Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 5:5
And 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.
5. Go to, go ] Naaman was so valued by the king that not a moment must be lost, but he must start to seek for his cure at once.
I will send a letter ] There must have existed at this time such relations between Israel and Syria as made correspondence between the two kings possible. The two nations were at peace, as we see from verse 7, where Jehoram expresses his dread of a quarrel. The tone of the king of Israel seems to be that of one who feared Syria, and for that reason wanted to avoid a rupture.
unto the king of Israel ] The king is not named, but it seems likely that the activity of Elisha was mainly in the reign of Jehoram, Ahab’s son.
and took with him ten talents of silver ] At this early date there was no coined money. The silver and the gold were in bars and were paid away by weight. A talent of silver is said to have been worth about 375, and gold was about ten times the value of silver.
six thousand pieces of gold ] In phrases like this when the Hebrew expression is given fully, the inserted word is usually ‘shekels’, which the R.V. puts on the margin. See 1Ch 21:25; 2Ch 3:9. But the shekel was in these days only a weight, as indeed the word signifies; thus we have not only shekels of gold, but shekels of silver (1Sa 9:8); shekels of brass (1Sa 17:5); and shekels of iron (1Sa 17:7). When the shekel came to be a coin, the shekel of gold was worth about 2.
ten changes of raiment ] Especially valued in the East, and often included in summaries of wealth, and among costly presents. Cf. Gen 45:22; 2Ch 9:24.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Six thousand pieces of gold – Rather, six thousand shekels of gold. Coined money did not exist as yet, and was not introduced into Judea until the time of Cyrus. Gold was carried in bars, from which portions were cut when need arose, and the value was ascertained by weighing. If the gold shekel of the Jews corresponded, as some think, to the doric of the Persians, the value of the 6,000 shekels would be about 6,837 British pounds If the weight was the same as that of the silver shekel (see Exo 38:24 note), the value would exceed 12,000 British pounds.
The ancient practice of including clothes among gifts of honor in the East Gen 41:42; Est 6:8; Dan 5:7 continues to the present day.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
2Ki 5:5-7
And the King of Syria said, Go to, Go.
The problem of Naaman the leper
Naaman the Syrian was a brave, intelligent, resourceful, and successful soldier, but he was a leper. And that but was the fly in the ointment which made all his brilliant qualities of no worth. The problem was to remove the fly from the ointment before it was too late. The fact that Naaman was so capable and indispensable to his sovereign made the necessity the more urgent. The economist could not bear to see such magnificent plant lying idle. The patriot felt it grievous that the country should be deprived of the services of so valuable and loyal a servant. But the question was How? Leprosy was as incurable as it was incapacitating. A man might avoid it, but once within its toils he could in no wise escape. So every one thought until a chance word of an Israelite slave-girl reawakened hope. The little maid spoke with such confidence of the possibility, nay the certainty, of her masters cure, could he but be with the prophet in Samaria, that her suggestions became the staple of the conversation of the court, and finally reached the ears of the king. Her words carried such conviction that the courtiers found themselves actually taking the cure for granted, and proceeding to discuss the method by which it could be accomplished. On that matter everybody had his own theory. The problem is still with us. On every side are men and women of amiable qualities and natural ability, capable of estimable service to their day and generation, who, because of some moral defect, inherited or acquired, are missing their opportunity, and proving a burden to the commonwealth instead of a gain. Think for a moment not only of the personal suffering endured, but of the jeopardy in which the community stands, and the loss of service it sustains through the prevalence of the leprosy of impurity and drunkenness; of covetousness and gambling; of jealousy and falsehood; of hate and strife; of ostentation and laziness. The need of today then, as in Ben-hadads Syria, is to cure the Naamans. Let us briefly glance at the suggested solutions of the problem.
