2 Kings 5 7

2 Kings 5:7 kjv

And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.

2 Kings 5:7 nkjv

And it happened, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, "Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy? Therefore please consider, and see how he seeks a quarrel with me."

2 Kings 5:7 niv

As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, "Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!"

2 Kings 5:7 esv

And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, "Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me."

2 Kings 5:7 nlt

When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes in dismay and said, "Am I God, that I can give life and take it away? Why is this man asking me to heal someone with leprosy? I can see that he's just trying to pick a fight with me."

2 Kings 5 verses

2 Kings 5 7 Meaning

When the king of Israel read Naaman's letter, his immediate and dramatic reaction of tearing his clothes signaled extreme distress and despair. He interpreted Naaman's request to "cure him of his leprosy" as an impossible demand, questioning his own divine authority, "Am I God, to kill and to make alive?" This response reveals his profound awareness that only God possesses sovereignty over life, death, and miraculous healing. He misconstrued Naaman's request as a deliberate provocation, a political ruse designed to incite a conflict or seek a pretext for war against Israel, given the severe geopolitical tensions between the two nations. The verse thus highlights the vast chasm between human limitation and divine omnipotence.

2 Kings 5 7 Context

Chapter 5 of 2 Kings introduces Naaman, the commander of the Aramean army, who despite his greatness, was a leper. An Israelite slave girl in Naaman's household suggested that the prophet in Samaria could heal him. Consequently, Naaman journeyed to Israel with a significant sum of silver, gold, and ten changes of clothes, along with a letter from his king, Ben-hadad, to the king of Israel. The letter stated, "Now when this letter comes to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may cure him of his leprosy." This verse immediately follows the reading of that letter. The king of Israel at this time was Jehoram, son of Ahab. Israel and Aram were often adversaries, with a long history of conflict, which shaped King Jehoram's political paranoia upon reading the demanding request from the Aramean king. His fear was that this was not a simple medical request, but a carefully laid trap intended to provide a pretext for invasion if he failed to meet the impossible demand.

2 Kings 5 7 Word analysis

• And it came to pass: (וַיְהִי, vayhi) A common Hebrew transitional phrase, often introducing a new event or consequence in the narrative, indicating progression of the story.
• when the king of Israel: Referring to King Jehoram, son of Ahab. He ruled during a period of considerable political and religious apostasy in Israel, though this specific reaction demonstrates an inherent knowledge of God's unique power, perhaps passed down culturally despite his personal unfaithfulness.
• had read the letter: The letter from Ben-hadad, king of Aram (Syria), stating Naaman’s coming for healing. The king’s understanding was likely literal and devoid of any expectation of a prophet's involvement.
• that he rent his clothes: (קָרַע אֶת־בְּגָדָיו, qara' et-bəgādāw) This was a deeply ingrained and publicly understood ancient Near Eastern custom signifying intense grief, extreme distress, dismay, humiliation, despair, or horror, particularly in response to perceived blasphemy, an unbearable situation, or profound tragedy. It speaks of internal anguish spilling outward.
• and said: Introduces the king's spoken reaction, which forms the core theological and political tension of the verse.
• Am I God: (הַאֱלֹהִים אָנִי, ha'elohim 'ānî) This is a rhetorical question, implying a resounding "No." The prefix ha- (הַ) is the interrogative particle, stressing the impossibility. Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) is the common Hebrew word for God or gods, used here definitively for the one true God due to the context of unique divine attributes. It highlights the king's recognition of the sole authority of the Creator God over life and death. This is a theological acknowledgment, contrasting with prevailing polytheistic beliefs of surrounding nations where kings might claim divine lineage or power.
• to kill and to make alive: (לְהָמִית וּלְהַחֲיוֹת, ləhāmît wələhaḥăyôt) This powerful idiom directly signifies absolute divine sovereignty over life and death. It's a fundamental attribute of Yahweh in the Hebrew Scriptures, a power reserved exclusively for God. No human, king, or deity (other than the true God) possesses such authority. This phrase appears in other significant biblical texts (Deut 32:39; 1 Sam 2:6), establishing a consistent theological motif.
• that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy?: The king sees the request to heal Naaman as absurd and beyond human capacity. Leprosy (צָרַעַת, ṣāraʿat) was viewed as an incurable, divinely inflicted, or divinely managed disease in ancient Israel (Lev 13-14; Num 12). Only God could "cleanse" or restore a leper, often through a priestly declaration, never by a human king's command. This part of the statement reveals the king's profound misunderstanding of how God might work through a prophet, focusing only on the apparent human demand.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "When the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes": This sequence graphically depicts the sudden, overwhelming impact of the letter's content on the king. The public tearing of clothes signifies his utter dismay, not merely at the demand, but at the impossibility of fulfilling it from a human perspective, hinting at underlying fear.
• "Am I God, to kill and to make alive": This core rhetorical question expresses the theological depth of the king’s understanding, however fleeting or incomplete his devotion to Yahweh. It functions as a polemic against any notion that human kings or other deities possess such ultimate, sovereign power. It’s an admission of profound human limitation in the face of what he rightly perceives as a divine prerogative.
• "that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.": This group reveals the king's shift from theological insight to political paranoia. He immediately jumps to the conclusion that Naaman's incurable condition (requiring divine intervention) coupled with a demand for the king to perform the miracle, can only be a geopolitical maneuver—a pretext for Aram to accuse Israel of inability or weakness, thereby justifying a future military aggression. This highlights the pervasive mistrust between the kingdoms.

2 Kings 5 7 Bonus section

This verse serves as a crucial dramatic pivot in the narrative. The king's limited understanding of God's ways, focusing on geopolitical implications rather than divine enablement, creates the necessary tension for Elisha's miraculous intervention. It emphasizes that God's power does not flow through the expected channels of worldly authority (kings and armies), but through His chosen servant, the prophet. Jehoram’s seemingly pious utterance, "Am I God, to kill and to make alive," while acknowledging God's unique power, is delivered in a moment of panic and personal helplessness, rather than true faith or confident reliance on Yahweh to act through His prophet. This starkly contrasts with the later display of divine power through Elisha, highlighting that God works even in situations where human leaders are faithless or fearful.

2 Kings 5 7 Commentary

The king of Israel's reaction in 2 Kings 5:7 is a pivotal moment that demonstrates the profound gap between human capability and divine power. His tearing of clothes signifies intense despair and a clear recognition that only the God who creates and sustains life can take it or restore it, particularly in cases like leprosy, which defied human cure. This acknowledgement is significant, even for an unfaithful king like Jehoram, contrasting sharply with the potential self-deification of other ancient Near Eastern rulers. His subsequent conclusion that Naaman's request is a malicious diplomatic ploy ("he seeketh a quarrel against me") underlines the volatile political climate between Israel and Aram. Unbeknownst to him, this very "impossible" demand was God's chosen path to demonstrate His power not through an earthly king, but through His prophet, Elisha, thus setting the stage for a grand display of Yahweh's authority and mercy to both nations. The king’s outburst is a human misinterpretation that serves as a prelude to divine intervention and salvation.