2 Kings Chapter 5

“Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, etc.] The general of Benhadad’s army; for he was now king of Syria, though some think Hazael his successor was: was a great man with his master; high in his favour and esteem: and honourable; not only acceptable to the king, and loaded with honours by him, but greatly respected by all ranks and degrees among the people: because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria; out of the hands of their enemies, and victory over them, and particularly in the last battle with Israel, in which Ahab was slain, and, as the Jews suppose, by the hands of Naaman, (see…”

“NAAMAN'S LEPROSY. (Kg2 5:1-7) Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master--highly esteemed for his military character and success. and honourable--rather, "very rich." but he was a leper--This leprosy, which, in Israel, would have excluded him from society, did not affect his free intercourse in the court of Syria.”

“By him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria - An Assyrian monarch had pushed his conquests as far as Syria exactly at this period, bringing into subjection all the kings of these parts. But Syria revolted after a few years and once more made herself independent. It was probably in this war of independence that Naaman had distinguished himself. But he was a leper - leprosy admitted of various kinds and degrees Leviticus 13:0; Leviticus 14:0 Some of the lighter forms would not incapacitate a man from discharging the duties of a courtier and warrior. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Go to, &c. - It was very natural for a king to suppose, that the king of Israel could do more than any of his subjects. 4 Kings (2 Kings) 5:10”

“5:1 The king of Aram was probably Ben-hadad II (860–843 BC). • the Lord had given Aram great victories: The Lord is sovereign over all nations (Pss 47:8; 99:1-2; Rom 13:1). • from leprosy: Naaman’s access to society and Gehazi’s later social freedom (2 Kgs 8:4-5) suggest that the problem was not Hansen’s disease but another incurable skin disease (see Lev 13:10-11, 45-46).”

“am 3110, bc 894 Naaman: Luk 4:27 a great: Kg2 4:8; Exo 11:3; Est 9:4, Est 10:3 with: Heb. before honourable: or, gracious, Heb. lifted up, or accepted in countenance by him: Pro 21:31; Isa 10:5, Isa 10:6; Jer 27:5, Jer 27:6; Deu 2:37; Joh 19:11; Rom 15:18 deliverance: or, victory a leper: Kg2 5:27, Kg2 7:3; Lev 13:2, Lev 13:3, Lev 13:44-46; Num 12:10-12; Sa2 3:29; Ch2 26:19-23; Co2 12:7 4 Kings (2 Kings) 5:2”

“Curing of Naaman from Leprosy. - Kg2 5:1. Naaman, the commander-in-chief of the Syrian king, who was a very great man before his lord, i.e., who held a high place in the service of his king and was greatly distinguished (פּנים נשׂא, cf. Isa 3:3; Isa 9:14), because God had given the Syrians salvation (victory) through him, was as a warrior afflicted with leprosy. The ו has not dropped out before מצרע, nor has the copula been omitted for the purpose of sharpening the antithesis (Thenius), for the appeal to Ewald, 354, a., proves nothing, since the passages quoted there are of a totally different kind; but חיל…”