2 Kings 5:13

_AND HIS SERVANTS CAME NEAR, AND SPAKE UNTO HIM, AND SAID, MY FATHER, IF THE PROPHET HAD BID THEE DO SOME GREAT THING, WOULDEST THOU NOT HAVE DONE IT? HOW MUCH RATHER THEN, WHEN HE SAITH TO THEE, WASH, AND BE CLEAN?_ No JFB commentary on this verse....

9-14 Elisha knew Naaman to be a proud man, and he would let him know, that before the great God all men stand upon the same level. All God's commands make trial of men's spirits, especially those which direct a sinner how to apply for the blessings of salvation. See in Naaman the folly of pride; a cure will not content him, unless he be cured with pomp and parade. He scorns to be healed, unless he be humoured. The way by which a sinner is received and made holy, through the blood, and by the Spirit of Christ, through faith alone in his name, does not sufficiently humour or employ self, to please the sinner's heart. Human wisdom thinks it can supply wiser and better methods of cleansing. Observe, masters should be willing to hear reason. As we should be deaf to the counsel of the ungodly, though given by great and respected names, so we are to have our ears open to good advice, though br...

Verse 2 Kings 5:13. _MY FATHER_] A title of the highest respect and affection. _HAD BID THEE_ DO SOME _GREAT THING_] If the prophet had appointed thee to do something very _difficult_ in itself, and very _expensive_ to thee, wouldst thou not have done it? With much greater reason shouldst thou do what will occupy _little time_, be no _expense_, and is _easy_ to be performed....

EXPOSITION 2 KINGS 5:1 THE CURE OF NAAMAN'S LEPROSY. HIS GRATITUDE; AND THE SIN OF GEHAZI, The historian continues his narrative of Elisha's miracles, commenced in 2 Kings 2:1; and gives in the present chapter a very graphic and complete account of two which were especially remarkable, and which stood in a peculiar relation the one towards the other. One was the removal of leprosy; the other, its infliction. One was wrought on a foreigner and a man of eminence; the other, on a Hebrew and a servant. The second was altogether consequential upon the first, without which the

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....

4. NAAMAN AND HIS HEALING CHAPTER 5 _ 1. Naaman, the leper (2 Kings 5:1)_ 2. The testimony of the maid of Israel (2 Kings 5:2) 3. The message to the king of Israel (2 Kings 5:5) 4. Naaman and Elisha (2 Kings 5:9) 5. Gehazi; His sin and punishment (2 Kings 5:20) The story of this chapter is peculiarly rich in its spiritual and dispensational meaning. Naaman, captain of Ben-hadad, the King of Syria, was a Gentile. He was no common man. In all his greatness and might, with all the honors heaped upon him and wealth

NAAMAN HEALED OF HIS LEPROSY. This story, familiar to all, presupposes a time of peace between Israel and Syria. As in 1 Kings 20, the king of Syria addresses the king of Israel (unnamed here) as his vassal (2 Kings 5:6 ff.). Elisha was living in Samaria, apparently in his own house. Naaman, on being healed, returned to Elisha, who refused to take any present, using Elijah's formula (1 Kings 17:1 *). Naaman thereupon declared himself a worshipper of Yahweh (it is remarkable that 2 Kings 5:1 ascribes his victories to Yahweh), asking pardon if in his official capacity he bows himself before Rimmon (Ramman, the thunder-god of the Assyrians). Readers of _Tom Brown's Schooldays_ will remember the not unnatural discussion amongst th

SERVANTS. Again used by God. Compare verses: 2 Kings 5:2. MY FATHER.. title of honour and affection....

_his servants came near_ As the chief ministers of the king are called -servants" though they probably are of distinguished rank; so the servants of Naaman were probably persons nearly his equals in everything except reputation, and so they could come and speak freely to him, without fear of giving offence. _My father_ One of them of course was spokesman for the rest. There is no other instance where servants address their master in such terms. Elisha's exclamation when Elijah was taken away from him does not come into comparison. Joseph says (Genesis 45:8) that God has made him a father to Pharaoh, but this is not quite the same sort of relationship. The word however, which because it is unusual some have endeavoured to explain as a corruption, indicates the affectionate relations which existed between Naaman and those about him, and prepares us for his ready listening to their persu

DISCOURSE: 365 NAAMAN HEALED OF HIS LEPROSY 2 Kings 5:13. _And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?_ MEN universally claim a right to “do what they will with their own;” but they are extremely averse to concede that right to God. Indeed there is scarcely any doctrine against which the carnal heart rises with such acrimony, as against the sovereignty of God. Nevertheless we must maintain that the Governor of the universe ordereth every thing after the counsel of his own will, and dispenseth his gifts “according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself.” He once chose the Jews for his peculiar people, not for the sake of any righteousness of theirs, but because he had ordained that he would