Naaman (III)

III. NAAMAN, General of the Army of Ben-hadad, King of Syria; he was in great Credit in the Court of the King his Master, because by his Means the Lord had saved Syria. Naaman had in his House a young Israelitish Woman, who happened to say to her Mistress, “Would to God “that my Lord had been with the Prophet “Elisha, who is at Samaria; he would “soon have cured him of his Leprosie.” For Naaman was a Leper, and there was then no natural Remedy found out for this Distemper. Naaman having heard these Words, went immediately to Ben-hadad, and desired Leave of him to go to Samaria, to see the Prophet Elisha. The King consented to it, and writ a Letter by him to the King of Israel in these Terms. “When “you shall have received this Letter, you “will know, that my Desire is you should “cure Naaman the General of my Army “of his Leprosie k.” Jehoram King of Israel, Son of Ahaziah, having received this Letter, rent his Clothes and said, “Am “I a God, that I can kill and make alive?” You see how Ben-hadad seeks a Pretence to fall out with me. But Elisha being informed of what had happened, sent Word to Jehoram; “Let “this Man come to me and he shall know “that there is a Prophet in Israel.” Naaman came therefore with this Chariot and Horses, and stopped at the Door of Elisha’s House; whether it were out of Respect to his Person, or that having the Leprosie he was impure, and not fit for the Conversation of sound Persons. Elisha without going out of his House sent to tell him, that he must go wash himself seven Times in Jordan, and he should be cured. Naaman being very angry, began to go his Way, saying, “I thought he would have “come out to me, that he would have “called upon the Name of his God, that “he would have touched me, and so have “cured me. Have we not at Damascus “the Rivers Abana and Pharpar¹, that “are better than all the Rivers of Israel, “that I may wash in and be healed?” As he was turning away in great Wrath, his Servants said to him; “Had the Prophet “enjoined you some hard Thing, you would “readily have obeyed him; how much “rather should you do it, when he only “bids you wash and be clean? Naaman was persuaded, went to Jordan, washed himself seven Times, and was perfectly cured.

Then he came back again to the Man of God, and told him; “Now I know “certainly that there is no other God but “the Lord: I intreat you to receive a Present at my Hand.” But Elisha would not take any Thing from him, how importunate soever he was. Naaman seeing that he could not prevail with him, said to him; I beseech you then to permit me to carry home with me, two Mules Loading of the Earth of this Country; for from henceforward I shall offer Sacrifice to no other God, but the God of Israel. Elisha readily permitted him, seeing his great Faith and Regard for the Lord, which made him think that the Earth of Syria was defiled, and that he could not offer any Sacrifices agreeable to God, but upon Earth that was holy, and taken out of the Land² of Israel. This Piece of Devotion is antient among the Jews, and even among Christians. Benjamin de Tudela says, that the Jews of Nahardea, in the Kingdom of Persia, built their Synagogue with Earth and Stones, that were fetched on Purpose from Jerusalem. We are assured that the Empress Helena, Mother of Constantine the Great, caused a great Quantity to be brought to Rome, which she put in the Church of the Holy Cross, surnamed in Jerusalem. St. Austin³ and Gregory of Tours⁴ may supply us with several other Examples of the same Kind.

But to return to Naaman; speaking to Elisha, he added these Words. In this Thing the Lord pardon thy Servant, that when my Master goeth into the House of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my Hand, and I bow my self in the House of Rimmon: When I bow down my self in the House of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy Servant in this Thing. And he said unto him, go in Peace. This Passage has given Occasion to many Scruples. The greatest Part of Commentators are of Opinion, that Naaman having sufficiently declared he intended to worship the God of Israel only, he asks Leave from Elisha to continue those external Offices to his Master Ben-hadad, that he had been used to render him, when he entered into the Temple of Rimmon; but not to adore Rimmon, whose idolatrous Worship he now abhorred: And that Elisha suffered him to continue to accompany the King his Master into the Temple of this Idol, provided however that he should pay him no Worship. The Rabbins pretend, that a Proselyte of Habitation, such as Naaman was, was not obliged to refrain from Idolatry out of the Land of Israel; and that if he should fall into the Worship of false Gods in a strange Land, this would not be imputed to him as a Fault.

Others⁵ in great Numbers translate the Hebrew⁶ by the Time past, in this Manner. In this Thing the Lord pardon thy Servant, that when my Master went into the House of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaned on my Hand, and I bowed my self in the House of Rimmon: When I bowed down my self in the House of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy Servant in this Thing. And he said unto him, go in Peace. Where it may easily be perceived, that Naaman does not ask Leave to accompany his Master, when he shall go hereafter into the House of Rimmon, but he asks Pardon for having done it heretofore. He mentions only this Sin, and asks Pardon for it, because Idolatry in some Measure includes all other Crimes; and he chiefly insists upon this, in the Declaration that he makes to the Prophet, that from henceforward he would only worship the God of Israel. We have treated on this Matter at full Length in a particular Dissertation before our Commentary on the second Book of Kings, and in the Supplement to the same Book, p. 127. at the End of our last Tome upon the New Testament.

Naaman returned into his own Country very joyful at the Answer given him by the Prophet; but hardly was he got out of Sight, or had gone the Length of one Hundred and twenty Feet⁷, but Gehazi displeased that his Master would take nothing from Naaman, runs after him to ask him for something. Naaman seeing him, presently alights from his Chariot, and asked him what he wanted with him. Gehazi tells him, My Master has sent me to acquaint you, that two young Men of the Sons of the Prophets are just now come to him from Mount Ephraim; he desires you to give him a Talent, and two Changes of Raiment for them. The Talent (of Silver) is worth of our Money about 342 Pounds Sterling. Naaman answered him; you had better take two Talents, and constrained him to receive them, and also sent two of his Servants to carry them for him. Towards Evening he took the two Talents into the House, and sent back Naaman’s Servants. Gehazi then coming to attend Elisha, the Prophet asked him where he had been. Gehazi answered, that he had not been out any where. But Elisha said to him, Went not mine Heart with thee, when the Man turned again from his Chariot to meet thee? You intend to buy Fields, and Vines, and Olive-trees with this Money, but you shall also have the Leprosie of Naaman, which shall cleave to you and your Race for ever. And immediately Gehazi became all over white with the Leprosie. See Gehazi. The Scripture after this makes no further Mention of Naaman.

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