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2 Kings 5:16-18
New Catholic Bible
2 Kings 5:16-18
New Catholic Bible
16 He answered, “As the Lord lives before whom I stand, I will not accept it.” Even though he urged him to take it, he refused.[a]
17 [b]Naaman said, “If not, then let your servant be given two donkey loads of dirt, for your servant will never again offer burnt offerings or sacrifices to any other god but the Lord. 18 Only may the Lord forgive me this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand and I also bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant this thing.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Kings 5:16 Given the time and place, the prophet’s disinterestedness is admirable. He anticipates the command of Jesus to the apostles that they should not take pay for their ministry (Mt 10:8). Elijah’s action stands out even more clearly in contrast to his servant, who is so greedy that he is willing even to slander his master (vv. 20-21).
- 2 Kings 5:17 Rimmon or Hadad-rimmon was the principal divinity of Damascus (Zec 12:11). Naaman asks for a little earth from the land of the true God in order to make for himself a sacred place in which he may pray. He thereby becomes a model for converted pagans. But he is faced with a difficult matter of conscience and he asks that he not be forbidden outward participation in the false worship that is forced upon him. The prophet leaves the convert in his state of good faith, without expressly giving his approval.
