2 Kings 5 5

2 Kings 5:5 kjv

And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.

2 Kings 5:5 nkjv

Then the king of Syria said, "Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel." So he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing.

2 Kings 5:5 niv

"By all means, go," the king of Aram replied. "I will send a letter to the king of Israel." So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing.

2 Kings 5:5 esv

And the king of Syria said, "Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel." So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing.

2 Kings 5:5 nlt

"Go and visit the prophet," the king of Aram told him. "I will send a letter of introduction for you to take to the king of Israel." So Naaman started out, carrying as gifts 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothing.

2 Kings 5 verses

2 Kings 5 5 Meaning

The verse 2 Kings 5:5 describes Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army, receiving permission from his king to travel to Israel seeking healing from leprosy. It highlights the customary practice of powerful figures carrying valuable gifts when seeking favors or diplomatic relations. Naaman, anticipating that the God of Israel’s prophet would require significant remuneration for a miraculous cure, prepared a substantial offering of silver, gold, and ceremonial garments. This act demonstrates his status, his understanding of a transactional world, and his expectation that a cure, particularly a supernatural one, would come at a high material price.

2 Kings 5 5 Context

2 Kings 5 narrates the miraculous healing of Naaman, commander of the Syrian army, from leprosy by the prophet Elisha. This chapter serves as a profound demonstration of the LORD's power and sovereignty extending beyond Israel’s borders, revealing Himself to Gentiles. Naaman, a powerful military leader, hears from a young Israelite servant girl captured in a raid that a prophet in Samaria could heal him. This verse, 5:5, details his preparations and royal endorsement for the journey. It sets the stage for the dramatic confrontation between human expectation, worldly power, and the simple, yet profound, ways of God. Historically, Israel and Aram (Syria) were often adversaries. For the king of Aram to send his commander to Israel, especially to seek help from a prophet of YHWH, underscores the severity of Naaman's condition and the depth of the desperation, alongside an underlying diplomatic tension and an almost mercenary approach to divine power.

