2 Kings 5:17 kjv
And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD.
2 Kings 5:17 nkjv
So Naaman said, "Then, if not, please let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth; for your servant will no longer offer either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to the LORD.
2 Kings 5:17 niv
"If you will not," said Naaman, "please let me, your servant, be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the LORD.
2 Kings 5:17 esv
Then Naaman said, "If not, please let there be given to your servant two mule loads of earth, for from now on your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the LORD.
2 Kings 5:17 nlt
Then Naaman said, "All right, but please allow me to load two of my mules with earth from this place, and I will take it back home with me. From now on I will never again offer burnt offerings or sacrifices to any other god except the LORD.
2 Kings 5 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Ki 5:15 | Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came and stood before him; and he said, "Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel..." | Naaman's preceding confession of God's uniqueness. |
| Ex 20:3 | "You shall have no other gods before Me." | First Commandment, God's demand for exclusivity. |
| Deut 6:4 | "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!" | The Shema, declaring Yahweh's singularity. |
| Deut 6:13 | "You shall fear the LORD your God and serve Him, and shall take oaths in His name." | Worship and allegiance due to Yahweh alone. |
| Deut 4:35 | "To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD Himself is God; there is none other besides Him." | Reinforces the LORD's sole divinity. |
| Isa 45:5-6 | "I am the LORD, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me... that they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is none besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other." | God's absolute sovereignty and uniqueness. |
| 1 Ki 17:24 | Then the woman said to Elijah, "Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth." | Foreigner's acknowledgment of God via miracle. |
| Mal 2:10 | "Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us?" | Emphasizes the universal God, challenging idolatry. |
| Matt 4:10 | Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'" | Jesus affirming exclusive worship to God. |
| 1 Cor 8:4-6 | ...we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one... one God, the Father... and one Lord, Jesus Christ... | Denouncement of idols and affirmation of one God. |
| 1 Thes 1:9 | ...how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, | A pattern of conversion: turning from idols to the living God. |
| Acts 14:15 | ...turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, | Apostles calling gentiles to abandon idolatry for the true God. |
| Ex 20:24 | "An altar of earth you shall make for Me..." | Old Testament command for earth altars. |
| Psa 66:13-14 | I will go into Your house with burnt offerings; I will pay You my vows, Which my lips have uttered... | Reference to making and fulfilling vows to God. |
| Num 30:2 | "If a man makes a vow to the LORD... he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth." | Command regarding the seriousness of vows to God. |
| Eccl 5:4-5 | When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed—Better not to vow than to vow and not pay. | Importance of keeping vows made to God. |
| Isa 49:6 | Indeed He says, "It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth." | God's intention for His salvation to reach Gentiles. |
| Isa 60:3 | The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising. | Prophecy of Gentiles, including kings, turning to God. |
| Ezek 36:26-27 | I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you... | God's transformative work, leading to new obedience, applicable to Naaman's change of heart. |
| Heb 10:4 | For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. | Highlights the inadequacy of physical sacrifices alone, pointing to a spiritual transformation like Naaman's. |
2 Kings 5 verses
2 Kings 5 17 Meaning
After being miraculously healed of leprosy by the LORD through the prophet Elisha, Naaman, the Aramean commander, humbly requests two mule-loads of earth to take back to Aram. This request is immediately followed by a profound declaration: his vow to exclusively offer burnt offerings and sacrifices to the LORD, the God of Israel, and to no longer worship other gods. This verse marks a pivotal moment of spiritual transformation and commitment in Naaman's life, demonstrating his newly found faith and understanding of Yahweh as the one true God, while still reflecting some initial cultural theological assumptions.
2 Kings 5 17 Context
This verse is located immediately after Naaman's miraculous healing from leprosy in the Jordan River and his subsequent return to Elisha to offer gifts of gratitude, which the prophet steadfastly refused. Naaman's confession in 2 Kings 5:15, "Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel," sets the stage for his dramatic conversion and his request in verse 17. The entire chapter narrates Naaman's journey from a prestigious but diseased commander of Aram to a humbled and converted worshipper of the LORD, highlighting God's power extending beyond Israel's borders and demonstrating divine grace to a Gentile. Historically, Naaman would have worshipped the Aramaean gods, likely Hadad (Baal) and possibly other deities associated with his region and military exploits. His request for "earth" and his vow are a radical departure from the religious norms of his culture and kingdom.
2 Kings 5 17 Word analysis
- And Naaman said: Hebrew: וַיֹּאמֶר נַעֲמָן (va-yo'mer Na'aman). "Said" here implies a statement of conviction, following deep reflection after experiencing divine healing and Elisha's refusal of gifts. Naaman's high rank as commander of Aram's army (5:1) underscores the humility in his speech and request.
- 'If not': Hebrew: וְאִם לֹא (ve'im lo). This phrase functions as a conditional opener, linking back to Elisha's refusal of his prior generous offering (5:16). It means, "If you will not accept a gift (as compensation), then at least grant this request." It reveals his persistence in expressing gratitude and solidifying his newfound devotion.
