The biblical text (Cf. 1 Kings 18:15 And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day. After this, Naaman and his retinue returned to Elisha and offered a giftten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, ten sets of clothingElisha could take whatever he wanted. "Elisha understood this truth perfectly, but Gehazi saw a chance for personal gain slipping away and let his greed overpower his good judgment.". See Albert Blankert, Kunst als regeringszaak in Amsterdam in de 17e eeuw (Exh. Elisha's servant, Gehazi, was not happy. Elisha refuses. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Sign up for our Premium service. This painting was long believed to have been painted by Lambert Jacobsz, but recently has been attributed to Jacob Backer.6. He wanted to thank Elisha by giving him presents, but Elisha refused. Now you see, he starts to read his mind at this point, or he starts to discern what was on his heart. 2, Dutch Paintings c. 1600c. He was a powerful general, highly respected, and wealthy. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. Elisha's refusal of Naaman's gift in our passage, and that this expla-nation should be sought in the prophet's judicial deliberations over his servant, Gehazi, incurred after the latter had acquired Naaman's gift (vv. Jesus taught His ministering servants, "Freely ye have received, freely give." To his amazement, Elisha's cure worked"His flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy" (verse 14). Man, I could be set up if I just had a little bit of that loot." cat. Now Naaman, the general of the king of Aram, was a prominent man before his lord and respected, for through him had the Lord given victory to Aram; and the man was a great warrior, and he was a mezora. He did make use of translucent glazes in certain areas, however, such as the shadows of the red garments and the figures lips. He didn't heal Naaman. Jacobszs interpretation of this episode focuses on faith and not questions of civic virtues. Similar decorations are also visible on the sash of one of the servants in De Grebbers version of Elishas Refusal for the Leprozenhuis in Haarlem, while the jewels on Naamans and Belshazzars turbans are nearly identical. Elisha was totally surrendered to God in every area of his life. So when he came before the man of God, he had difficulty humbling himself in obedience to the Lord's instructions. The original support has been lined and its tacking margins have been removed. And they said, "Hey, it looks like the servant of the prophet's coming." Naaman then traveled to Samaria to see Elisha, but the prophet never received him: he just sent a messenger to meet Naaman and his entourage by the door. I can think of a few favors I would ask of a prophet in a receptive mood, but dirt certainly isnt one of them. The king was distraught because he knew that he couldn't heal him. Blankert also noted the strong resemblance of some figures in Elisha Refusing Naamans Gifts with those in Jacobszs Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard in the Muse des Beaux-Arts et de la Cramique de Rouen and especially with those in the painting with the same subject in the Muse des Beaux-Arts et dArchologie de Besanon. New York, 2020. ), Paul suggested that if one charged for his service in the priesthood, he would abuse his power in the gospel. Superbook is a registered trademark of The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc. A nonprofit 501 (c)(3) Charitable Organization All Rights Reserved. The painting is on a fine plain-weave canvas support. Now the servant Gehazi, when he saw Elisha turning down these gifts, he began to think, "Wow, what I could do with just a little bit of that loot. Scripture says that we can come before the throne of grace to receive mercy and favor in our time of need. 2, Dutch Paintings c. 1600c. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. Why did Elisha rebuke Gehazi for things he did not accept from Naaman? Now Naaman was the captain of the host of Syria, he was a great man with his master, he was honorable, because the LORD had actually helped him to subdue many nations. So when the king of Israel saw Naaman come in, knew who he was, this captain of the Syrian host and all, and when he gets this note, "I want you to heal this guy of his leprosy," the king just became excited and concerned.He said, "Look how this guy is trying to pick a fight. He wanted to thank Elisha by giving him presents, but Elisha refused. Elishas hands are exceptionally beautifully shaped and contrast strongly with the usually somewhat clumsy hands painted on other original work by Lambert Jacobsz. Elisha then told Naaman to go bathe in the Jordan seven times and he would be clean. He was a man without many options and so God became his only hope. So his king, his soldiers, and the people of Syria heaped praise upon him. His representation of Naaman and Elishas story would have been a very appropriate background for the many baptisms Jacobsz himself performed in this church. And salvation is such a simple thing. Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! Jan Pynas, Elisha Refusing Naamans Gifts (Oud-Katholieke Kerk, Leiden); see the RKD website. Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular, LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel, Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular, Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular, Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not, Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular, Preposition | third person masculine singular, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular, Naaman, by the report of a captive maid, is sent to Samaria to be cured of leprosy, He refusing Naaman's gifts grants him some of the earth, Gehazi, abusing his master's name unto Naaman, is smitten with leprosy, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, OT History: 2 Kings 5:16 But he said As Yahweh lives before (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg). But I can't. I speculate that God seeing a true turning of Naaman to Himself did not want Naaman to say that he contributed toward his conversion, especially not with material and perishable things. Naaman was a warrior who won many battles for his king and his country. But he was a leper. What's it going to hurt?" Naaman returned to Elisha and said, "Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant" (verse 15). 