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1 Now Naaman captaine of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the Lord had giuen deliuerance vnto Syria: He was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.
2 And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captiue out of the land of Israel a litle maid, & she waited on Naamans wife.
3 And shee saide vnto her mistresse, Would God my lord were with the Prophet that is in Samaria, for hee would recouer him of his leprosie.
4 And one went in, and tolde his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the mayd that is of the land of Israel.
5 And the king of Syria said, Goe to, Goe, and I will send a letter vnto the king of Israel. And hee departed, and tooke with him ten talents of siluer, and sixe thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
6 And hee brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come vnto thee, behold, I haue therewith sent Naaman my seruant to thee, that thou mayest recouer him of his leprosie.
7 And it came to passe when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make aliue, that this man doeth send vnto me, to recouer a man of his leprosie? Wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrell against me.
8 ¶ And it was so when Elisha the man of God had heard, that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? Let him come now to mee, and he shall know that there is a Prophet in Israel.
9 So Naaman came with his horses, and with his charet, and stood at the doore of the house of Elisha.
10 And Elisha sent a messenger vnto him, saying, Goe and wash in Iordane seuen times, and thy flesh shall come againe to thee, and thou shalt be cleane.
11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and saide, Beholde, I thought, He will surely come out to me and stand, and call on the Name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand ouer the place, and recouer the leper.
12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, riuers of Damascus, better then all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be cleane? So he turned, and went away in a rage.
13 And his seruants came neere and spake vnto him, and said, My father, If the Prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not haue done it? How much rather then, when hee saith to thee, Wash and be cleane?
14 Then went he downe, and dipped himselfe seuen times in Iordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came againe like vnto the flesh of a litle childe, and he was cleane.
15 ¶ And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy seruant.
16 But he said, As the Lord liueth, before whom I stand, I will receiue none: And hee vrged him to take it, but he refused.
17 And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be giuen to thy seruant two mules burden of earth? for thy seruant wil henceforth offer neither burnt offering, nor sacrifice vnto other gods, but vnto the Lord.
18 In this thing the Lord pardon thy seruant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and hee leaneth on my hand, and I bow myselfe in the house of Rimmon: when I bow downe my selfe in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy seruant in this thing.
19 And he said vnto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him, a litle way.
20 ¶ But Gehazi the seruant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiuing at his hands that which hee brought: but as the Lord liueth, I wil runne after him, and take somewhat of him.
21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman: and when Naaman saw him running after him, hee lighted downe from the charet to meet him, and said, Is all well?
22 And he said, All is well: my master hath sent me, saying, Behold, euen now there be come to mee from mount Ephraim two yong men, of the sonnes of the Prophets: Giue them, I pray thee, a talent of siluer, and two changes of garments.
23 And Naaman said, Bee content, take two talents: and hee vrged him, and bound two talents of siluer in two bags, with two changes of garments, and layde them vpon two of his seruants, and they bare them before him.
24 And when he came to the towre, he tooke them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house, and hee let the men goe, and they departed.
25 But he went in, and stood before his master: and Elisha said vnto him, Whence commest thou, Gehazi? And hee said, Thy seruant went no whither.
26 And he said vnto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned againe from his charet to meete thee? Is it a time to receiue money, and to receiue garments, and Oliue yards, and Uineyards, and sheepe, and oxen, and men seruants, and mayd seruants?
27 The leprosie therefore of Naaman shall cleaue vnto thee, and vnto thy seede for euer: And hee went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
Naaman's leprosy. (1-8) The cure of it. (9-14) Elisha refuses Naaman's gifts. (15-19) Gehazi's covetousness and falsehood. (20-27)1-8 Though the Syrians were idolaters, and oppressed God's people, yet the deliverance of which Naaman had been the means, is here ascribed to the Lord. Such is the correct language of Scripture, while those who write common history, plainly show that God is not in all their thoughts. No man's greatness, or honour, can place him our of the reach of the sorest calamities of human life: there is many a sickly, crazy body under rich and gay clothing. Every man has some but or other, something that blemishes and diminishes him, some allay to his grandeur, some damp to his joy. This little maid, though only a girl, could give an account of the famous prophet the Israelites had among them. Children should be early told of the wondrous works of God, that, wherever they go, they may talk of them. As became a good servant, she desired the health and welfare of her master, though she was a captive, a servant by force; much more should servants by choice, seek their masters' good. Servants may be blessings to the families where they are, by telling what they know of the glory of God, and the honour of his prophets. Naaman did not despise what she told, because of her meanness. It would be well if men were as sensible of the burden of sin as they are of bodily disease. And when they seek the blessings which the Lord sends in answer to the prayers of his faithful people, they will find nothing can be had, except they come as beggars for a free gift, not as lords to demand or purchase.
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 brought by those below us. Wouldst thou not do any thing? When diseased sinners are content to do any thing, to submit to any thing, to part with any thing, for a cure, then, and not till then, is there any hope of them. The methods for the healing of the leprosy of sin, are so plain, that we are without excuse if we do not observe them. It is but, Believe, and be saved; Repent, and be pardoned; Wash, and be clean. The believer applies for salvation, not neglecting, altering, or adding to the Saviour's directions; he is thus made clean from guilt, while others, who neglect them, live and die in the leprosy of sin.
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 the prophet. Elijah refused any recompence, not because he thought it unlawful, for he received presents from others, but to show this new convert that the servants of the God of Israel looked upon worldly wealth with a holy contempt. The whole work was from God, in such a manner, that the prophet would not give counsel when he had no directions from the Lord. It is not well violently to oppose the lesser mistakes which unite with men's first convictions; we cannot bring men forward any faster than the Lord prepares them to receive instruction. Yet as to us, if, in covenanting with God, we desire to reserve any known sin, to continue to indulge ourselves in it, that is a breach of his covenant. Those who truly hate evil, will make conscience of abstaining from all appearances of evil.
20-27 Naaman, a Syrian, a courtier, a soldier, had many servants, and we read how wise and good they were. Elisha, a holy prophet, a man of God, has but one servant, and he proves a base liar. The love of money, that root of all evil, was at the bottom of Gehazi's sin. He thought to impose upon the prophet, but soon found that the Spirit of prophecy could not be deceived, and that it was in vain to lie to the Holy Ghost. It is folly to presume upon sin, in hopes of secrecy. When thou goest aside into any by-path, does not thy own conscience go with thee? Does not the eye of God go with thee? He that covers his sin, shall not prosper; particularly, a lying tongue is but for a moment. All the foolish hopes and contrivances of carnal worldlings are open before God. It is not a time to increase our wealth, when we can only do it in such ways as are dishonourable to God and religion, or injurious to others. Gehazi was punished. If he will have Naaman's money, he shall have his disease with it. What was Gehazi profited, though he gained two talents, when thereby he lost his health, his honour, his peace, his service, and, if repentance prevented not, his soul for ever? Let us beware of hypocrisy and covetousness, and dread the curse of spiritual leprosy remaining on our souls.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.