1. The kings idea was to send the leper to the King of Israel. So the letter was despatched whose contents put the King of Israel ha such alarm. Am I God, said the perturbed monarch, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? But consider now how he seeketh quarrel against me. This time, however, the shrewd suspicion of Jehoram was at fault. The request was in good faith. It proceeded from a genuine expectation that if the cure was to be performed at all it must be by the king. In whom else would the requisite authority be vested? Quaint as the notion seems, it expresses a distinctly modern creed. For king read State, and you are in the twentieth century at once. Nothing is more remarkable, and in some respects more pathetic, than the rapid growth of the widely held belief in the power of the State as an instrument of reform. And without a doubt the State can accomplish much–much that was formerly thought not merely beyond its power, but beyond even its cognizance. It can restrain evil-doers, and reward them that do well. It can remove sources of temptation, adjust inequalities, and secure to every man a fair chance. It can alter conditions, and so modify habits. But its methods are slow, and subject to great alternations. Its chief instrument of immediate reformation is restraint, separation, stamping out. It keeps society healthy by shutting up the infected. The result of which is that, lest they should be found out, men cover up their leprosy and drive it below the skin. But they are lepers still. A change in the direction of a more equitable distribution of the results of industry would not in itself be a cure for covetousness. Prohibition of the sale of intoxicating liquors will not be followed by an immediate cessation of the desire for strong drink. The State has large and undoubted powers, but the best and truest advocates for the wide extension of its scope of action and administration nevertheless recognise its limitations, and disclaim on its behalf any attempt at usurpation of the prerogative of God, or of authority to remove the leprosy of sin.
2. To do Naaman justice, he did not set much store by the letter to the king. It was, of course, courteous and expedient first to present himself at the court. But his hope lay in an interview, not with Israels king, but with Israels prophet. So, as soon as he could, he relieved the king of the embarrassment of his presence, and turned the heads of his magnificent thoroughbreds to the humbler quarter of the city where dwelt the prophet. He had, of course, indulged in speculation as to the method the prophet would follow. The sequel shows how thoroughly he was mistaken. But Naamans ideas still persist. The great feature in modern schemes of reformation is the attempt to preserve a mans self-respect, or, to use the expressive phrase we have, borrowed from the East, to save his face. If he is a leper, for pitys sake dont tell him so, or let him think that you think he is. Treat him as though he was not. Soon he will begin to think he isnt, and then he wont act as though he was. And then he wont be! So seems much current teaching. Further, it conduces much to a cure that a little ceremony and some symbolic act shall be introduced, with just a suggestion of magic or the occult! There is a growing trust in formalism.
3. There remains the suggestion of the unsophisticated and faithful servants of Naaman, and that was the way they had been taught to tread the way of humility and obedience, Consent to be, and to be treated as the leper you know yourself to be. Rid yourself of the idea that consideration is due to you on the ground of station, attainments, endowments, wealth, reputation. Consent to be just a leper, a vile leper. And then obey. Dont dispute the prescription, but follow it. Dont argue that, even if you agree to wash, it would surely be better to wash in the clear, limpid, and beautiful streams of Damascus than in the turbid waters of Jordan. Possibly Abana and Pharpar are all you think them to be. But Jordan is the stream chosen. It is a simple thing. Try it. Dip, dip seven times. (F. L. Wiseman.)
The pilgrimage
This artless child-utterance opens unexpectedly to the diseased and despairing hero a door of hope–puts a new guiding-star into his midnight of darkness. Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy Whosoever believeth on me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. Yes; blessed be God, these and similar declarations are addressed to every spiritual leper in this sin-stricken world. As with the warrior of Damascus, so with them: they have a gracious missive, a letter of commendation to the King of kings. There is a Greater than the greatest prophet in Israel, who can recover them of their leprosy.
