Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. Create an account or log in to get started. Iconclass is a classification system pertaining to art and iconography, designed to describe and classify subjects, themes, and motifs represented in images. And if you read the verses earlier the categories that Elisha mentioned to Gehazi are listed out as belonging to the promised land. Now in coming back, he acknowledged that there was no God in all the earth but in Israel. And so the king had torn his clothes and was all upset. The leprosy was gone.He was so excited he headed back to the prophet's house because he was loaded down with all kinds of gifts that the king of Syria had sent. 1800 (Stockholm, 2005), 213, no. A life of luxury based on the security of wealth, rather than a life of obedience. Maybe something's gone wrong." What's it going to hurt?" A1A16. She has done all the leadership work but finds no one is doing her bidding with the follow-up details. The paintings present restoration integrates these condition issues and unifies the composition well. He did not want money, wealth, power, or prestige to interfere with the call of God that was on his life. Much has been written, in the fields of anthropology, ethnography, ethics, and religious studies about gift-giving, sacrificing, and offering since the last century. Nephi called such employment "priestcraft," in which " . Elisha refused to accept the gifts, but his servant, Gehazi, decided he would "run after him, and take somewhat of him." How does a fan in a turbofan engine suck air in? 78. From whom acquired by the present owner in 2006. And so they came to the Jordan River and Naaman dipped himself in the Jordan River, and when he came up the seventh time, his flesh was pink like a baby's flesh. Naaman sends a letter to the king saying that he expected the king to heal him! Naaman wanted dirt from Israel because Israel was Yahwehs territory. And he urged him to take it; but he refused. In the past, the edges of the painting appear to have been folded over a smaller stretcher about an inch from the current edge. The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Muse des Beaux-Arts et de la Cramique de Rouen), and The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Muse des Beaux-Arts et dArchologie de Besanon); see Werner Sumowski, Gemlder der Rembrandt-Schler, vol. Elisha understood Naaman's request and granted it without hesitation. Click here to see the archived version(s) of this entry. For example, mentioned in Jacobszs stock inventory is a Naomi and Ruth by De Grebber, which would have been sent to the artist in Leeuwarden from Haarlem, or from Amsterdam via Hendrick Uylenburgh. Gehazi's Greed and Leprosy 15 Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God, stood before him, and declared, "Now I know for sure that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. And that is why, like Naaman, we must come humbly before the Lord to obtain favor and mercy in our time of need. Describing Diatheke: Covenant Centrality in the Bible, Pets in the Bible and Their Exegetical Significance, See to This: The Meaning of Jehovah Jireh in Genesis 22. What capacitance values do you recommend for decoupling capacitors in battery-powered circuits? Michael S. Heiser is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (M.A., Ancient History) and the University of Wisconsin- Madison (M.A., Ph.D., Hebrew Bible and Semitic Studies). Didn't go anywhere. When the prophet Elisha hears about this, he sends for general Naaman. Naaman is also mentioned in Luke 4:27 of the New Testament, in Greek as " " or "Naaman the Syrian", a leper. God is the one who gives, not Elisha. This event is alluded to in the words "because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria" (II Kings v. 1), and therefore the Syrian king, Naaman's master, was Benhadad (Midrash Shoer ob to. You know, I would like to go out and conquer a thousand giants or something. 4). Why did Elisha refuse Naaman's gift? Just to accept the fact that God loves me and to receive His gifts gracefully. If God was able to cleanse a man of an incurable skin condition why would God need that persons gold, or slaves or cattle? However, as noted, nothing is known about a commission, and it therefore remains uncertain for whom or which institution Jacobsz originally made this painting. ; Arama, "'Aedat Yia," ch. Ovens (Landau, 1983), 1630, no. The rabbinical tradition that Naaman was the archer (I Kings xxii. 10 million Ukrainians without power because of Russia. Interestingly, the Septuagint (the classic translation of the Old Testament into Greek) uses the word baptizein (to baptize) for Naamans immersions in the Jordan River. He did not want sin to come between him and the Lord or to hinder the Lord's work through his life because of his greed. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. We've got better rivers up in Damascus." He's going to set himself up. 635 (as Haarlem master); see also the RKD website. 2 Kings 3:14 And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee. But rather than personally receiving Naaman when the latter arrives at Elisha's house, Elisha merely sends a messenger to the door who tells Naaman to cure his affliction by dipping himself seven times in the Jordan River. 15:15-16 ). He didn't heal Naaman. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. rev2023.3.1.43269. (2 Kings 5:20. Josua Bruyn once remarked that the large-figure paintings produced in this workshopthe Backer-like Jacobsz and the Jacobsz-like Backer paintingswere difficult to distinguish.5 One example of how closely related the works of these painters were during this period is The Tribute Money in Stockholm. iii. Naamans unusual request stems from the ancientand biblicalconception that the earth is the locale for a cosmic turf war. Immediately after Babel, Yahweh called Abraham and the nation of Israel was created. The baths cured Naaman. Naaman's wife had a servant girl from Israel who said that a prophet there would be able to heal him. How to combine multiple named patterns into one Cases? (Comp. The Septuagint, the Greek Old Testament, uses the word baptizein for the dipping that heals the heathen Naaman from the skin disease called tzaraath. Jacobszs interpretation of this episode focuses on faith and not questions of civic virtues. Elisha's servant, Gehazi, was not happy. 