78. 20-7). 1Samuel 9:6-9), would make a deep impression upon Naaman and his retinue. Interestingly, the Septuagint (the classic translation of the Old Testament into Greek) uses the word baptizein (to baptize) for Naamans immersions in the Jordan River. Explain that Naaman was healed by Heavenly Father through the power of the priesthood and that priesthood holders cannot use the priesthood to gain recognition or wealth. Acceleration without force in rotational motion? The king of Israel didn't know what to do, yet Elisha (Eliseus) sent a message to the King, advising that the King tell Naaman to come to see him. To demonstrate his gratitude, Naaman, wearing a richly decorated turban and pale turquoise kaftan, came before the prophet to offer Elisha precious gifts, including the purple cloak on which he rests his left hand. Elisha Refusing Naamans Gifts was not always attributed to Lambert Jacobsz. Publications are increasingly becoming available in electronic format (CD-ROM and/or online editions).BRILL is proud to work with a broad range of scholars and authors and to serve its many customers throughout the world. All rights reserved. And so the king of Syria Benhadad sent a formal letter to the king of Israel [and sent Naaman down] ( 2 Kings 5:1-5 ). 358; see also the RKD website. And the guy urged him, but still he refused.In the healing of Naaman we find some interesting things, and one of them is that typically, we, all of us, really have difficulty with just accepting the grace of God. Naaman's wife had a servant girl from Israel who said that a prophet there would be able to heal him. But Elisha said, As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing. The new baptism takes place in the Jordan River where Jesus of Nazareth, also called the Christ by his followers, was baptized many centuries later. (2 Kings 5:20. An Israelite maid he had captured advised him to see the prophet Elisha. Issues contain fascinating articles in English, French and German, a detailed book review section as well as extensive review articles. 10:8. When he discovered that he was stricken with leprosy, he searched for a cure -- and of course, at that time, there was no cure. Now I told you that a fellow that would have this kind of a gift would have problems. But his slaves suggest to him that he really has nothing to lose by giving it a try: Elishas instructions are actually quite easy to follow. 3, B. Keil J. Thanks to their partnership in our mission, we reachmore than 20 million unique users per month! Then when his mentor was taken up into the whirlwind, Elisha became the leader of the sons of the prophets. Small sections of the ground have been left visible between some of the brushstrokes. The Septuagint, the Greek Old Testament, uses the word baptizein for the dipping that heals the heathen Naaman from the skin disease called tzaraath. Naaman departed for Syria, but Elisha's servant Gehazi ran after him and told a lie in order to get Naaman's gift for himself. When Elisha became aware of Gehazi's duplicity, he punished his servant by infecting him with the disease from which Naaman had just been cured. Naaman tells his lord this and he is sent to Israel with a letter to the king. More broadly, the idea derives from Deuteronomy 32:89 (compare Deut 4:1920), where we learn that when God divided up the nations at the Tower of Babel, they were allotted to the sons of God. The nations of the world were, in effect, disinherited by Yahweh as his own earthly family. The man standing in the door to the right is Elisha's servant Gehazi. Knowledge of this print is evident in Jacob Backers The Tribute Money in Stockholm, which he executed during his Leeuwarden period. Anyone who is stricken with this disease knows that they will endure years of pain and ultimately death. It. In 2 Kings 5:1519, the elated Naaman returns to Elisha and begs him to take payment for healing him. Naaman was happy to give Gehazi the gifts and then he continued on his journey. It's FREE! The name Elisha in Hebrew is translated, "My God is salvation". You know, I would like to go out and conquer a thousand giants or something. Want to see fewer ads on Aleteia? He focused particularly on Naamans gaze as he quietly reflects upon the prophets reasons for refusing to accept his gifts of appreciationthe moment of revelation when Naaman came to understand that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.. Cornerstone BiblicalCommentary: 1 & 2Kings(CBC), NIV ApplicationCommentary: 1 & 2Kings(NIVAC). Since 1951 the journals has been generally recognized to be indispensable for scholarly work on the Old Testament. See Albert Blankert, Kunst als regeringszaak in Amsterdam in de 17e eeuw (Exh. But the Lord revealed to Elisha what Gehazi did and prophet rebuked him saying, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever" (verse 27). lx. ( 2 Kings 5:16; see verses 15 through 22 for the whole story.) Aramean raiders invaded the land of Israel, and among their captives was a young girl who had been given to Naamans wife as a maid. Christian theology depicts Naaman as an example for the will of God to save people who are considered by men as less than pious and unworthy of salvation. Send him to me so he may know there is a prophet in Israel." 9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood in the doorway of Elisha's house. The Lord healed Naaman. Bol was commissioned by the masters of the Amsterdam leper home. He thought Elisha should have accepted all of the gifts. 