But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, “I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy!” “Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?” He turned and went away in a rage. But his servants approached and said to him, “Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”
So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean. Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company; he came and stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel; please accept a present from your servant.”
But he said, “As the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will accept nothing!” He urged him to accept, but he refused. Then Naaman said, “If not, please let two mule-loads of earth be given to your servant; for your servant will no longer offer burnt-offering or sacrifice to any god except the Lord.”
Deeper Dive
Naaman’s story illustrates faith, obedience, and God’s transformative power. Resisting pride, he follows Elisha’s simple instructions to wash in the Jordan River seven times. It demonstrates God’s sovereignty and the personal nature of faith, transcending nationalities and socio-political contexts of the time. The story prescribes humility and fidelity, highlighting themes of divine authority and the boundary-breaking nature of God’s covenant. Naaman’s confession underscores the narrative’s themes of monotheism and divine legitimacy. After his healing, Naaman attributes unmatched divine power exclusively to the God of Israel. His acknowledgment signifies the collapse of pagan perspectives, serving as a historical testament to Yahweh’s supremacy, ultimately foreshadowing the messianic mission to Gentiles within the Abrahamic blessing. Naaman’s request for earth signifies his theological shift, highlighting the ancient belief that deities were tied to the land. Theoretically, by obtaining Israeli soil, Naaman carried a physical memento linking him spiritually to Yahweh. His actions profess the universal reach of divine favour and symbolically dismantle the geographical confinements placed upon deities by polytheism, drawing parallels to wider ancient Near Eastern religious imagery.
But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, “I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy!” “Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?” He turned and went away in a rage. But his servants approached and said to him, “Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”
So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean. Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company; he came and stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel; please accept a present from your servant.”
But he said, “As the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will accept nothing!” He urged him to accept, but he refused. Then Naaman said, “If not, please let two mule-loads of earth be given to your servant; for your servant will no longer offer burnt-offering or sacrifice to any god except the Lord.”
Deeper Dive
Naaman’s story illustrates faith, obedience, and God’s transformative power. Resisting pride, he follows Elisha’s simple instructions to wash in the Jordan River seven times. It demonstrates God’s sovereignty and the personal nature of faith, transcending nationalities and socio-political contexts of the time. The story prescribes humility and fidelity, highlighting themes of divine authority and the boundary-breaking nature of God’s covenant. Naaman’s confession underscores the narrative’s themes of monotheism and divine legitimacy. After his healing, Naaman attributes unmatched divine power exclusively to the God of Israel. His acknowledgment signifies the collapse of pagan perspectives, serving as a historical testament to Yahweh’s supremacy, ultimately foreshadowing the messianic mission to Gentiles within the Abrahamic blessing. Naaman’s request for earth signifies his theological shift, highlighting the ancient belief that deities were tied to the land. Theoretically, by obtaining Israeli soil, Naaman carried a physical memento linking him spiritually to Yahweh. His actions profess the universal reach of divine favour and symbolically dismantle the geographical confinements placed upon deities by polytheism, drawing parallels to wider ancient Near Eastern religious imagery.
