2 Kings 5:17 NIV

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 2 Kings 5:17

2 Kings 5:17. Two mules’ burden of earth Wherewith I may make an altar of earth, as was usual, Exodus 20:24. He desires the earth of this land, because he thought it more holy and acceptable to God, and proper for his service; or because he would, by this token, profess and declare his conjunction with the Israelites in the worship of God, and constantly put himself in mind of his great obligation to that God, from whose land this was taken: and though he might freely have taken this earth... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 5:1-27

More miracles of care (5:1-6:7)Syria was Israel’s most powerful neighbour during Elisha’s lifetime, and was a constant source of trouble around Israel’s borders. When the Syrian army commander Naaman approached the king of Israel with a request to be treated for leprosy, the king of Israel interpreted this as a trick by Syria aimed at creating war (5:1-7). Elisha, however, saw it as an opportunity to reveal God’s power to the military commander whom God was preserving to lead Syria against... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 2 Kings 5:17

earth = soil. Naaman may have heard of Exodus 20:24 . offer = prepare. See App-43 . read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 2 Kings 5:17

2 Kings 5:17. Two mules burden of earth— He desired the earth of the land, because he thought it more holy and acceptable to God, and proper for his service; or that because by this token he would declare his conjunction with the people of Israel in the true worship, and constantly put himself in mind of his great obligation to that God from whose land this earth was given. He might, indeed, have had enough of this earth without asking any one for it; but he desired the prophet to give it him,... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 2 Kings 5:17

17. two mules' burden of earth—with which to make an altar (Exodus 20:24) to the God of Israel. What his motive or his purpose was in this proposal—whether he thought that God could be acceptably worshipped only on his own soil; or whether he wished, when far away from the Jordan, to have the earth of Palestine to rub himself with, which the Orientals use as a substitute for water; or whether, by making such a request of Elisha, he thought the prophet's grant of it would impart some virtue; or... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 2 Kings 5:1-27

God’s ability to heal and cleanse ch. 5Naaman (Aram. gracious) was commander of the Aramean army under Ben-Hadad II (cf. 1 Kings 15:18; 1 Kings 15:20). Some forms of leprosy in the ancient world degenerated the bodies of its victims and eventually proved fatal. At this time no one could cure this disease. In Israel the priests normally isolated lepers from non-lepers because the disease was contagious, at least in certain stages (cf. Leviticus 13-14). Naaman was able to carry on his duties as... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Kings 5:1-27

The Healing of Naaman and the Punishment of Gehazi1. The Lord.. Syria] Possibly the enemies from whom the Syrians had been saved were the Assyrians. Naaman, in delivering his countrymen from them, had been an unconscious instrument in the hands of Jehovah. A leper] see on Leviticus 13. Leprosy is of slow development, and as Naaman retained his military command, his malady cannot have reached a very advanced stage. It is not likely, in any case, that the Syrians observed the same strict rules... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - 2 Kings 5:17

(17) Shall there not then.—Rather, If not, let there be given, I pray thee. LXX., Καὶ εἰ μή.Two mules’ burden of earth?—Literally, a load of a yoke of mules’ (in) earth. It was natural for Naaman, with his local idea of divinity, to make this request. He wished to worship the God of Israel, so far as possible, on the soil of Israel, Jehovah’s own land. He would therefore build his altar to Jehovah on a foundation of this earth, or construct the altar itself therewith. (Comp. Exodus 20:24; 1... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - 2 Kings 5:1-27

Now Naaman Was a Leper, But 2 Kings 5:1 As a rule our interest in the story of Naaman centres round the dramatic incident of his healing in the waters of Jordan. Looking at the story as a whole, and seeing it in its true perspective, it is inevitable that this should be the case. But I am going to ask you to look at the history of Naaman from another point of view. What can we gather from the story of Naaman's life before there came into it the whisper of hope through the lips of the little... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 5:1-27

THE STORY OF NAAMAN2 Kings 5:1-27And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Matthew 8:3AFTER these shorter anecdotes we have the longer episode of Naaman.A part of the misery inflicted by the Syrians on Israel was caused by the forays in which their light-armed bands, very much like the borderers on the marshes of Wales or Scotland, descended upon the country and carried off plunder and captives before they could be... read more

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 2 Kings 5:17

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 5:1-27

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 2 Kings 5:17

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 2 Kings 5:17

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 2 Kings 5:17

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 2 Kings 5:1-27

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Kings 5:1-27

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - 2 Kings 5:17

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - 2 Kings 5:1-27

Expositor's Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 5:1-27

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