Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

NAAMAN

(Heb. naʿămān)

1. A son of Benjamin (Gen. 46:21).

2. A son of Bela, the son of Benjamin, eponymous ancestor of the Naamanites (Num. 26:40; 1 Chr. 8:4).

3. A son of Ehud, the great-grandson of Benjamin (1 Chr. 8:7).

4. The commander of the Aramean army who was cured of his leprosy by bathing in the Jordan (2 Kgs. 5). An Israelite maidservant told Naaman’s wife that a prophet from Samaria, Elisha, could heal Naaman of his leprosy. Informed of this in a letter from the king of Aram, the king of Israel interpreted it as a pretext for conflict between Aram and Israel. Through the intervention of Elisha Naaman nevertheless came to Israel, but he was cured only after his servants compelled him to follow Elisha’s instructions to bathe in the Jordan. Naaman then confessed his allegiance to the Lord and departed. Telling Naaman the prophet had changed his mind, Elisha’s servant Gehazi deceptively obtained gifts of silver and clothing from Naaman. Upon being confronted by Elisha, Gehazi was thereupon struck by the leprosy of which Naaman was cured.

The narrative demonstrates that although Israel was the locus of the Lord’s activity, the Gentiles also participated in the Lord’s beneficence: in spite of his objections to the contrary, Naaman could be cleansed only in the Jordan (2 Kgs. 5:11-14); he confessed that there was no God in the whole world except in Israel (v. 15); and he wished to return to Aram with Israelite earth, for he would sacrifice only to the Lord in the future (v. 17). Jesus’ recalls the story in Luke 4:27 to emphasize that God’s beneficence extends beyond Israel to the Gentiles.

John E. Harvey

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

NAAMAN

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)