New Living Translation
2 Kings 5:16
16But Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept any gifts.” And though Naaman urged him to take the gift, Elisha refused.
2 Kings 5:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But he said, As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
- New International Version (NIV)The prophet answered, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.” And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But he said, "As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none." And he urged him to take it, but he refused.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But he said, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.
Context of 2 Kings 5:16
14So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child, and he was healed! 15Then Naaman and his entire party went back to find the man of God. They stood before him, and Naaman said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.” But Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept any gifts.” And though Naaman urged him to take the gift, Elisha refused. 17Then Naaman said, “All right, but please allow me to load two of my mules with earth from this place, and I will take it back home with me. From now on I will never again offer burnt offerings or sacrifices to any other god except the Lord. 18However, may the Lord pardon me in this one thing: When my master the king goes into the temple of the god Rimmon to worship there and leans on my arm, may the Lord pardon me when I bow, too.”
Read all of 2 Kings 52 Kings 5:16 word by word
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר חַי־יְהוָ֛ה אֲשֶׁר־עָמַ֥דְתִּי לְפָנָ֖יו אִם־אֶקָּ֑ח וַיִּפְצַר־בּ֥וֹ לָקַ֖חַת וַיְמָאֵֽן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- livethחַיchay · aliveH2416
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- whom I standעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
- I will receiveלָקַחlâqach · to take: recieveH3947
- none. And he urgedפָּצַרpâtsar · to pressH6484
- but he refusedמָאֵןmâ'ên · to refuseH3985
Cross-references for 2 Kings 5:16
- 2 Kings 3:14Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, I wouldn’t even bother with you except for my respect for King Jehoshaphat of Judah.
- 1 Kings 17:1Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, “As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives—the God I serve—there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!”
- 1 Kings 18:15But Elijah said, “I swear by the Lord Almighty, in whose presence I stand, that I will present myself to Ahab this very day.”
- 2 Kings 5:20But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, the man of God, said to himself, “My master should not have let this Aramean get away without accepting any of his gifts. As surely as the Lord lives, I will chase after him and get something from him.”
- Genesis 14:22Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I solemnly swear to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,
- 1 Kings 13:8But the man of God said to the king, “Even if you gave me half of everything you own, I would not go with you. I would not eat or drink anything in this place.
- Daniel 5:17Daniel answered the king, “Keep your gifts or give them to someone else, but I will tell you what the writing means.
- Matthew 10:8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!
- Acts 8:18When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power.
- Acts 20:33“I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes.
- 1 Corinthians 6:12You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything.
- 1 Corinthians 10:32Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God.
- 2 Corinthians 11:9And when I was with you and didn’t have enough to live on, I did not become a financial burden to anyone. For the brothers who came from Macedonia brought me all that I needed. I have never been a burden to you, and I never will be.
- 2 Corinthians 12:14Now I am coming to you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you. I don’t want what you have—I want you. After all, children don’t provide for their parents. Rather, parents provide for their children.
Commentaries on 2 Kings 5:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16I will receive none - It was very common to give presents to all great and official men; and among these, prophets were always included: but as it might have appeared to the Syrians that he had taken the offered presents as a remuneration for the cure performed, he refused; for as God alone did the work, he alone should have all the glory.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16I will receive none - The prophets were in the habit of receiving presents from those who consulted them 1 Samuel 9:7-8; 1 Kings 14:3, but Elisha refused. It was important that Naaman should not suppose that the prophets of the true God acted from motives of self-interest, much less imagine that “the gift of God might be purchased with money” Acts 8:20.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. 15-16No God … except in Israel: Naaman's physical healing led to his spiritual conversion. Like the Samaritan leper healed by Jesus, Naaman returned to thank his healer (Luke 17:15–16). Naaman offered a gift out of gratitude, but Elisha refused. God's grace and blessings cannot be bought with money, gifts, or favors (Isaiah 55:1–5; Romans 2:4; 1 Corinthians 2:12; Ephesians 4:8).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-1615-16. he returned to the man of God--After the miraculous cure, Naaman returned to Elisha, to whom he acknowledged his full belief in the sole supremacy of the God of Israel and offered him a liberal reward. But to show that he was not actuated by the mercenary motives of the heathen priests and prophets, Elisha, though he accepted presents on other occasions (2Ki 4:42), respectfully but firmly declined them on this, being desirous that the Syrians…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Kings 5:16
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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