2 Kings 5:26

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 5:20-27

Naaman, a Syrian, a courtier, a soldier, had many servants, and we read how wise and good they were, 2 Kgs. 5:13. Elisha, a holy prophet, a man of God, has but one servant, and he proves a base, lying, naughty fellow. Those that heard of Elisha at a distance honoured him, and got good by what they heard; but he that stood continually before him, to hear his wisdom, had no good impressions made upon him either by his doctrine or miracles. One would have expected that Elisha's servant should be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 5:26

And he said unto him, went not mine heart with thee ?.... Did my heart or knowledge go from me, that what thou hast done should be hid from me? so Ben Gersom and others; or my heart did not go with thee, it was contrary to my mind and will what thou didst; so Abendana; or rather, as the Targum, by a spirit of prophecy it was shown unto me, &c.; I knew full well what thou wentest for, and hast done; and so Maimonides F25 Moreh Nevochim, par. 1. c. 39. ; was not I employed in my... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Kings 5:26

Went not mine heart with thee - The Chaldee gives this a good turn: By the prophetic spirit it was shown unto me, when the man returned from his chariot to meet thee. Is it a time to receive money - He gave him farther proof of this all-discerning prophetic spirit in telling him what he designed to do with the money; he intended to set up a splendid establishment, to have men-servants and maid-servants, to have oliveyards and vineyards, and sheep and oxen, This, as... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 5:1-27

THE CURE OF NAAMAN 'S LEPROSY . HIS GRATITUDE ; AND THE SIN OF GEHAZI , The historian continues his narrative of Elisha's miracles, commenced in 2 Kings 2:1-25 ; and gives in the present chapter a very graphic and complete account of two which were especially remarkable, and which stood in a peculiar relation the one towards the other. One was the removal of leprosy; the other, its infliction. One was wrought on a foreigner and a man of eminence; the other, on a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 5:1-27

History of Naaman's disease and cure, illustrative of certain forces in the life of man. "Now Naaman, captain of the host of the King of Syria, was a great man with his master," etc. Naaman, in a worldly point of view, was a great man—one of the magnates of his age. But he was the victim of a terrible disease. "He was a leper." Leprosy was a terrible disease —hereditary , painful , contagious , loathsome , and fatal . In all these respects it resembled sin. Naaman's disease and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 5:20-27

The lessons taught by the sin and punishment of Gehazi. Gehazi's is a sad case, but a not unusual one; the case of a person brought into close contact with a high form of moral excellence and spirituality, who, instead of profiting by the example, willfully casts it aside, and adopts a low standard of life and conduct—a standard which always tends to become lower. The first lesson to be learnt from his case is this— I. IF CONTACT WITH EXCELLENCE FAIL TO RAISE US , IT ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 5:20-27

Elision and Gehazi. We shall, perhaps, derive most profit from the study of these two characters if we look at them together, as they are here set before us, in sharp and striking contrast. I. CONTRAST THE COVETOUSNESS OF THE ONE WITH THE UNSELFISHNESS OF THE OTHER . 1. Look, first of all, at Elisha ' s unselfishness . It is a sublime picture. We hardly know which to admire most— Elijah as he stands forth alone in rugged grandeur to confront the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 5:20-27

The story of Naaman: 3. Gehazi's falsehood. In Elisha's company we might have expected only honor, integrity, truthfulness. But the society of the good will not of itself make another good. Hypocrisy can cover a foul interior. A fair outward seeming can cloak a heart ruled by very evil principles. In the first apostolic band there was a Judas. In Elisha's service there was a Gehazi. The sin of both was covetousness. The offspring of covetousness in Gehazi's ease was hypocrisy and falsehood. ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 5:26

And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee ? There is no "with thee" in the original; and the words have been taken in quite a different sense. Ewald regards לבִּי , "my heart," as designating Gehazi, and meaning "my loved one, my favorite disciple." "Thou hast denied that thou wentest any whither; but did not my favorite disciple in truth go forth, when the man turned again from his chariot, as Naaman did?" ( 2 Kings 5:21 ). But no parallel instance can be adduced of any such... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 2 Kings 5:26

Went not mine heart with thee? - i. e. “Was I not with thee in spirit - did I not see the whole transaction, as if I had been present at it?” He uses the verb “went,” because Gehazi has just denied his “going.”Is it a time ... - i. e. “Was this a proper occasion to indulge greed, when a Gentile was to be favorably impressed, and made to feel that the faith of the Israelites was the only true religion? Was it not, on the contrary, an occasion for the exhibition of the greatest unselfishness,... read more

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