2 Kings 5:1

1. Naaman According to some of the rabbies, he was the man who drew the bow and unintentionally killed Ahab, king of Israel. 1 Kings 22:34. Josephus, in giving account of Ahab’s death, makes the same statement, but makes no mention of Naaman’s leprosy, or its cure by Elisha.

Captain of the host… of Syria Commander-in-chief of the Syrian army.

A great man with his master That is, greatly prized, loved, and reverenced by his king. In Ben-hadad’s court there was no man so great as Naaman.

By him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria That is, by some great and famous exploit Naaman had won a memorable victory for the Syrians. Perhaps the very exploit which had secured him this fame and honour with the king was his shooting Ahab.

A mighty man in valour A valiant warrior. He was every inch a soldier, and had gained his honours by valour as well as by fortune.

But he was a leper And this cast a shadow over all his greatness. “Every man,” says Henry, “has some but or other in his character; something that blemishes and diminishes him; some alloy to his grandeur, some damp to his joy; he may be very happy, very good, yet, in something or other, not so good as he should be, nor so happy as he would be. Naaman was as great as the world could make him, and yet the basest slave in Syria would not change skins with him.” In Syria the leprosy was no bar to human society, nor to offices of trust and honour; but in Israel the leper was made to dwell alone, and could not mingle in society. Compare Leviticus 13:46; Num 5:2 ; 2 Chronicles 26:21. The leprosy is a significant type of sin and spiritual impurity; and how many there are of great worldly honour and power, having all of earth that heart need wish, while in spirit they are lepers!