6 (ascribed to Pieter de Grebber by Fred Meijer). And as they were going along, one of his servants said to him, "You know, had that prophet told you to do some great deed, you know, go out and slay the dragon and get the seven golden apples, had he given you some great deed to do, you would be glad to do it. Articles like these are sponsored free for every Catholic through the support of generous readers just like you. Because it's just such a simple thing, why don't you try it? Copyright 2023 The Christian Broadcasting Network. The Bible doesn't say whether God told him not to receive the gift from Naaman, but we see that Elisha was quick to refuse the offer, desiring only to honor God. This painting was long believed to have been painted by Lambert Jacobsz, but recently has been attributed to Jacob Backer.6. Because of this, Christian commentators have often interpreted the history of Naamans story as a typological prefiguration of the Christian church rite of baptism, in which Gods grace is freely given to a person who is not quite yet a Christian: in the end, it is a message of Gods grace going to meet the person where the person is, regardless of merit, unconditionally, asking nothing in return. 14:1-12, where God himself tells Moses the ritual for cleansing one with a skin disease). 1800 (Stockholm 2005), 59, no. 1631 (Private collection, United States); Peter van den Brink, Jacob Backer (1608/91651) (Exh. When he returned home, Elisha found out and punished Gehazi with leprosy for his greed. Let me have enough dirt from Israel to fill the baskets on two of my mules. People become very excited when they see God work. He is miraculously healed by the simple act. Christian theology depicts Naaman as an example for the will of God to save people who are considered by men as less than pious and unworthy of salvation. 34). Ps. New versions are added only when a substantive change to the narrative occurs. Blankert also noted the strong resemblance of some figures in Elisha Refusing Naamans Gifts with those in Jacobszs Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard in the Muse des Beaux-Arts et de la Cramique de Rouen and especially with those in the painting with the same subject in the Muse des Beaux-Arts et dArchologie de Besanon. Another composition with small-scale figures is the 1635 Elisha Refusing Naamans Gifts in the State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg. What happens when someone rejects a sacrifice, a gift, an offering? lx. 20-7 act epexegetically to Elisha's refusal to accept Naaman's gifts is plausible for three reasons. Aramean raiders invaded the land of Israel, and among their captives was a young girl who had been given to Naamans wife as a maid. By doing so, Naaman received his healing. 78. And he took it and put it in his house. Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular, LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel, Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular, Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular, Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not, Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular, Preposition | third person masculine singular, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular, Naaman, by the report of a captive maid, is sent to Samaria to be cured of leprosy, He refusing Naaman's gifts grants him some of the earth, Gehazi, abusing his master's name unto Naaman, is smitten with leprosy, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, OT History: 2 Kings 5:16 But he said As Yahweh lives before (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg). Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. Israel was therefore Yahwehs portion (Deut 32:9), whereas all the other nations belong to the sons of God whom Israel was forbidden to worship. First and foremost, Naaman's healing is not Elisha's gift: it is a gift freely bestowed by the grace of God, and Elisha is well aware of that. cat. The suggestion that vv. Although opinion varies as to how much a talent weighed (maybe 25-35kg), it was certainly a lot of money. Now the Arameans went out in bands and captured from the land of Israel a young girl, who ministered to Naaman's wife. Sources: April 1984 and April 1985 general conference reports and the Church Educational System's Old Testament Student Manual. . Kullanm artlarmz ve Gizlilik Politikamz kabul ettiiniz iin teekkr ederiz. Naaman, a man of heathen faith who is unfamiliar with the Jewish mezora, had expected the prophet himself to come out to him and to perform some kind of impressive ritual magic; he angrily refuses, and prepares to go home unhealed. Peter van den Brink, Jacob Backer (1608/91651) (Exh. See Albert Blankert, Kunst als regeringszaak in Amsterdam in de 17e eeuw (Exh. Elisha refuses. A person is not born a Mennonite, but only becomes one when mature enough to decide based on personal belief to follow the Christian faith, much like Naaman, who came to that revelation through the actions and words of Elisha. Elishas healing of Naaman in the Bible (the leper [and] commander of the army of the king of Syria) is a familiar story to many (2 Kgs 5:127). 