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.
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.’
- BSB 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.
- 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 that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
- Prov 1:32For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
- Prov 13:10Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.
- Matt 15:27And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.
- John 6:66–69From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
- Isa 55:8–9For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
- Matt 8:8The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
- 1 Cor 1:21–25For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
- 1 Cor 3:18–20Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
- 1 Cor 2:14–16But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
- John 4:48Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
- Luke 14:11For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
- Prov 3:7Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
- John 13:20Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
- Matt 19:22But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
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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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.