But Naaman went away angry, saying, “I thought that he would surely come out, stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the spot to cure my leprosy.
Parallel translations
- WEB But Naaman was angry, and went away, and said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of Yahweh his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leper.’
- KJV But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.
- NKJV But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’
- NASB But Naaman was furious and went away, and he said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will certainly come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the site and cure the leprosy.’
- NLT But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!” he said. “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God and heal me!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Naaman is angry, expecting a dramatic ritual and personal attention from the prophet. His pride nearly causes him to miss God's gracious cure.
Overview
Naaman had imagined a grand ceremony with the prophet calling on God and waving his hand. The humble command offends his sense of importance. His reaction exposes the pride that resists God's simple way of grace. It warns that human expectations of how God should work can stand in the way of receiving His mercy.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Heb 12:25See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if the people did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject Him who warns us from heaven?
- Prov 1:32For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
- Prov 13:10Arrogance leads only to strife, but wisdom is with the well-advised.
- Matt 15:27“Yes, Lord,” she said, “even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
- John 6:66–69From that time on many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him.
- Isa 55:8–9“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.
- Matt 8:8The centurion answered, “Lord, I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
- 1 Cor 1:21–25For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
- 1 Cor 3:18–20Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise.
- 1 Cor 2:14–16The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
- John 4:48Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe.”
- Luke 14:11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
- Prov 3:7Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
- John 13:20Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever receives the one I send receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me.”
- Matt 19:22When the young man heard this, he went away in sorrow, because he had great wealth.
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Christ at the center
Amid the long decline toward exile, the promise to David's house refuses to die; the flickering lamp kept burning anticipates the coming King who will not fail or be cut off.
How 2 Kings 5:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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