Book of 2 Kings chapter 5
5:1 Naaman was a high-ranking military official and a man of high social and economic standing.
5:3 The word for leprosy designates not only Hansen's disease (15:5), but also serious skin conditions (Leviticus
13:1-46) and various types of fungi (Leviticus 13:47-56; 14:33-57).
5:5-7 Jehoram feared that the letter of the king of Syria might have been a pretext for war. Letter of provocation were
common enough in the ancient Near East (1 Kings 20:1-11; 2 Kings 14:8-10).
5:11 Because of his prominence Naaman expected a greater reception from Elisha.
5:13 My father was a common term of servitude, humility, or respect.
5:14 For the term man of God, see the note on 1 Samuel 9:6-11.
5:15-18 More than Naaman's physical condition had changed. He displayed new attitudes as well: thanksgiving
(verse 15), reverence (verse 17), and humility (verse 18).
5:16 Elisha demonstrated well the spiritual principle that God ministers ought not to make merchandise of the
ministry.
5:18 The name Rimmon is probably a parody on the epithet ramanu, "thunder," a little used of the Aramean storm
god Hadad.
5:20 Gehazi's basic selfishness and shallow spiritual condition come to the surface in the following account. By
contrast, Naaman, who had resented being received by Elisha's messenger previously (verses 10,11), now comes
down to meet the prophet's servant.
5:26 All of man's ways (Job 11:11; Psalms 139:1-4) are ever open to the omniscient and omnipresent God!
Book of 2 Kings chapter 7
7:1 Jehoram had felt that all was really lost (6:33). Elisha's words were designed to give the discouraged king new
assurance that the Lord was in charge of the whole situation and was ever merciful toward a repentant and obedient
heart.
7:2 The officer's disbelief would cause him to fail to partake of any of the promised plenty, even though he would live
to see it (verses 19, 20).
7:3,4 Lepers were not allowed inside the cities (Leviticus 13:46).
7:6 These Hittites were the Neo-Hittite descendants of that great Hittite nation in ancient Anatolia (i.e., modern
Turkey).
7:9 Failure to share their good fortune with others would be a sin worthy of judgment against the lepers (Proverbs
15:27; 21:17, 18; 1 Corinthians 10:24). So ought to share the Good News of the gospel with all (Romans 10:13-15).
7:18 For the term man of God, see the note on 1 Samuel 9:6-11.