SERIES M --- PROPHESIES AND MIRACLES --- LESSON 15

NAAMAN THE LEPER

From 2 Kings 5

Naaman, supreme commander of all the armies of Syria, was highly respected among his people and especially by his king, for he was a great military leader and Adonai had permitted him to win some wonderful victories. But even though he was a mighty man, a hero among his people, he was a leper. In one of the Syrian raids into Israel, Naaman’s men had captured a little girl and given her to Naaman’s wife as a servant. [If only my master Naaman could go to the prophet in Samaria, he could be cured of his leprosy,] the little girl told Naaman’s wife one day. When Naaman heard this, he told it to the king of Syria. [Go,] said the king [and I will send a letter with you to the king of Israel.] Naaman took with him ten talents of silver, worth about twenty thousand dollars and six thousand pieces of gold, worth about sixty thousand dollars, as well as ten beautiful outfits of clothing. The letter Naaman carried from the king of Syria said, [I am sending Naaman my servant to you so that you may cure his leprosy.] When the king of Israel read that, he tore his clothing. [Who does he think I am?] he cried out. Am I a god, who alone can give life or take it away? No! He has sent this man with leprosy here just to pick a quarrel with me.] When Elisha heard how the king of Israel had torn his clothing because of his distress, he sent word to the king. [Why did you tear your clothes?] he said. [Send the man to me and he will learn that there is a prophet in Israel.] Before long Naaman arrived at the door of Elisha’s house with his horses, chariots and servants, instead of coming out to talk with him however, Elisha sent a servant to the door with a message. [Go to the Jordan River and wash in it seven times,] the servant told Naaman. [When you do, your skin will be healed and you will no longer be a leper.] Hearing these words, Naaman became furious. As he went away, he said angrily, [I thought the man would come out of his house and talk with me. I thought he would call on the Name of his YHVH and wave his hand over me to take away my leprosy. Aren’t Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I instead wash in them and be healed?] However, as Naaman went away in great anger, his servants began to reason with him. [If the prophet had commanded you to do something great, wouldn’t you have done it?] they asked. [Since he has asked you to do something simple, like washing to be healed, can’t you just do that?] Naaman listened to his servants. Then he went to the Jordan River and dipped himself in it seven times, as Elisha had told him to do. At once his skin became as clean and new as the skin of a young child and he was healed. Naaman hurried back with his servants to find Elisha. [I realize now that the Adonai YHVH of Israel is the only YHVH,] he told Elisha as he stood before him. [Please accept the gifts I brought for you.] [As surely as Adonai lives, I will not accept your gifts,] Elisha replied. Naaman kept urging him to take the gifts, but Elisha kept refusing. [Then let me take two mule team loads of Israel’s earth with me,] Naaman said. [From now on I will never offer a burnt offering or a sacrifice except to your YHVH. However, may Adonai permit this one thing? When I go with the king of Syria into the house of our god Rimmon and the king bows down to worship as he leans on my arm, may Adonai forgive me when I bow down with the king.] [Go in peace,] Elisha told him. But Naaman had not gone far before Elisha’s servant Gehazi began to think about the rich gifts Naaman had offered. [My master has been very foolish to let that Syrian go away without accepting any of his gifts,] he thought. [I’ll run after him and see if I can get some of them.] Gehazi ran after Naaman and caught up with him. When Naaman saw him, he recognized him as Elisha’s servant and jumped down from his chariot to meet him. [Is anything wrong?] Naaman asked. [Everything is fine,] Gehazi answered. [But Elisha sent me to tell you that two young prophets have just come from the hills of Ephraim and he would like a talent of silver, about two thousand dollars and two outfits of clothing to give them.] [Here, take two talents of silver,] Naaman urged. Then he tied up the silver in two bags, along with the clothing and ordered two of his servants to carry the bags for Gehazi. When Gehazi and the two servants arrived at the hill where Elisha lived, Gehazi took the gifts and sent the servants back to Naaman. After hiding the things in his house, Gehazi returned to Elisha. [Where have you been, Gehazi?] Elisha asked. [Nowhere,] Gehazi answered. [Don’t you know that I could see you in my mind as Naaman stepped from his chariot to meet you?] Elisha answered. [Is this the time to accept rich gifts such as money and clothing, olive groves and vineyards, flocks and herds, male and female servants? Since you have done this evil thing, the leprosy that Naaman had will cling to you and your descendants forever.] When Elisha said that, Gehazi’s skin turned as white as snow and he left the room a leper.

COMMENTARY

CHARIOTS AND HORSES

By about 1500 B.C. the horse-drawn chariot was the major fighting force of many organized countries in the Middle East. It revolutionized the nature of warfare, for armies were able to move with a precision, power and speed never before possible. Migrating Indo-European tribes first introduced the Middle East to the use of the horse in battle and the new horse and chariot combination spread quickly. There is little record of the actual history of this period, but it is known that once the host countries learned the skills of horse breeding and the technique of building war chariots, competition among them became intense. Kings attempted to accumulate as many chariots as possible, for success in battle now depended primarily on the chariot force rather than foot soldiers. Since chariots were extremely expensive to purchase and maintain, they became prize items in war booty and tribute payments. Kings awarded their most skilled warriors with the privilege of driving the chariots in battle. War chariots were constructed differently from the wagons and chariots in use earlier. The earlier ones were flat platforms made of wood, mounted on two or four solid wooden wheels. Hitched to teams of oxen or donkeys, they were heavy, awkward and slow. War chariots were designed for speed. The platform and three sides were of light wicker work covered with leather; the back remained open. Many had attachments to hold arrows, spears and a battle axe. Spoke wheels replaced the solid wheels. Bronze and later, iron rims bound the outside edge of the wheels, providing strength and endurance. As the chariot became more refined, the axle placement shifted from the middle to the rear, providing additional stability. Teams of trained horses drew the chariots in battle. Assyrians began a custom of tethering a third horse to the rear of the chariot to replace lead team horses if one became crippled in battle. Driving customs varied in different countries, In Egypt, a driver and a warrior equipped with bow and spear formed the chariot crew. If one was wounded, the remaining warrior tied the reins around his body, leaving his arms free to wield his weapons. Three-man crews were more common, especially among the Hittites, Assyrians, Syrians and Israelites. The primary function of the third man was to provide defence for the others. In Israelite chariots he may have served as a captain to coordinate the efforts of the other two. Eventually the Assyrians added a fourth warrior to the crew. Bigger teams meant more foot soldiers should the chariots break down in battle.