God’s Word Translation
2 Kings 5:18
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.”
2 Kings 5:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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 myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing.
- New International Version (NIV)But may the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning on my arm and I have to bow there also—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)In this matter may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon your servant in this matter."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Yet in this thing may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord please pardon your servant in this thing.”
Context of 2 Kings 5:18
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. 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. May 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, 20Gehazi, the servant of Elisha (the man of God), thought, “My master let this Aramean Naaman go without accepting what he had brought. As sure as the Lord lives, I’ll run after Naaman and get something from him.”
Read all of 2 Kings 52 Kings 5:18 word by word
לַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה יִסְלַ֥ח יְהוָ֖ה לְעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ בְּב֣וֹא אֲדֹנִ֣י בֵית־רִמּוֹן֩ לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹ֨ת שָׁ֜מָּה וְה֣וּא׀ נִשְׁעָ֣ן עַל־יָדִ֗י וְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֵ֙יתִי֙ בֵּ֣ית רִמֹּ֔ן בְּהִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָ֙תִי֙ בֵּ֣ית רִמֹּ֔ן יִסְלַח־יְהוָ֥ה לְעַבְדְּךָ֖ בַּדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- In this thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- pardonסָלַחsâlach · to forgiveH5545
- thy servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- when my masterאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
- goethבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- into the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: templeH1004
- of Rimmonרִמּוֹןrimmôn rimmôn rimmônô · RimmonH7417
- to worshipשָׁחָהshâchâh · to bowH7812
- there, and he leanethשָׁעַןshâ‛an · to leanH8172
- on my handיָדyâd · handH3027
Cross-references for 2 Kings 5:18
- 2 Kings 7:2The servant on whose arm the king was leaning answered the man of God, “Could this happen even if the Lord poured rain through windows in the sky?” Elisha replied, “You will see it with your own eyes, but you won’t eat any of it.”
- 2 Kings 17:35When the Lord made a promise to Israel, he commanded, “Never worship other gods, bow down to them, serve them, or sacrifice to them.
- Exodus 20:5Never worship them or serve them, because I, the Lord your God, am a God who does not tolerate rivals. I punish children for their parents’ sins to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me.
- 1 Kings 19:18But I still have 7,000 people in Israel whose knees have not knelt to worship Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
- 2 Chronicles 30:18Many people from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not made themselves clean. So they ate the Passover, but not in the way the written instructions said they should. Hezekiah prayed for them: “May the good Lord forgive
- Jeremiah 50:20In those days and at that time,” declares the Lord, “people will look for Israel’s crimes, but they will find none. They will look for Judah’s sins, but none will be found. I will forgive the faithful few whom I have spared.
Commentaries on 2 Kings 5:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant - It is useless to enter into the controversy concerning this verse. By no rule of right reasoning, nor by any legitimate mode of interpretation, can it be stated that Naaman is asking pardon for offenses which he may commit, or that he could ask or the prophet grant indulgence to bow himself in the temple of Rimmon, thus performing a decided act of homage, the very essence of that worship which immediately before…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Rimmon is known to us as a god only by this passage. The name is connected with a root “to be high.” Hadad-rimmon Zechariah 12:11, the name of a place near Megiddo, points to the identity of Rimmon with Hadad, who is known to have been the Sun, the chief object of worship to the Syrians. When he leaneth on mine hand - The practice of a monarch‘s “leaning on the hand” of an attendant was not common in the East (compare the marginal reference). It probably…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. 18The name Rimmon appears in Tabrimmon (1 Kings 15:18), the father of Ben-hadad I. In Aramean, the god's name is actually Ramman (meaning the thunderer), a storm god mentioned in Assyrian writings. The spelling Rimmon (meaning pomegranate) might be a pun to mock the god.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. goeth into the house of Rimmon--a Syrian deity; probably the sun, or the planetary system, of which a pomegranate (Hebrew, Rimmon) was the symbol. leaneth on my hand--that is, meaning the service which Naaman rendered as the attendant of his sovereign. Elisha's prophetic commission not extending to any but the conversion of Israel from idolatry, he makes no remark, either approving or disapproving, on the declared course of Naaman, but simply gives…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Kings 5:18
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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