Christian Standard Bible
2 Kings 5:7
7When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and asked, “Am I God, killing and giving life, that this man expects me to cure a man of his skin disease? Recognize that he is only picking a fight with me.”
2 Kings 5:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.
- New International Version (NIV)As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, "Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And it happened, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy? Therefore please consider, and see how he seeks a quarrel with me.”
Context of 2 Kings 5:7
5Therefore, the king of Aram said, “Go, and I will send a letter with you to the king of Israel.” So he went and took with him 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothing. 6He brought the letter to the king of Israel, and it read: When this letter comes to you, note that I have sent you my servant Naaman for you to cure him of his skin disease. When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and asked, “Am I God, killing and giving life, that this man expects me to cure a man of his skin disease? Recognize that he is only picking a fight with me.” 8When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king: “Why have you torn your clothes? Have him come to me, and he will know there is a prophet in Israel.” 9So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house.
Read all of 2 Kings 52 Kings 5:7 word by word
וַיְהִ֡י כִּקְרֹא֩ מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל אֶת־הַסֵּ֜פֶר וַיִּקְרַ֣ע בְּגָדָ֗יו וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַאֱלֹהִ֥ים אָ֙נִי֙ לְהָמִ֣ית וּֽלְהַחֲי֔וֹת כִּֽי־זֶה֙ שֹׁלֵ֣חַ אֵלַ֔י לֶאֱסֹ֥ף אִ֖ישׁ מִצָּֽרַעְתּ֑וֹ כִּ֤י אַךְ־דְּעֽוּ־נָא֙ וּרְא֔וּ כִּֽי־מִתְאַנֶּ֥ה ה֖וּא לִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And it came to pass, when the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- had readקָרָאqârâ' · to call: read outH7121
- the letterסֵ֫פֶרsêpher siphrâh · scroll: documentH5612
- that he rentקָרַעqâra‛ · to tearH7167
- his clothesבֶּ֫גֶדbeged · garmentH899
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- I Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- to killמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- and to make aliveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
- that this manזֶהzeh · thisH2088
- doth sendשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- unto me to recoverאָסַף'âsaph · to gatherH622
- a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- of his leprosyצָרַ֫עַתtsâra‛ath · leprosyH6883
- whereforeאַךְ'ak · surelyH389
- considerיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- I pray you, and seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- how he seeketh a quarrelאָנָה'ânâh · to meetH579
Cross-references for 2 Kings 5:7
- 2 Kings 11:14She looked, and there was the king standing by the pillar according to the custom. The commanders and the trumpeters were by the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed “Treason! Treason!”
- 2 Kings 18:37Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, Shebna the court secretary, and Joah son of Asaph, the court historian, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn and reported to him the words of the royal spokesman.
- 2 Kings 19:1When King Hezekiah heard their report, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the Lord’s temple.
- Numbers 14:6Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who scouted out the land, tore their clothes
- Jeremiah 36:24As they heard all these words, the king and all his servants did not become terrified or tear their clothes.
- Matthew 26:65Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? See, now you’ve heard the blasphemy.
- Acts 14:14The apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their robes when they heard this and rushed into the crowd, shouting,
- Genesis 30:2Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God? He has withheld offspring from you!”
- Deuteronomy 32:29If only they were wise, they would comprehend this; they would understand their fate.
- 1 Samuel 2:6The Lord brings death and gives life; he sends some down to Sheol, and he raises others up.
- Daniel 2:11What the king is asking is so difficult that no one can make it known to him except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.”
- Hosea 6:1Come, let’s return to the Lord. For he has torn us, and he will heal us; he has wounded us, and he will bind up our wounds.
- 1 Kings 20:7Then the king of Israel called for all the elders of the land and said, “Recognize that this one is only looking for trouble, for he demanded my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold, and I didn’t turn him down.”
- Luke 11:54they were lying in wait for him to trap him in something he said.
Commentaries on 2 Kings 5:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Am I God, to kill and to make alive - He spoke thus under the conviction that God alone could cure the leprosy; which, indeed, was universally acknowledged: and must have been as much a maxim among the Syrians as among the Israelites, for the disorder was equally prevalent in both countries; and in both equally incurable. See the notes on Leviticus 13 (note) and Leviticus 14 (note). And it was this that led the king of Israel to infer that the Syrian king…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7He rent his clothes - The action indicated alarm and terror quite as much as sorrow 2 Samuel 13:19; Ezra 9:3; 2 Chronicles 34:27; Jeremiah 36:22. Consider, I pray you - Jehoram speaks to his chief officers, and bids them mark the animus of the Syrian monarch. Compare the conduct of Ahab 1 Kings 20:7.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7tore his clothes: Tearing one's clothes was often a sign of strong emotion. For example: Agitation (2 Kings 11:4) Grief (Genesis 37:34; 2 Samuel 13:31) Sorrow (2 Kings 6:30; Job 1:20; 2:12) Due to ongoing distrust and hostility between the Arameans and Israelites, Joram thought the Aramean king wanted to start a fight, as had happened during his father Ahab's time (1 Kings 20:1–12).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes--According to an ancient practice among the Eastern people, the main object only was stated in the letter that was carried by the party concerned, while other circumstances were left to be explained at the interview. This explains Jehoram's burst of emotion--not horror at supposed blasphemy, but alarm and suspicion that this was merely made an occasion for a quarrel. Such a prince as…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Kings 5:7
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Kings 5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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