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Wesley's Explanatory Notes

2 Kings 5:17

Two mules burden of earth — So he seems to farm the money which he brought with him, to express how little value he now set upon it. Ten talents (above three thousand five hundred pounds) in silver, with six thousand pieces of gold, (beside ten changes of raiment) were a burden for several mules. Shall I not give this to thy servant, Gehazi, if thou thyself will accept of nothing? This seems a more probable interpretation than the common one, that he wanted to build an altar therewith. For what altar could be built of the earth which two mules could carry into Syria? Unless they were as large and as strong as Elephants.

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See also 2 Kings 5:17 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 2 Kings 5:17. _SHALL THERE NOT THEN, I PRAY THEE_] This verse is understood two different ways. I will give them both in a paraphrase: - 1. _Shall there not then be given unto thy servant_ [vi...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    TWO MULES’ BURDEN OF EARTH - This earth, Naaman thought, spread over a portion of Syrian ground, would hallow and render it suitable for the worship of Yahweh....

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    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 Eli...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    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...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    EARTH. soil. Naaman may have heard of Exodus 20:24. OFFER. prepare. See App-43....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given_ R.V. IF NOT, YET I PRAY THEE, LET THERE BE GIVEN. The reason for the variation lies in a comprehension of the grammatical force of the He...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    TWO MULES BURDEN OF EARTH— He desired the _earth_ of the land, because he thought it more holy and acceptable to God, and proper for his service; or that because by this token he would declare his con...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    C. NAAMAN'S CONVERSION 5:15-19 TRANSLATION (15) And he returned unto the man of God, he and all his company. And he came, and stood before him, and said, Behold, I pray you, I know that there is no G...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND NAAMAN SAID, SHALL THERE NOT THEN, I PRAY THEE, BE GIVEN TO THY SERVANT TWO MULES' BURDEN OF EARTH? FOR THY SERVANT WILL HENCEFORTH OFFER NEITHER BURNT OFFERING NOR SACRIFICE UNTO OTHER GODS, BUT...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    5:17 offer (d-29) 'Do' as Deuteronomy 12:27 . see 1 Kings 3:15 ; 1 Kings 18:23 ....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    TWO MULES' BURDEN OF EARTH] It was believed that a national deity was intimately connected with the country he protected, so that Naaman, being desirous of worshipping the LORD (Jehovah) in Syria, wis...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE HEALING OF NAAMAN AND THE PUNISHMENT OF GEHAZI 1. The Lord.. Syria] Possibly the enemies from whom the Syrians had been saved were the Assyrians. Naaman, in delivering his countrymen from them, ha...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE LAST KINGS OF *ISRAEL AND *JUDAH BOOK OF 2 KINGS _PHILIP SMITH_ CHAPTER 5 NAAMAN’S ILLNESS V1 Naaman was the leader of a king’s army. It was the army of the king of Syria. Naaman’s master r...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    SHALL THERE NOT THEN. — Rather, _If not, let there be given, I pray thee_. LXX., Καὶ εἰ μή. TWO MULES’ BURDEN OF EARTH? — Literally, _a load of a yoke of mules’_ (in) _earth._ It was natural for Naama...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֹּאמֶר֮ נַעֲמָן֒ וָ לֹ֕א יֻתַּן ־נָ֣א

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE STORY OF NAAMAN 2 Kings 5:1 And Jesus put forth _ his_ hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Matthew 8:3 AFTER these shorter anecdotes...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE PENALTY OF GREED 2 Kings 5:15 Naaman was so grateful that he came twenty miles out of his way to render thanks to the man of God, bringing a great sum as a gift. Notice his whole-souled desire to...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    When Elijah had felt that he alone was left loyal to God he had been told of seven thousand who had not bowed the knee to Baal. One of these, or perchance the child of one, stands before us in this na...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Mule; ( burdonum,) the offspring of a horse and of an ass. (Menochius) --- Earth, to make brick for an altar, or to inclose within a box of brass, as was done in the altar of holocausts in the desert;...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Observe what a vast work the Lord had wrought upon the heart of this Syrian! The leprosy of his skin was not only washed away, but the leprosy and unbelief of his soul, he is at once convinced that th...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    However, the next chapter (2 Kings 3:1-27) brings us at once into earthly circumstances. "Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of J...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Elisha goes also beyond the borders of Israel in dispensing the blessing of which he is the instrument; and, when the king of Israel is troubled at Naaman's coming, Elisha heals the leprosy of this Ge...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    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 a...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but...