16001652/3), who executed the biblical narrative as a portrait histori for the regents of the Haarlem Leprozenhuis (Leper Asylum) in 1637 (fig 1).1 De Grebbers work shows some affinities with Jacobszs painting in its compositional format and half-length depiction of elaborately dressed figures, but the two paintings differ greatly in character and in their treatment of the biblical subject. Gehazi, as is recounted in a subsequent episode in the biblical story, follows Naaman after the Syrian commander leaves Elisha and accepts the gifts intended for his master, falsely telling Naaman that Elisha had sent him to do so (2 Kings 5:1727). 2 Kings 3:14 And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee. Kullanm artlarmz ve Gizlilik Politikamz kabul ettiiniz iin teekkr ederiz. He wanted to always remember the true God who healed him. [4], According to Rabbinic teaching, Naaman was the archer who drew his bow at a venture and mortally wounded Ahab, King of Israel (I Kings xxii. Nevertheless, the now-lost painting represents an episode that immediately precedes the one Jacobsz depicted in the Leiden Collection painting. Now, Naaman is not an Israelite. In fact, he almost lost out on his healing because he did not want to follow the instructions of Elisha to bathe in the Jordan River. "Now Lord, I'm going to serve you and I'm going to go out and witness, and I'm going to pray, and I'm going to do this and " I'm telling God all of the things that I'm going to do for Him because of what He's done for me. The Bible calls him "the servant of Elisha, the man of God. Create an account or log in to get started. Last edited on 21 November 2022, at 00:19, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Naaman&oldid=1122973767, This page was last edited on 21 November 2022, at 00:19. And so, he'd like a couple of changes of apparel for them and a talent of silver. Discover God's grace, His officers convinced him of the wisdom of obeying the commands of the prophet. And so it was told to Naaman and he told the king that there was a prophet in Israel that could cure him of his leprosy. The Lord says just "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" ( Acts 16:31 ). The suggestion that vv. He was even used by God to accomplish His will (2 Kings 5:1). 1800 (Stockholm 2005), 59, no. And he took it and put it in his house. Can we say the same thing about Elishas rejection of Naamans gift? Elisha said, Where have you been? The temptation to use priesthood power for personal gain has plagued man throughout history (see for example the account of Balaam in Jude 1:11and the account of Nehor in Alma 1). 18 (The rule is that, in general, we are forbidden, but there are certain situations where we can accept gifts, albeit discreetly. Deuteronomy 8:18 . lxi.). Nephi called such employment "priestcraft," in which " . The first one is that between the faith and humility of Naamans young servant (who barely knows of Elisha and still is willing to tell her master to go meet the prophet) and that of Naaman himself, who traveled all the way to Elishas house and was yet willing to leave uncured simply because the prophet did not receive him in person. Naaman (Hebrew: Namn, "pleasantness") the Aramean was a commander of the armies of Ben-Hadad II, the king of Aram-Damascus, in the time of Joram, king of Israel. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Why would he ask for dirt? Jacob de Wet, Elisha Refusing Naamans Gifts (present whereabouts unknown); Werner Sumowski, Gemlde der Rembrandt-Schler, vol. Why Did Elisha Refuse Gifts from Naaman? The guy is just looking for trouble. Peter van den Brink, Jacob Backer (1608/91651) (Exh. Truce of the burning tree -- how realistic? "And Naaman said, "Here, take a couple of talents of silver," and he was happy to give it to him. There are some old damages to the canvas support with associated paint losses, as in the two figures immediately to the left of Naaman. (Comp. "I know that," he said. New versions are added only when a substantive change to the narrative occurs. And he said, "Send him down to me, and he will know that there is a God in Israel." Dealing with hard questions during a software developer interview, How do you get out of a corner when plotting yourself into a corner, Partner is not responding when their writing is needed in European project application. Because of this, Christian commentators have often interpreted the history of Naamans story as a typological prefiguration of the Christian church rite of baptism, in which Gods grace is freely given to a person who is not quite yet a Christian: in the end, it is a message of Gods grace going to meet the person where the person is, regardless of merit, unconditionally, asking nothing in return. The Mekilta (Yitro, 'Amale, 1), however, places Naaman's conversion above Jethro's. Such may have been Elisha's feeling. ), Elisha starts with what was actually on offer (to him. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. cat. So Naaman became enraged. Elisha refused the gift and sent the Syrian commander away in peace. When he returned home, Elisha found out and punished Gehazi with leprosy for his greed. 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Ettiiniz iin teekkr ederiz interpretation of this print is evident in Jacob the! 1Samuel 9:6-9 ), Elisha Refusing Naamans Gifts was not always attributed Lambert. His soldiers, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts `` priestcraft, in. Like a couple of changes of apparel for them and a talent of silver he came the! Of Naamans gift I will receive nothing his Lord this and he would be able to heal him when substantive... To Elisha and begs him to take payment for healing him Refusing Naamans Gifts ( Oud-Katholieke Kerk Leiden! God is salvation '' in the priesthood, he 'd like a couple of of.