- 'then please let there be given': Hebrew: יֻתַּן-נָא (yu'tan-na'). The root "nathan" means "to give." The use of "na'" (נָא) is an appeal or request marker, expressing earnest pleading rather than a demand. A powerful general is humbly begging the prophet.
- 'to your servant': Hebrew: לְעַבְדֶּךָ (le'avdekha). Naaman identifies himself as Elisha's servant. This term signifies respect, submission, and loyalty, especially profound coming from a general of a rival nation. It highlights his new posture of humility before the God of Israel and His prophet.
- 'two mule-loads of earth': Hebrew: מַשָּׂא-צֶמֶד פְּרָדִים אֲדָמָה (massah-tsemed peradim adamah). This is the pivotal part.
- "mule-loads": Refers to a specific quantity that a pair of mules could carry, implying a significant but manageable amount.
- "earth": The reason for this request is critical. In the ancient Near East, deities were often perceived as localized, associated with specific territories and lands. Naaman likely believed that for his worship to be legitimate and efficacious for the God of Israel, he needed to stand on "Israelite" ground, or at least bring a piece of it with him. He probably intended to build an altar on this earth (compare Ex 20:24, which allows for altars of earth). This reveals a mixture of genuine faith and lingering cultural or theological misunderstanding. While he acknowledged the supremacy of Yahweh, his understanding of worship was still influenced by his pagan worldview that associated gods with territory.
- 'for your servant will no longer offer burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods': Hebrew: כִּי לֹא-יַעֲשֶׂה עוֹד עַבְדְּךָ עֹלָה וָזֶבַח לֵאלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים (ki lo-ya'aseh od avdekha 'olah vazevarh lelohim akherim).
- "no longer offer... to other gods": This is a direct renunciation of polytheism and his former worship. It is an explicit vow of exclusive worship. This profound shift shows true conversion from a foreign polytheistic faith to an acknowledgment of Yahweh's uniqueness.
- "burnt offering or sacrifice": Hebrew terms 'olah (burnt offering, wholly consumed by fire, signifying complete devotion) and zevach (peace or fellowship offering, where parts were eaten, symbolizing communion). These two terms cover the breadth of ritual worship Naaman previously engaged in towards pagan deities, now vowed against.
- 'but to the LORD': Hebrew: כִּי אִם לַיהוָה (ki im Yahweh). This powerful phrase specifies the sole object of his future devotion. The use of "LORD" (YHWH - Yahweh), the covenant name of God, rather than a generic "God," signifies his acknowledgment of Israel's specific God as the only true divine being worthy of worship. This declaration marks Naaman's conversion to a rudimentary form of monotheism and an initial step towards following Yahweh.
2 Kings 5 17 Bonus section
The request for "earth" from Israel to Naaman's own land for worship can be viewed as an intermediate step in his theological development. It's a stepping stone from local deities to the concept of a supreme, but still geographically associated, God. Over time, true monotheism, as taught in Israel, emphasized Yahweh's omnipresence, transcending all geographical boundaries. Naaman's vow here sets him apart from many other foreign kings or individuals in the Old Testament who may have acknowledged Yahweh's power (e.g., Pharaoh, King Nebuchadnezzar) but did not explicitly abandon their other deities or vow exclusive worship to Yahweh. His conversion thus foreshadows God's wider plan for Gentiles to come to Him, later fulfilled preeminently through Christ. The narrative implicitly shows that Yahweh's healing power led to Naaman's recognition of His identity, not merely as a god among gods, but as "the God in all the earth." Elisha's subsequent interaction with Naaman (specifically Naaman's follow-up question about bowing in the house of Rimmon in v.18, and Elisha's ambiguous "Go in peace") is crucial in understanding the practical outworking of Naaman's nascent faith and God's patience with those on a spiritual journey.
2 Kings 5 17 Commentary
2 Kings 5:17 showcases Naaman's transformative encounter with the God of Israel, moving him from a physically diseased, foreign military leader to a sincere worshipper of the LORD. His request for earth, while seemingly peculiar, must be understood within the ancient Near Eastern cultural context where deities were often tied to specific lands. Naaman's desire was to bring a piece of "Yahweh's land" back to Aram to build an altar for Him, ensuring his worship would be valid. Though reflecting a still incomplete understanding of Yahweh as a universal God, unbound by territory, his commitment demonstrates a profound sincerity. Elisha, notably, does not rebuke Naaman for this request, perhaps indicating divine grace towards Naaman's fledgling faith, recognizing the heart's earnestness over perfect theological precision at this early stage. This verse emphasizes Naaman's immediate and explicit vow to cease all worship of "other gods" and to offer sacrifices "only to the LORD," marking a true turning point where healing of the body leads directly to salvation of the soul. This stands in stark contrast to the idolatry prevalent in Israel during that time, highlighting God's reach even to those outside the covenant community.Practical usage example:
- A new believer, fresh from a different cultural or religious background, might express faith in ways that seem "unconventional" to established believers, but their sincere heart is paramount to God.
- Like Naaman, genuine encounters with God's power often lead to dramatic life changes, including a desire to forsake old ways of living and worship God alone.