7 And it came to pass when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his garments, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeks an occasion against me.
Jehovah killeth, and maketh alive; he bringeth down to Sheol, and bringeth up.
And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, Am I in God's stead, who has withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?
See now that I, I am HE, And there is no god with me; I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal, And there is none that delivereth out of my hand,
watching him, [and seeking] to catch something out of his mouth, [that they might accuse him].
Oh that they had been wise! they would have understood this, They would have considered their latter end!
And she looked, and behold, the king stood on the dais, according to the custom, and the princes and the trumpeters were by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets. And Athaliah rent her garments and cried, Conspiracy! Conspiracy!
For the thing that the king demandeth is extraordinary, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.
Come and let us return unto Jehovah: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Kings 5
Commentary on 2 Kings 5 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 5
Two more of Elisha's miracles are recorded in this chapter.
2Ki 5:1-8
Our saviour's miracles were intended for the lost sheep of the house of Israel, yet one, like a crumb, fell from the table to a woman of Canaan; so this one miracle Elisha wrought for Naaman, a Syrian; for God does good to all, and will have all men to be saved. Here is,
2Ki 5:9-14
We have here the cure of Naaman's leprosy.
2Ki 5:15-19
Of the ten lepers that our Saviour cleansed, the only one that returned to give thanks was a Samaritan, Lu. 17:16. This Syrian did so, and here expresses himself.
2Ki 5:20-27
Naaman, a Syrian, a courtier, a soldier, had many servants, and we read how wise and good they were, v. 13. Elisha, a holy prophet, a man of God, has but one servant, and he proves a base, lying, naughty fellow. Those that heard of Elisha at a distance honoured him, and got good by what they heard; but he that stood continually before him, to hear his wisdom, had no good impressions made upon him either by his doctrine or miracles. One would have expected that Elisha's servant should be a saint (even Ahab's servant, Obadiah, was), but even Christ himself had a Judas among his followers. The means of grace cannot give grace. The best men, the best ministers have often had those about them that have been their grief and shame. The nearer the church the further from God. Many come from the east and west to sit down with Abraham when the children of the kingdom shall be cast out. Here is,