God’s Word Translation
2 Kings 5:17
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 5:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules’ burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the Lord.
- New International Version (NIV)“If you will not,” said Naaman, “please let me, your servant, be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the Lord.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Naaman said, "If not, please let there be given to your servant two mule loads of earth, for from now on your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the Lord.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So Naaman said, “Then, if not, please let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth; for your servant will no longer offer either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord.
Context of 2 Kings 5:17
15Then he and all his men returned to the man of God. Naaman stood in front of Elisha and said, “Now I know that there’s no god in the whole world, except the God of Israel. So please accept a present from me.” 16Elisha said, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord whom I serve lives, I will not accept it.” Naaman urged him to take it, but he refused. So 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. 18May the Lord forgive me when my master goes to the temple of Rimmon to worship, leans on my arm, and I have to bow down in the temple of Rimmon. When I do this, may the Lord forgive me for this one thing.” 19Elisha told Naaman, “Go in peace.” After Elisha had left him and gone some distance,
Read all of 2 Kings 52 Kings 5:17 word by word
וַיֹּאמֶר֮ נַעֲמָן֒ וָלֹ֕א יֻתַּן־נָ֣א לְעַבְדְּךָ֔ מַשָּׂ֥א צֶֽמֶד־פְּרָדִ֖ים אֲדָמָ֑ה כִּ֡י לֽוֹא־יַעֲשֶׂה֩ ע֨וֹד עַבְדְּךָ֜ עֹלָ֤ה וָזֶ֙בַח֙ לֵאלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים כִּ֖י אִם־לַיהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Naamanנַעֲמָןna‛ămân · NaamanH5283
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Shall there not then, I pray thee, be givenנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- to thy servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- twoצֶ֫מֶדtsemed · pairH6776
- mules’פֶּ֫רֶדpered · muleH6505
- burdenמַשָּׂאmaώώâ' · burdenH4853
- of earthאֲדָמָה'ădâmâh · land: soilH127
- will henceforth offerעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: offerH6213
- neither burnt offeringעֹלָה‛ôlâh ‛ôlâh · burnt offeringH5930
- nor sacrificeזֶ֫בַחzebach · sacrificeH2077
- unto otherאַחֵר'achêr · anotherH312
- godsאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- but unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
Cross-references for 2 Kings 5:17
- 2 Kings 5:12The 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.
- Romans 14:1Welcome people who are weak in faith, but don’t get into an argument over differences of opinion.
- Acts 26:18You will open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from Satan’s control to God’s. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and a share among God’s people who are made holy by believing in me.’
- 1 Thessalonians 1:9They talk about how you welcomed us when we arrived. They even report how you turned away from false gods to serve the real, living God
- 1 Peter 4:3You spent enough time in the past doing what unbelievers like to do. You were promiscuous, had sinful desires, got drunk, went to wild parties, and took part in the forbidden worship of false gods.
Commentaries on 2 Kings 5:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Shall there not then, I pray thee - This verse is understood two different ways. I will give them both in a paraphrase: - Shall there not then be given unto thy servant [viz., Naaman] two mules' burden of this Israelitish earth, that I may build an altar with it, on which I may offer sacrifices to the God of Israel? For thy servant, etc. Shall there not be given to thy [Elisha's] servant [Gehazi] two mules' burden of this earth? i.e., the gold and silver…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Two mules‘ burden of earth - This earth, Naaman thought, spread over a portion of Syrian ground, would hallow and render it suitable for the worship of Yahweh.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-19Verses 15-19 The mercy of the cure affected Naaman more than the miracle. Those are best able to speak of the power of Divine grace, who themselves experience it. He also shows himself grateful to Elisha the prophet. Elijah refused any recompence, not because he thought it unlawful, for he received presents from others, but to show this new convert that the servants of the God of Israel looked upon worldly wealth with a holy contempt. The whole work was…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17soil: In ancient Near Eastern customs, people linked a nation's god with its land. Naaman thought he needed Israelite soil to build an altar and worship Israel's God correctly.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. two mules' burden of earth--with which to make an altar (Ex 20:24) to the God of Israel. What his motive or his purpose was in this proposal--whether he thought that God could be acceptably worshipped only on his own soil; or whether he wished, when far away from the Jordan, to have the earth of Palestine to rub himself with, which the Orientals use as a substitute for water; or whether, by making such a request of Elisha, he thought the prophet's…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Kings 5:17
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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