2 Kings 5 5 Word analysis

• וַיֹּאמֶר֙ (vayyō'mer) – "And he said/said." This conjunction and verb denote a sequence of action. The subject is the king of Aram. It emphasizes a direct command or permission, crucial for Naaman, a high-ranking official, to undertake such a mission into enemy territory.
• מֶלֶךְ (melekh) – "king." Refers to Ben-Hadad, the King of Aram. His authority is absolute, granting Naaman leave and resources for the journey. This highlights the high political and diplomatic stakes involved.
• אֲרָם֙ (ʾArām) – "Aram." The ancient nation of Syria, frequently in conflict with Israel. The source of Naaman's origin and power base. This accentuates the unusual nature of a powerful Aramean general seeking help from Israel.
• לֵךְ־בֹּוא֙ (lēḵ-bōw') – "Go now" or "Go, come." A command emphasizing immediacy and purpose. It signals the king's full backing of Naaman's mission.
• וְאֶשְׁלְחָ֥ה (wĕ'ešləḥāh) – "And I will send." The king explicitly states his intention to send a diplomatic letter, underscoring the seriousness and official nature of the embassy. This letter, later revealed, presents Naaman's request not as a humble plea, but as a demand from one king to another, causing distress to the king of Israel.
• סֵ֥פֶר (sēp̄er) – "letter" or "scroll." This formal correspondence emphasizes the diplomatic rather than simply a personal request for healing. It implies a high level of protocol.
• אֶל־ (ʾel) – "to" or "towards." A preposition indicating direction towards the recipient, the king of Israel.
• וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ (vayyēleḵ) – "And he went/he departed." Follows the command, showing Naaman's immediate obedience and departure.
• וַיִּקַּ֤ח (vayyiqqaḥ) – "and he took." Indicates Naaman's proactive preparation for the journey, equipping himself with resources.
• בְּיָדֹו֙ (bĕyādōw) – "in his hand/with him." Literally "in his hand," signifying direct possession and control over the significant sum.
• כִּכְּרֵי־כֶ֙סֶף֙ (kikkərei-ḵeseḵ) – "ten talents of silver." A kikkār (כִּכָּר) was a heavy weight unit, approximately 75 pounds (about 34 kg). Ten talents of silver would be roughly 750 pounds (about 340 kg), an immense sum of wealth, equivalent to many years' wages for an ordinary laborer or soldier. This reflects Naaman's profound wealth and his expectation that divine healing was purchasable.
• שֵׁשֶׁת֙ (šēšet) – "six." Refers to the quantity of talents of gold.
• אֲלָפִ֣ים (ʾalāp̄îm) – "thousands." Indicating six thousand talents, making the total even more exorbitant. However, given that it states "six thousand of gold," the text often suggests 6,000 shekels or possibly "six thousand (units)" which refers to 6 talents when combined with "gold". Scholars debate this, but generally conclude it's 6,000 shekels or 6 talents of gold, which is still a massive amount – a talent of gold being significantly heavier and more valuable than silver. It suggests around 450 pounds (204 kg) of gold if it's 6 talents. This is an enormous treasure.
• זָהָ֔ב (zāhāv) – "gold." The most precious metal, affirming the lavishness of the gift.
• וְעֶ֣שֶׂר (wĕʿeśer) – "and ten." Refers to the quantity of changes of garments.
• חֲלִיפֹ֥ות (ḥālîp̄ôṯ) – "changes" or "sets." This refers to complete sets of luxurious, ceremonial, or festival garments, often exchanged as gifts among royalty and nobles. Ten such sets were a considerable present, signifying status, honor, and a diplomatic exchange. Such garments were valuable assets.
• בְּגָדִֽים (bəḡāḏîm) – "garments" or "clothes." Elaborate and valuable attire, often a sign of wealth and honor.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And the king of Aram said, 'Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.'": This phrase establishes the diplomatic and political framework of Naaman's journey. It reveals the king of Aram's active involvement, giving official sanction and a formal introduction to an opposing monarch, expecting cooperation. This act demonstrates Naaman’s immense value to his king, but also underscores a worldview where power and protocol dictate interactions, even with matters of divine healing. The king's dispatching of a letter, rather than a mere oral permission, underscores the formality and weight of the request.
• "So he went and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand of gold, and ten changes of garments.": This part details Naaman’s practical preparations, highlighting his immense personal wealth or the resources provided by his king for the endeavor. The vast quantity of silver, gold, and fine garments illustrates his profound conviction that a cure for leprosy would necessitate an overwhelming payment. It reveals a cultural expectation of a transactional relationship, where divine or supernatural power can be 'bought' or 'rewarded' lavishly, demonstrating his understanding that valuable results require valuable offerings. This prefigures the stark contrast with God’s method of healing—a free gift.

2 Kings 5 5 Bonus section

The massive value of the gifts—ten talents of silver (approx. 750 lbs or 340 kg), six thousand (likely shekels, ~150 lbs or 68 kg, if not talents, then even more massive at ~450 lbs or 204 kg) of gold, and ten sets of ceremonial garments—not only shows Naaman's wealth and status but also reflects the immense desperation for a cure for leprosy, a condition that rendered one ceremonially unclean and socially ostracized. This overwhelming generosity was likely an attempt to bypass any spiritual or nationalistic barriers. Additionally, such lavish gifts could serve a dual purpose: a payment for a miraculous healing and also a display of Aram's power and wealth on a diplomatic mission, attempting to impress and subtly coerce the Israeli king into action. The narrative implicitly critiques this transactional view of God's power.

2 Kings 5 5 Commentary

2 Kings 5:5 is pivotal, setting the initial human premise for a divine intervention. Naaman, accustomed to wielding power and wealth, approaches his leprosy as a problem solvable by human means, namely through opulent payment and kingly diplomacy. The immense treasure (estimated to be tens of millions in modern terms, or several tons of precious metals and highly valuable clothing) gathered for his journey signals his perceived need to purchase, or at least heavily incentivize, a miraculous cure. This act embodies a deeply entrenched ancient Near Eastern worldview where favor, even divine favor, was often exchanged for material offerings or political influence. Naaman’s king facilitating this diplomatic overture highlights Naaman's indispensability and the seriousness of his condition. The King of Aram’s sending of an official letter to the King of Israel also indicates the gravity of the situation, shifting what appears to be a personal request into an inter-national affair. The true significance of this material preparation is that it stands in stark contrast to God’s actual method of healing Naaman, which requires humility, simple obedience, and faith, utterly devoid of monetary exchange or human leverage. It underscores the divine truth that God’s grace cannot be bought.