2 Kings 5:16
in 2 Kings 5But Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will not accept it.” And although Naaman urged him to accept it, he refused.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But he said, As Jehovah liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
KJV
But he said, As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
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This verse in 2 Kings 5
Commentary
6 notes on this verseI will receive none - It was very common to give presents to all great and official men; and among these, prophets were always included: but as it might have appeared to the Syrians that he had taken the offered presents as a remuneration for the cure performed, he refused; for as God alone did the work, he alone should have all the glory.
This site's exposition
no God in all the earth, but in Israel
on 2 Kings 5:15-16
Naaman returns to the man he first tried to summon and now stands before him, and his confession names the whole point of the sign, not that Elisha's God has power, but that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel. He offers a blessing as a Gentile custom of honoring a healer, and Elisha refuses it with the oath Elijah used at 1 Ki 17:1, the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, keeping the healing free of any suggestion it was purchased.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
After Naaman had been persuaded by the prophet and had washed seven times in the Jordan, he eventually acknowledged his error. He was astonished, and a deep bewilderment took him when he realized that he had been delivered from his filthiness. And he thanked God …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Proselyted to the worship of the God of Israel. He will not only offer a sacrifice to the Lord, in thanks for his present cure, but he resolves he will never offer sacrifice to any other gods,
But he said, as the Lord liveth, before whom I stand,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
I will receive none - The prophets were in the habit of receiving presents from those who consulted them 1Sa 9:7-8; 1Ki 14:3, but Elisha refused. It was important that Naaman should not suppose that the prophets of the true God acted from motives of self-interest, much less imagine that “the gift of God might be purchased with money” Act 8:20.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
I will not accept. Because monies pertaining to idols are included in it.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
A blessing [a gift]. A gift of peace, upon greeting, [e.g.,] when a student or a servant greets [his] master, 9 See Bereishis:11. salud, in O.F. 10 Na’amon lived as a righteous gentile, keeping the seven commandments that God gave to Noach and his descendants.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֕אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| חַי־ | chai- | [by] [the] life | H2416 → | 498 times |
| יְהוָ֛ה | yahweh | of Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | whom | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָמַ֥דְתִּי | ʾamadti | I stand | H5975 → | 521 times |
| לְפָנָ֖יו | lefanav | <to> before him | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| אֶקָּ֑ח | ʾekach | I will accept | H3947 → | 966 times |
| וַיִּפְצַר־ | vaiyiftzar- | and he urged | H6484 → | |
| בּ֥וֹ | bo | <in> him | ||
| לָקַ֖חַת | lakachat | to accept | H3947 → | 966 times |
| וַיְמָאֵֽן׃ | vaymaen | and he refused | H3985 → |
וַיֹּ֕אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
חַי־[by] [the] life
chai-H2416 →498 times
יְהוָ֛הof Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֲשֶׁר־whom
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
עָמַ֥דְתִּיI stand
ʾamadtiH5975 →521 times
לְפָנָ֖יו<to> before him
lefanavH6440 →2123 times
אִם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
אֶקָּ֑חI will accept
ʾekachH3947 →966 times
וַיִּפְצַר־and he urged
vaiyiftzar-H6484 →
בּ֥וֹ<in> him
bo
לָקַ֖חַתto accept
lakachatH3947 →966 times
וַיְמָאֵֽן׃and he refused
vaymaenH3985 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Kings 5:26But Elisha questioned him, “Did not my spirit go with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to accept money and clothing, olive groves and…
it leads to
- Colossians 2:5
For although I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, and I delight to see your orderly condition and firm faith in Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 5:3
Although I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, and I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present.
- 2 Kings 6:12
But one of his servants replied, “No one, my lord the king. For Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”
- Acts 20:35
In everything, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus Himself: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
- Matthew 10:8
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
- Colossians 2:5
Through
1 Kings 13:8But the man of God replied, “If you were to give me half your possessions, I still would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water in this place.
it leads to
- Numbers 24:13
that even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the…
- Numbers 22:18
But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything small or great to go beyond the command…
- Numbers 24:13
Through
2 Kings 5:20Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Look, my master has spared this Aramean, Naaman, while not accepting what he brought. As surely as the LORD lives, I will run after…
it leads to
- 2 Kings 4:12
And he said to Gehazi his servant, “Call the Shunammite woman.” And when he had called her, she stood before him,
- 2 Kings 4:12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
On this chapter
About 2 Kings
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonDivided kingdomElishaElijah's successor with the firstborn's double portion; the prophet of the healed spring, the widow's oil, the Shunammite's son, N…
- PersonDivided kingdomNaamanCaptain of the host of Aram, a great man and a leper, healed in the Jordan's seventh dip at Elisha's word — the Gentile grace Jesu…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ephrem the Syrian, ON THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS 5:15; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil, The Books of the Kings and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.