2 Kings 5:1

Elisha Heals a Syrian General

5:1 Now Naaman, the commander of the king of Syria’s army, was esteemed and respected by his master, ¹  for through him the Lord had given Syria military victories. But this great warrior had a skin disease. ² 

2 Kings 5:6

5:6 He brought the letter to king of Israel. It read: “This is a letter of introduction for my servant Naaman, ³  whom I have sent to be cured of his skin disease.”

2 Kings 5:11

5:11 Naaman went away angry. He said, “Look, I thought for sure he would come out, stand there, invoke the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the area, and cure the skin disease.

2 Kings 7:3

7:3 Now four men with a skin disease ⁴  were sitting at the entrance of the city gate. They said to one another, “Why are we just sitting here waiting to die? ⁵ 

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¹ tn Heb “was a great man before his master and lifted up with respect to the face.”

² tn For a discussion of מְצֹרָע (mÿtsora’), traditionally translated “leprous,” see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 63. Naaman probably had a skin disorder of some type, not leprosy/Hansen’s disease.

³ tn Heb “and now when this letter comes to you, look, I have sent to you Naaman my servant.”

⁴ sn See the note at 2 Kgs 5:1.

⁵ tn Heb “until we die.”