Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 5
Naaman’s anger seemed to increase as he thought about Elisha’s words. In Naaman’s opinion, Elisha had seriously insulted him.
Naaman had come from Damascus, the capital city of ancient Aram or modern Syria. He came into Israel for only one reason: he wanted Israel’s God to cure his illness. He had believed that Elisha, as a prophet (holy man) of Israel’s God, could persuade Israel’s God to make him well.
However, the message that Israel’s God gave to Elisha, did not impress Naaman. In fact, Naaman began to have serious doubts about the power of Israel’s God. That God had given to Israel just one major river, the river Jordan. Damascus had two major rivers, which Naaman named. Those rivers provide plentiful water to the whole plain where Damascus is. So it seemed to Naaman that Damascus’s false gods were much more powerful than Israel’s God.
In Naaman’s opinion, it was very foolish to say that he only needed to bathe in the Jordan to be clean. He would have tried to become well by means of Aram’s religion – but that had failed. Like Ahaziah (1:2-3), Naaman had believed that a foreign god would be more powerful. Ahaziah turned to a false god; Naaman turned to the true God, but he knew nothing about the true God. Like Ahaziah, Naaman was trying to find powerful magic. However what Naaman actually found – the word of the living God – really does have great power.
Next part: Naaman's servants urge Naaman to obey Elisha (2 Kings 5:13)
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