Naaman in Biblical History

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Schaff's Bible Dictionary

Definitions in Biblical History
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Who is Naaman?
NA'AMAN
(pleasantness). 1. A distinguished Syrian general, but a leper. 2 Kgs 5. Hearing, through a captive Jewish girl who waited on his wife, of the fame of the prophet Elisha, he set out on a journey to Israel with letters of recommendation from his sovereign to the king of Israel. When the king of Israel read the letter he was filled with apprehension, fearing, probably, lest the king of Syria intended to find a pretext for a quarrel in his inability to cure the leprosy of his general. In this predicament, Elisha, on receiving the news of Naaman's arrival, despatched word to the king to give up his fears and to send the distinguished stranger to him. Naaman went, and received from Elisha's messenger the prescription to bathe seven times in the Jordan. The leper at first disdained the remedy. It was too simple, and attributed to the Jordan a virtue which he knew Abana and Pharpar, rivers of his own land, did not possess. His retinue wisely advised him not to spurn the remedy on account of its simplicity. Following their counsel. he washed himself seven times in the Jordan, and his "flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child." Out of gratitude Naaman offered the prophet a present, but failed to induce him to take it. Subsequently, Gehazi, by uttering a falsehood, secured it, but in turn received Naaman's leprosy. As a result of the bodily cure, Naaman's mind became convinced that the God of Israel was alone worthy of worship and service. He took home with him "two mules' burden of earth," probably in order to make an altar, Ex 20:24, with the promise never to offer sacrifice to other than the God of Israel, and he begged the prophet to absolve him for continuing, out of allegiance to his sovereign, as his companion to go into the temple of Rimmon and bow before the false god. In this Naaman implies that his heart would refuse the worship of the idol which his outward act seemed to indicate. Elisha's parting words to him were, "Go in peace." Our Lord referred to Naaman's cure in his sermon to the Nazarenes. Luke 4:27. The memory of Naaman is perpetuated in a leper-hospital which occupies the traditional site of his house in Damascus, on the banks of the Abana. "I have often visited it" (says Dr. Porter, The Giant Cities of Bashan, p. 366), "and when looking on its miserable inmates, all disfigured and mutilated by their loathsome disease, I could not wonder that the heart of the little Jewish captive was moved by her master's suffering." 2. A Benjamite. Gen 46:21.

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Schaff, Philip, Dr. "Biblical Definition for 'naaman' in Schaffs Bible Dictionary".
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