian commander. The letter's extraordinary request—that the King of Israel "recover him of his leprosy"—immediately creates a profound theological and political crisis, setting the stage for a dramatic encounter that will expose human limitations and highlight the unique, sovereign power of God.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant literary devices. Most notably, there is profound Irony. The King of Aram, a powerful pagan monarch, sends his esteemed general to a foreign king, expecting a miracle that only the God of Israel can perform. The irony lies in his complete misunderstanding of the source of true power and healing, appealing to a human king who is utterly helpless, rather than to the God whom the Israelite slave girl had pointed to. This sets up a dramatic contrast between human presumption and divine reality. Furthermore, the verse functions as a powerful element of Foreshadowing, hinting at the extraordinary divine intervention that is about to occur. The impossible nature of the request immediately signals that only a supernatural power can resolve the dilemma, thereby building anticipation for God's demonstration of His unique ability to heal. Finally, there is Dramatic Tension created by the King of Aram's audacious and impossible demand, which immediately places the King of Israel in a desperate predicament, setting the stage for the prophet Elisha's crucial role.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Second Kings 5:6 serves as a powerful theological statement about the exclusive nature of God's power and authority, particularly in matters of life, death, and healing. The King of Aram's misplaced trust in a human king to perform a divine act underscores the biblical truth that only God can accomplish what is truly impossible for humans. This incident highlights that true healing, especially from conditions deemed incurable like leprosy, is a divine prerogative, not a kingly one. It challenges the pagan notion of kings possessing inherent divine power and redirects attention to the one true God who acts through His chosen servants. The narrative demonstrates God's sovereignty over nations and His willingness to reveal Himself to those outside the covenant community, even through the missteps of human leaders.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
This verse offers a profound lesson on where we place our trust and seek solutions for life's most intractable problems. Like the King of Aram, we often look to human institutions, powerful individuals, or our own capabilities to solve issues that are, in reality, beyond our grasp. We might mistakenly believe that wealth, political influence, or scientific advancement can fix every ill, only to find ourselves in despair when faced with truly insurmountable challenges—be they physical ailments, relational brokenness, or spiritual emptiness. The King of Israel's tearing of his clothes (in the subsequent verse) vividly illustrates the futility of human power when confronted with a divine demand. This narrative calls us to humility, reminding us that our ultimate hope and source of true recovery lie not in human authority or earthly resources, but in the sovereign power of God, who alone can do what is humanly impossible. It encourages us to bring our "leprosies"—our deepest, most incurable needs—directly to Him, trusting in His unique ability to heal and restore.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did the King of Syria send Naaman to the King of Israel, rather than directly to the prophet Elisha?
Answer: The King of Syria (Ben-Hadad) likely sent Naaman to the King of Israel (Jehoram) for several reasons, primarily due to his pagan worldview and diplomatic protocol. From his perspective, a king would be the ultimate authority figure, possessing the power or direct access to divine power necessary for such a miraculous healing. He would not have understood the unique role of a prophet in Israel, who operated independently of the monarchy as God's direct representative. Furthermore, sending an envoy with a formal letter and gifts to the reigning monarch was the established diplomatic custom for addressing matters of state between kingdoms. He was operating within his own cultural and political framework, unaware that true divine power in Israel resided not with the king, but with the God of Israel, manifested through His prophet, Elisha. This misdirection was part of God's sovereign plan to demonstrate His power to both Israel and Aram.
What was the King of Israel's reaction to this letter?
Answer: The King of Israel, Jehoram, was utterly distraught and saw the letter as a hostile act rather than a genuine request. 2 Kings 5:7 states that he "tore his clothes and said, 'Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends to me to recover a man of his leprosy?'" He perceived it as a deliberate attempt by the King of Syria to pick a quarrel or find an excuse for war, knowing that healing leprosy was a divine prerogative and completely beyond his human capability. His reaction vividly underscores the theme of human limitation in the face of God's exclusive power.
Was leprosy in biblical times the same as modern Hansen's disease?
Answer: The Hebrew term tsara'at, often translated as "leprosy" in English Bibles, likely encompassed a broader range of severe skin conditions than just modern Hansen's disease. While Hansen's disease may have been included, tsara'at also referred to other chronic skin afflictions, fungal infections, and even mildew on clothing or houses (as described in Leviticus 13 and Leviticus 14). Regardless of the precise medical diagnosis, these conditions were highly visible, often disfiguring, and carried significant social and ceremonial stigma in ancient Israel, rendering the afflicted person "unclean" and isolated from the community. Healing from tsara'at was universally considered a miraculous act, a sign of divine intervention, as it was beyond the scope of ancient medical knowledge or treatment.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The narrative of Naaman's healing, initiated by the impossible request in 2 Kings 5:6, finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus. Naaman's physical leprosy, a symbol of human uncleanness and incurability, foreshadows the spiritual "leprosy" of sin that afflicts all humanity. Just as no earthly king could heal Naaman, no human power, law, or ritual can truly cleanse the heart from sin. This divine prerogative belongs exclusively to God. Jesus, the Son of God, is the ultimate Healer, not only of physical ailments like leprosy (as seen in Matthew 8:1-4 and Luke 5:12-16), but more importantly, of the spiritual disease of sin. He is the true King who possesses inherent divine authority, not derived from earthly lineage or political power, but from His very nature as God incarnate. The King of Syria's mistaken appeal to a human king highlights the world's desperate search for a savior in the wrong places. In contrast, Jesus is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, bearing our infirmities and sorrows (Isaiah 53:4). His healing of lepers demonstrated His power over sin and uncleanness, signifying His mission to bring complete restoration and reconciliation between God and humanity. He is the only one who can truly "recover" us from our spiritual leprosy, making the impossible possible for those who come to Him in faith.