1. Naamans first impulse, before setting out on his journey, was to go and tell his lord. Before he can adopt the suggestion of the young Hebrew, be feels it his duty, though the most exalted of Ben-hadads subjects, to go to his sovereign, make him acquainted with his design, and receive the royal sanction. This reads us the preliminary lesson, regarding even the minor, ordinary everyday details of life, to be careful in observing its proprieties and courtesies. Be courteous, Let all things be done decently and in order, are alike moral and religious obligations. But is there not also a higher spiritual lesson here for the Christian in his hour of difficulty and peril? When environed with perplexing paths and providences, and at a loss which to follow, swaying between the opposing forces of inclination and duty, may he not–ought he not, like Naaman, to repair to the King of kings–to tell his Lord of what is burdening his spirit?
2. Observe Naamans departure and journey. And, we read, he departed (2Ki 5:5). His promptitude, in the true soldier-spirit of instant surrender to duty–Go, and he goeth, is noteworthy. How unlike the case of many in spiritual things; who stagger through unbelief; allowing solemn monition and conviction to pass unheeded; conjuring up to themselves some supposed necessity for postponement and delay; resolving to set out on the pilgrimage at some time, but not yet; imagining the chariots and horses of salvation to be at their call whenever they wish, and their malignant leprosy a thing that may be safely postponed for a death-bed cure. As Naaman felt, so well may they, that restoration may be with them now or never. The king said to the sufferer, Go to, go. It is thus our Lord speaks. This is the Great Physicians prescription to the seeking soul, Wait not a moment; linger not in all the plain; confer not with any earthly adviser. Let the chariots be ordered. Haste thee; flee for thy life! Go to! go! for a long eternity is suspended on the resolve.
3. Let us note Naamans reception. The journey is accomplished; the chief and his retainers have reached Samaria, the capital of Israel, situated on its steep hill; a city which combined in a union not elsewhere found in Palestine, strength and beauty. Naaman sends one of his troop to the palace of Jehoram with the royal letter of Ben-hadad. The monarch reads it. Commencing, doubtless, with the wonted Oriental complimentary salutations, the perusal leads to a burst of indignant anger. It seemed little else than an insult; an arrogant imposition on royal credulity; the studied, designed occasion of a fresh quarrel. He sees in the letter only a pretext for drawing swords again, for anew ravaging his territories and deluging his valleys with blood. Alas! will the monarch of Israel–the head and ruler of the theocratic tribes–refuse to give glory to whom, as it specially became him to testify, glory is due? (J. R. Macduff, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 5. The king of Syria said] He judged it the best mode of proceeding to send immediately to the king, under whose control he supposed the prophet must be, that he would order the prophet to cure his general.
Ten talents of silver] This, at 353 11s. 10 1/2d. the talent, would amount to 3,535 18s. 9d.
Six thousand pieces of gold] If shekels are here meant, as the Arabic has it, then the six thousand shekels, at 1 16s. 5d. will amount to 10,925; and the whole, to 14,460 18s. 9d. sterling: besides the value of the ten caftans, or changes of raiment. This was a princely present, and shows us at once how high Naaman stood in the esteem of his master.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The king of Israel; Jehoram the son of Ahab, 2Ki 3:1.
I will send a letter unto the king of Israel, desiring him to obtain this favour from the prophet.
Ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold; partly for the charges of his journey; and partly for presents to the prophet, or others, as he saw fit.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. ten talents of silver3421;6000 shekels of gold; a large sum of uncertain value.
ten changes ofraimentsplendid dresses, for festive occasionsthe honorbeing thought to consist not only in the beauty and fineness of thematerial, but on having a variety to put on one after another, in thesame night.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the king of Syria said, go to, go,…. On what Naaman related to him from what the maid had said, he urged him by all means to go directly to Samaria:
and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel; recommending him to use his interest in his behalf; this was Jehoram the son of Ahab:
and he departed; set out on his journey immediately, as soon as he could conveniently:
and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold; partly for the expenses of his journey, and partly to make presents to the king of Israel’s servants, and especially to the prophet; a talent of silver, according to Brerewood d, was three hundred and seventy five pounds of our money; but, according to Bishop Cumberland’s e exact calculation, it was three hundred and fifty and three pounds eleven shillings and ten and an half pence the pieces of gold are, by the Targum, called golden pence, and a golden penny, according to the first of the above writers f, was of the value of our money fifteen shillings; so that these amounted to 4500 pounds sterling:
and ten changes of raiment; both for his own use, and presents.
d De Ponder. & Pret. Vet. Num. c. 4. e Scripture Weights and Measures, c. 4. p. 120. f Ut supra, (De Ponder. & Pret. Vet. Num.) c. 3.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(5) Go to, go.Depart thou (thither), enter (the land of Israel).