  • Jonathan Edwards' Notes On The Scriptures

    2 Kin. 5:17. "Two mules'," etc. See Bedford, "Scripture Chron.," p. 627. Thus though he would not allow before that the waters of Israel were better than the waters of Damascus, yet, having been convi...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Two mules' burden of earth_ Wherewith I may make an altar of earth, as was usual, Exodus 20:24. He desires the earth of this land, because he thought it more holy and acceptable to God, and proper fo...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Naaman, by the report of a captiue mayd, is sent to Samaria to be cured of his leprosie. 8 Elisha, sending him to Iordan, cureth him. 15 He refusing Naamans gifts, granteth him some of the earth....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And Naaman said, in a humble tone, which contrasted strangely with his former overbearing behavior, SHALL THERE NOT, THEN, I PRAY THEE, BE GIVEN TO THY SERVANT TWO MULES' BURDEN OF EARTH? FOR THY SERV...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE HEALING OF NAAMAN...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    NAAMAN THE LEPER HEALED (vv.1-19) The history continues in this chapter to focus attention, not on the kings, but on Elisha the man of God. When the kings had failed so badly the Lord used a prophet...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    15-19 The mercy of the cure affected Naaman more than the miracle. Those are best able to speak of the power of Divine grace, who themselves experience it. He also shows himself grateful to Elisha th...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    TWO MULES BURDEN OF EARTH; wherewith I may make an altar of earth, as was usual, EXODUS 20:24. He desires the earth of this land, because he thought it more holy and acceptable to God, and proper for...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    2 Kings 5:17 Naaman H5283 said H559 (H8799) servant H5650 given H5414 (H8714) two H6776 mule-loads H6505...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE HEALING OF NAAMAN, THE GENERAL OF ARAM (SYRIA) AND THE SMITING OF GEHAZI, THE SERVANT OF ELISHA (2 KINGS 5:1). This is not only a remarkable story in that it recounts the healing by YHWH of an Ara...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    2 Kings 5:17 Here we find Naaman making an excuse, it is said, for dissembling his religious convictions, and Elisha accepting the plea. He is convinced that Jehovah is the true God, but is not prepar...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Naaman the Syrian healed by obeying Elisha's word. CHARACTERS: God, Elisha, Naaman, maid, Syrian king, king of Israel, Gehazi. CONCLUSION: There is little hope for one who is more concerne...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    2 Kings 5:8. _When Elisha heard that the king had rent his clothes,_ he laid the case before the Lord and received his instruction how to proceed. 2 Kings 5:10. _Elisha sent a messenger,_ to cure Naam...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Now Naaman, captain of the host of the King of Syria._ THE HISTORY OF NAAMAN’S DISEASE AND CURE; ILLUSTRATIVE OF CERTAIN FORCES IN THE LIFE OF MAN I. The force of worldly position. Why all the inter...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    2 KINGS—NOTE ON 2 KINGS 5:1 The account of Elisha’s miracles continues with a story that again recalls the ministry of Elijah: the Lord is God not only of Israelites but also of foreigners (compare 1...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    2 KINGS—NOTE ON 2 KINGS 5:17 TWO MULE LOADS OF EARTH. The earth is to be used to construct a mud-brick altar (see Exodus 20:24) for Naaman’s worship of the Lord....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    NAAMAN, THE SYRIAN LEPER CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES.— 2 Kings 5:1. NAAMAN WAS A GREAT MAN WITH HIS MASTER—גִּבּוֹר חַיִל does not refer to mere physical force, but to the high esteem in which he...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    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 i

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now Naaman was the captain of the host of Syria, he was a great man with his master, he was honorable, because the LORD had actually helped him to subdue many nations. He was a mighty man and very bra...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Peter 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:9; 2 Kings 5:12; Acts 26:18; Romans 14:1

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