Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was an important man to his lord and high in his favor, for through him GOD had granted victory to Aram. But the man, though a great warrior, was a leper.aleper Cf. note at Lev. 13.3.
And the king of Aram said, “Go to the king of Israel, and I will send along a letter.”He set out, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing.
He brought the letter to the king of Israel. It read: “Now, when this letter reaches you, know that I have sent my courtier Naaman to you, that you may cure him of his leprosy.”
When the king of Israel read the letter, he rent his clothes and cried, “Am I God, to deal death or give life, that this fellow writes to me to cure a man of leprosy? Just see for yourselves that he is seeking a pretext against me!”
When Elisha, the agent of God, heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, he sent a message to the king: “Why have you rent your clothes? Let him come to me, and he will learn that there is a prophet in Israel.”
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויהי
31
כשמע
430
אלישע
411
אישהאלהים
402
כיקרע
400
מלךישראל
631
אתבגדיו
426
וישלח
354
אלהמלך
126
לאמר
271
למה
75
קרעת
770
בגדיך
39
יבאנא
64
אלי
41
וידע
90
כי
30
יש
310
נביא
63
בישראל
543
II Kings 5:9
Gematria: 2075
ויבאנעמןבסוסווברכבוויעמדפתחהביתלאלישע
So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and halted at the door of Elisha’s house.
But Naaman was angered and walked away. “I thought,” he said, “he would surely come out to me, and would stand and invoke the ETERNAL his God by name, and would wave his hand toward the spot, and cure the affected part.
Are not the Amanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? I could bathe in them and be pure!” And he stalked off in a rage.
But his servants came forward and spoke to him. “Sir,”bSir Lit. “[My] father.” they said, “if the prophet told you to do something difficult, would you not do it? How much more when he has only said to you, ‘Bathe and be pure.’”
So he went down and immersed himself in the Jordan seven times, as the agent of God had bidden; and his flesh became like a little child’s, and he was pure.
Returning with his entire retinue to the agent of God, he stood before him and exclaimed, “Now I know that there is no God in the whole world except in Israel! So please accept a gift from your servant.”
Word-by-Word Analysis
וישב
318
אלאיש
342
האלהים
91
הוא
12
וכלמחנהו
165
ויבא
19
ויעמד
130
לפניו
176
ויאמר
257
הנהנא
111
ידעתי
494
כי
30
אין
61
אלהים
86
בכלהארץ
348
כי
30
אםבישראל
584
ועתה
481
קחנא
159
ברכה
227
מאת
441
עבדך
96
II Kings 5:16
Gematria: 2691
ויאמרחייהוהאשרעמדתילפניואםאקחויפצרבולקחתוימאן
But he replied, “As GOD lives, whom I serve, I will not accept anything.” He pressed him to accept, but he refused.
And Naaman said, “Then at least let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth; for your servant will never again offer up burnt offering or sacrifice to any god, except GOD.
But may GOD pardon your servant for this: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow low in worship there, and he is leaning on my arm so that I must bow low in the temple of Rimmon—when I bow low in the temple of Rimmon, may GOD pardon your servant in this.”
Word-by-Word Analysis
לדבר
236
הזה
17
יסלח
108
יהוה
26
לעבדך
126
בבוא
11
אדני
65
ביתרמון
708
להשתחות
1149
שמה
345
והוא
18
נשען
470
עלידי
124
והשתחויתי
1145
בית
412
רמן
290
בהשתחויתי
1141
בית
412
רמן
290
יסלחנאיהוה
185
לעבדך
126
בדבר
208
הזה
17
II Kings 5:19
Gematria: 2235
ויאמרלולךלשלוםוילךמאתוכברתארץס
And he said to him, “Go in peace.”When he had gone some distance from him,
Gehazi, the attendant of Elisha the agent of God, thought: “My master has let that Aramean Naaman off without accepting what he brought!chas let that Aramean Naaman off without accepting what he brought Lit. “has prevented that Aramean Naaman from having what he brought accepted.” As GOD lives, I will run after him and get something from him.”
“All is well,” he replied. “My master has sent me to say: Two youths, disciples of the prophets, have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.”
Naaman said, “Please take two talents.” He urged him, and he wrapped the two talents of silver in two bags and gave them, along with two changes of clothes, to two of his servants, who carried them ahead of him.
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויאמר
257
נעמן
210
הואל
42
קח
108
ככרים
290
ויפרץבו
394
ויצר
306
ככרים
290
כסף
160
בשני
362
חרטים
267
ושתי
716
חלפות
524
בגדים
59
ויתן
466
אלשני
391
נעריו
336
וישאו
323
לפניו
176
II Kings 5:24
Gematria: 2300
ויבאאלהעפלויקחמידםויפקדבביתוישלחאתהאנשיםוילכו
When [Gehazi] arrived at the citadel, he took [the things] from them and deposited them in the house. Then he dismissed the men and they went their way.
Then [Elisha] said to him, “Did not my spiritdspirit Lit. “heart.” go along when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this a time to take money in order to buy clothing and olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves?
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויאמר
257
אליו
47
לאלבי
73
הלך
55
כאשר
521
הפךאיש
416
מעל
140
מרכבתו
668
לקראתך
751
העת
475
לקחת
538
אתהכסף
566
ולקחת
544
בגדים
59
וזיתים
473
וכרמים
316
וצאן
147
ובקר
308
ועבדים
132
ושפחות
800
II Kings 5:27
Gematria: 3061
וצרעתנעמןתדבקבךובזרעךלעולםויצאמלפניומצרעכשלג
Surely, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” And as [Gehazi] left his presence, he was snow-white with leprosy.