A letter.Written, probably, in that old Aramean script of which we have examples on Assyrian seals of the eighth century B.C. , and which closely resembled the old Phnician and Hebrew characters, as well as that of the Moabite stone (2Ki. 1:1, Note).
With him.In his hand. (Comp. the expression to fill the hand for Jehovahi.e., with presents; 1Ch. 29:5.)
Changes of raiment.Or, holiday suits. Reuss, habits de fte. (See the same word, halphth, in Gen. 45:22.) Curiously enough, similar expressions (nahlaptum, hitlupatum) were used in the like sense by the Assyrians (Schrader).
Ten talents of silver.About 3,750 in our money. The money talent was equivalent to sixty minas, the mina to fifty shekels. The shekel came to about 2 Samuel 6 d. of our money.
Six thousand pieces of gold.Heb., six thousand (in) gold: i.e., six thousand gold shekels=two talents of gold, about 13,500. The gold shekel was worth about 45s. of our currency. The total sum appears much too large, and the numbers are probably corrupt, as is so often the case.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. I will send a letter A letter of introduction; also stating Naaman’s affliction, and requesting the king’s services in his behalf. See 2Ki 5:6.
Ten talents of silver About seventeen thousand dollars.
Six thousand pieces of gold Probably gold shekels are meant, and if so, their value would have been about thirty-four thousand dollars.
Ten changes of raiment Costly robes, to be worn on great occasions, and of which the Orientals are very fond. These presents were all exceedingly valuable, and show the power and riches of Naaman, and his willingness to go to any pains and expense in order to be healed.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Ki 5:5. Hetook with him ten talents of silver, &c. See on 1Ki 14:3 concerning the presents of eatables; besides which, in other cases the presents that anciently were, and of late have been, wont to be made to personages eminent for study and piety, consisted of large sums of money or vestments. Thus we find here, that the present which a Syrian nobleman would have made to an Israelitish prophet, with whom he did not expect to stay any time, or indeed to enter his house, (see 2Ki 5:11.) consisted of ten talents of silver, six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment. It is needless to mention the pecuniary gratifications which have been given to men of learning in the east in later times; but as to vestments, D’Herbelot tells us, that Bokhteri, an illustrious poet of Cufah in the ninth century, had so many presents made him in the course of his life, that at his death he was found possessed of a hundred complete suits of clothes, two hundred shirts, and five hundred turbans. An indisputable proof of the frequency with which presents of this kind are made in the Levant to men of study; and at the same time a fine illustration of Job’s description of the treasures of the east in his days, as consisting of raiment as well as silver. Job 27:16-17. Observations, p. 238.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Reader! observe the different conduct induced by nature and grace in the minds of men. When the king of Israel received this letter, nature, untaught of God, made an alarming interpretation. When Hezekiah received a letter from an idolatrous, prince, grace prompted him to spread it before the Lord. Isa 37:14 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Ki 5:5 And 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.
Ver. 5. And took with him ten talents of silver, &c. ] Very great sums he took – ten or eleven thousand pounds sterling, – partly for expenses in so long a journey, but principally for presents to the king and courtiers; but especially to the prophet, for he thought that, as among the heathen,
“ A .”
Gifts make room for a man, and bringeth him before great ones. Pro 18:16 Their priests also were , and “with shame loved, Give ye.” Hos 4:18 Now he knew not but Elisha might be of the same strain.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
king of Israel. Probably Jehoram.
talents. See App-51.
changes of raiment. See Gen 45:22.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
2Ki 5:5-7
2Ki 5:5-7
THE KING OF ISRAEL WAS UPSET BY THE SYRIAN’S REQUEST
“And the king of Syria said, Go now, 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. And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, And now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy. And 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? but consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.”
