God’s Word Translation
2 Kings 5:12
12The Abana and Pharpar Rivers in Damascus have better water than any of the rivers in Israel. Couldn’t I wash in them and be clean?” So he turned around and left in anger.
2 Kings 5:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
- New International Version (NIV)Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.
Context of 2 Kings 5:12
10Elisha sent a messenger to him. He said, “Wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River, and your skin will be healthy and clean.” 11But Naaman became angry and left. He said, “I thought he would at least come out ⌞of his house⌟, stand somewhere, call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the ⌞infected⌟ place, and heal the skin disease. The Abana and Pharpar Rivers in Damascus have better water than any of the rivers in Israel. Couldn’t I wash in them and be clean?” So he turned around and left in anger. 13But Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “Master, if the prophet had asked you to do some extraordinary act, wouldn’t you have done it? Why shouldn’t you do as he said: ‘Wash and be clean’?” 14So he went to dip himself in the Jordan River seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. His skin became healthy again like a little child’s skin.
Read all of 2 Kings 52 Kings 5:12 word by word
הֲלֹ֡א טוֹב֩ אֲמָנָ֨ה וּפַרְפַּ֜ר נַהֲר֣וֹת דַּמֶּ֗שֶׂק מִכֹּל֙ מֵימֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הֲלֹֽא־אֶרְחַ֥ץ בָּהֶ֖ם וְטָהָ֑רְתִּי וַיִּ֖פֶן וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ בְּחֵמָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- not Abanaאֲמָנָה'ămânâh · AmanaH549
- not Abanaאֲבָנָה'ăbânâh · AbanaH71
- and Pharparפַּרְפַּרparpar · PharparH6554
- riversנָהָרnâhâr · riverH5104
- of Damascusדַּמֶּ֫שֶׂקdammeώeq dûmeώeq darmeώeq · DamascusH1834
- betterטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- than all the watersמַיmayim · waterH4325
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- may I not washרָחַץrâchats · to wash: washH7364
- in them, and be cleanטָהֵרţâhêr · be pureH2891
- So he turnedפָּנָהpânâh · to turnH6437
- and went awayיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- in a rageחֵמָהchêmâh chêmâ' · rageH2534
Cross-references for 2 Kings 5:12
- 2 Kings 5:17So Naaman said, “If you won’t take it, please have someone give me as much dirt as a pair of mules can carry. From now on I will sacrifice to the Lord alone. I will not offer any burnt offering or sacrifice to any other gods.
- 2 Kings 2:8Elijah took his coat, rolled it up, and struck the water with it. The water divided to their left and their right, and the two men crossed ⌞the river⌟ on dry ground.
- Joshua 3:15(The Jordan overflows all its banks during the harvest season.) When the priests who were carrying the ark came to the edge of the Jordan River and set foot in
- Ezekiel 47:1Then the man took me back to the door of the temple. I saw water flowing from under the entrance of the temple toward the east. (The temple faced east.) The water was flowing under the south side of the temple, south of the altar.
- Zechariah 13:1⌞The Lord declares,⌟ “On that day a fountain will be opened for David’s family and for those who live in Jerusalem to wash away ⌞their⌟ sin and stain.
- Zechariah 14:8On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it to the Dead Sea and the other half to the Mediterranean Sea. It will continue in summer and in winter.
- Mark 1:9At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River.
Commentaries on 2 Kings 5:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Are not Abana and Pharpar - At present these rivers do not exist by these names; and where they are we know not; nor whether they were the Orontes and Chrysorroes. Mr. Maundrell, who traveled over all this ground, could find no vestige of the names Abana and Pharpar. The river Barrady he accurately describes: it has its source in Antilibanus; and, after having plentifully watered the city of Damascus and the gardens, dividing into three branches, (one of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12The Abana is the Barada, or true river of Damascus, which, rising in the anti-Libanus, flows westward from its foot and forms the oasis within which Damascus is placed. The Pharpar is usually identified with the Awaaj. Naaman thinks that, if washing is to cure him, his own rivers may serve the purpose. Their water was brighter, clearer, and colder than that of Jordan.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-14Verses 9-14 Elisha knew Naaman to be a proud man, and he would let him know, that before the great God all men stand upon the same level. All God's commands make trial of men's spirits, especially those which direct a sinner how to apply for the blessings of salvation. See in Naaman the folly of pride; a cure will not content him, unless he be cured with pomp and parade. He scorns to be healed, unless he be humoured. The way by which a sinner is received…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-12Instead of welcoming Naaman, who came to pay for his healing, Elisha left him at the door and sent a messenger to speak with him. Naaman expected special treatment because of his status and felt let down by Elisha's refusal to meet him and by the instructions to wash seven times in the Jordan River. He thought the Jordan was inferior to the rivers of Aram. Washing in the Jordan would visibly show that only Yahweh, the God of Israel, could heal Naaman.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-128-12. when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, ... let him come now to me--This was the grand and ultimate object to which, in the providence of God, the journey of Naaman was subservient. When the Syrian general, with his imposing retinue, arrived at the prophet's house, Elisha sent him a message to "go and wash in Jordan seven times." This apparently rude reception to a…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Kings 5:12
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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