The big picture
2 Kings 5 opens in verse 1 with “Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 14 with “Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of…”, and closes in verse 27 with “The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And…” Repeated or prominent terms include Naaman, Israel, LORD, servant, king. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
2 Kings · King James Version · 272 Kings 5:1-7
1–7: Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with…
2 Kings 5:1–7 opens with “Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and…” and reaches “And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Naaman entering the Jordan, emerging healed, and Gehazi returning after secretly taking gifts, with particular weight carried by Israel, king, letter.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him…” Naming Syria and Naaman keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and…” Naming Israel and Naaman keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him…” Naming Samaria keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
2 Kings 5:1-7
King James Version1Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.
2And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife.
3And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.
4And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.
5And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
6And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.
7And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.
2 Kings 5:8-14
8–14: It was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel…
2 Kings 5:8–14 opens with “And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his…” and reaches “Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Naaman entering the Jordan, emerging healed, and Gehazi returning after secretly taking gifts, with particular weight carried by clean, Elisha, flesh.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 3 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“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…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
2 Kings 5:8-14
King James Version8And 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 me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.
9So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
10And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
11But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, 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 over the place, and recover the leper.
12Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
13And 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?
14Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
2 Kings 5:15-21
15–21: He returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and…
2 Kings 5:15–21 opens with “And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and…” and reaches “So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Naaman entering the Jordan, emerging healed, and Gehazi returning after secretly taking gifts, with particular weight carried by servant, LORD, Naaman.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“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…” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he…” The line’s distinctive content terms include liveth, LORD, receive. Its relationship to verses 15 and 17 shows what work it does in this passage.
“And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules’ burden of earth? for thy…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
2 Kings 5:15-21
King James Version15And 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 servant.
16But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
17And 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 unto the LORD .
18In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy servant in this thing.
19And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.
20But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
21So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?
2 Kings 5:22-27
22–27: He said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now…
2 Kings 5:22–27 opens with “And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me…” and reaches “The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Naaman entering the Jordan, emerging healed, and Gehazi returning after secretly taking gifts, with particular weight carried by garments, changes, master.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two…” The number two makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two…” The number two makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
2 Kings 5:22-27
King James Version22And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.
23And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.
24And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.
25But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.
26And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?
27The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
2 Kings 5:1 begins with “Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto…”
Where the chapter turns
2 Kings 5:14 forms a natural hinge: “Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a…”
The final note
2 Kings 5:27 leaves the reader with “The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words Naaman, Israel, LORD, servant, king, Elisha help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What does the repeated ending make readers feel?
Death becomes the chapter's persistent refrain, even as generation follows generation.
What two interruptions offer hope?
Enoch's walk with God and Lamech's hope attached to Noah.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.