“He took with him ten talents of silver, …” (2Ki 5:5). It does not appear that this was intended as a present for the king of Israel, because he is addressed here by the king of Syria as a vassal.
“He seeketh a quarrel against me” (2Ki 5:7). The time of this miracle seems to have been rather late in the career of Elisha, because Gehazi’s leprosy would have terminated that servant’s association with the prophet. We cannot agree with the suggestion of Montgomery that, “The afflicted Gehazi was still a member of society in a later story (2Ki 8:4 ff).” We have already determined that the stories of this section of 2Kings are not recorded in any chronological sequence.
On this account, we cannot plead any ignorance on the part of Joram regarding the great miracles wrought by Elisha. Joram’s failure to think of Elisha in this situation was not due to his ignorance but to his unbelief and his unwillingness to accept the authenticity of Elisha’s prophetic ministry.
Joram’s mistaken notion that Benhadad (the probable king of Syria) who sent Naaman to Samaria sought a quarrel with him, was not altogether unreasonable. “It will be remembered that Benhadad, seeking the subjugation of Ahab, had made unreasonable demands of Joram’s father (1Ki 20:3-6).”
E.M. Zerr:
2Ki 5:5. Go to, go. This was an obsolete way of saying, “come, and I will send,” etc. It was a mistake, doubtless due to some misunderstanding, that the king of Syria wrote to the king of Israel, instead of to the prophet Elisha. The articles mentioned to be taken along should not be considered as a bribe. It was customary to recognize kings and other dignitaries by making them presents. See 1Ki 4:21; 2Ki 17:3; 2Ch 17:5; Psa 68:29. been respectfully addressed, and then requested that the services of Elisha be tendered him, there might not have been any friction. The error was in asking the king to recover him of his leprosy.
2Ki 5:7. Jehoram was the king of Israel at that time. He had never professed to have miraculous power, and this direct request, made by the king of a foreign nation, was equivalent to a declaration of war, or at least, a threat of one. Friendly nations are supposed to be willing to grant favors to each other, and the refusal is considered as an unfriendly act. By asking a favor on this established basis, and yet one that he knew would be impossible of fulfillment, it seemed that the king of Syria was laying plans for a pretext on which to make a complaint.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
go: Gen 11:3, Gen 11:7, Ecc 2:1, Isa 5:5, Jam 4:13, Jam 5:1
and took: 2Ki 8:8, 2Ki 8:9, Num 22:7, Num 22:17, Num 22:18, Num 24:11-13, 1Sa 9:8, 1Ki 13:7, 1Ki 22:3, Act 8:18-20
with him: Heb. in his hand
ten talents of silver: This, at 353. 11s. 10+d. the talent, would amount to 3,535. 18s. 9d.
six thousand: If shekels are meant, as the Arabic reads, then this, at 1. 16s. 5d. each, will amount to 10,925.; and the whole to 14,464. 18s. 9d.: besides the value of the ten changes of raiment.
ten changes: Gen 45:22, Jdg 14:12, Jam 5:2, Jam 5:3
Reciprocal: 1Sa 9:7 – what shall 1Ki 10:2 – a very great train 1Ki 14:3 – And take 2Ki 5:22 – a talent Jer 18:11 – go to Mar 1:40 – a leper
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ki 5:5. The king said, I will send a letter to the king of Israel It was very natural for a king to suppose that the king of Israel could do more than any of his subjects. He took with him ten talents of silver, &c. That he might honourably reward the prophet, in case he should be cured by him. But it was a vast sum that he took for this purpose; for if they were Hebrew talents, the silver only amounted to four thousand five hundred pounds sterling.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
5:5 And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and {d} took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand [pieces] of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
(d) To give this as a present to the prophets.