2, Dutch Paintings c. 1600c. He did not want money, wealth, power, or prestige to interfere with the call of God that was on his life. But he said, As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none. Help us purchase electrical generators for churches. Around 1627, after finishing his training, Backer moved to Leeuwarden to assist his former neighbor with the production of paintings, especially large-figure history pieces.4 The collaboration between Jacobsz and Backer, his main assistant, must have been harmonious. Small sections of the ground have been left visible between some of the brushstrokes. This painting was first attributed to Lambert Jacobsz (and dated around 1630) by Jasper Hillegers; see Jasper Hillegers, Lambert Jacobsz (15981636) en zijn werkplaats: Atelierpraktijk in Leeuwarden omstreeks 1630, De Vrije Fries 89 (2009): 6792. And so Naaman came to Elisha's house and Elisha didn't even go out to meet him but sent his servant Gehazi out with the orders, "Go down to the Jordan River and just dip in the Jordan River seven times, and after you've dipped seven times, you'll be cleansed of your leprosy." The Bible doesn't say whether God told him not to receive the gift from Naaman, but we see that Elisha was quick to refuse the offer, desiring only to honor God. 1 Kings 18:15 And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day. He said, "Yea, everything's fine, except that my master had a couple of young prophets come in and they didn't have much. The suggestion that vv. 26:30. And he said. The biblical text (Cf. the Lord hath forbidden this thing." When Naaman hears what the servant tells him, he gets quite angry, and decides to go back home unhealed. . Why was Hezekiah not rebuked for seeking a sign in 2 Kings 20. Then Naaman said, "If you will not accept this gift, at least do this for me. Naaman was a powerful man and a warrior who was used to giving commands and having those commands obeyed. Notice Naaman asks for dirt to take back home with him. cat. "Elisha understood this truth perfectly, but Gehazi saw a chance for personal gain slipping away and let his greed overpower his good judgment.". I am grateful to Jasper Hillegers for alerting me to these similarities. But I can't. ", He was seeking healing from leprosy. (2 Ne. Now you see, he starts to read his mind at this point, or he starts to discern what was on his heart. 10:8. 2 Now the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and . It. The temptation to use priesthood power for personal gain has plagued man throughout history (see for example the account of Balaam in Jude 1:11and the account of Nehor in Alma 1). But he said, As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. Jacob de Wet, Elisha Refusing Naamans Gifts (present whereabouts unknown); Werner Sumowski, Gemlde der Rembrandt-Schler, vol. A servant of Elisha, Gehazi, seeing Naaman being turned away from offering God offerings, ran after him and falsely asked for clothing and silver for visitors. Naaman was a powerful man and a warrior who was used to giving commands and having those commands obeyed. Why would he ask for dirt? The new baptism takes place in the Jordan River where Jesus of Nazareth, also called the Christ by his followers, was baptized many centuries later. In the healing of Naaman we find some interesting things, and one of them is that typically, we, all of us, really have difficulty with just accepting the grace of God. L.J (Yet another landscape with a large ruin and a river within the foreground Naaman speaking to Gehazi, the prophet Elishas servant, who came after him, and for whom a carriage waits in the distance). In v5, we read that Naaman only took with him money (gold and silver) and clothes, so I don't see how Elisha could have refused the other gifts if Naaman didn't even bring them (and how could he bring an olive orchard with him? 2 Kgs 5:14-17) explains Naaman was a Syrian warlord, who suffered from a grave skin condition (most likely, leprosy). Ewald ("Gesch." So his king, his soldiers, and the people of Syria heaped praise upon him. But he was a leper. I speculate that God seeing a true turning of Naaman to Himself did not want Naaman to say that he contributed toward his conversion, especially not with material and perishable things Share Improve this answer Get a roundup of new Word by Word articles in your inbox each Friday. .css-tadcwa:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Daniel Esparza - @media screen and (max-width: 767px){.css-1xovt06 .date-separator{display:none;}.css-1xovt06 .date-updated{display:block;width:100%;}}published on 10/13/19. Lambert Jacobszs Elisha Refusing Naamans Gifts depicts an episode from the Old Testament story of Naaman, the widely admired commander of the Syrian army, and the Prophet Elisha, who cured him of leprosy. But despite repeated urgings, Elisha replied, "I will receive none," and Naaman departed ( 1 Kgs. Does Cast a Spell make you a spellcaster? This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Where our treasure is, there will heart be also. It only takes a minute to sign up. He declared that the rivers in Damascus were cleaner than any river in Israel. Not only is Elisha's gesture of refusal reminiscent of that in the Leiden Collection painting, but Gehazi similarly stands behind the prophet in both works. But we rebel against that simplicity. And the guy urged him, but still he refused. Just to receive from God the simplicity with which God gives to me. Naaman's wife had a servant girl from Israel who said that a prophet there would be able to heal him. Yet Naaman was a leper. 6, Nachtrge, Ortsregister, Ikonographisches Register, Bibliographie, Knstlerverzeichnis (Landau, 1983), no. ; but as the interval between the death of Ahab and the curing of Naaman's leprosy is not known, it is impossible to identify the King of Israel to whom Naaman was sent with a letter. Naaman and the Servant Girl Naaman and the Servant Girl Back To All Episodes Naaman and the Servant Girl Episode: 305 Season: 3 Joy is upset because she's in charge of a big service project. This is where Halbertals remarks might come in handy: if a gift is supposed to start a gift cycle, why is Elisha not willing to partake in it? I want to do some great thing for God. And salvation is such a simple thing. Naaman was a great man. 26:29.) Send him to me so he may know there is a prophet in Israel." 9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood in the doorway of Elisha's house. The king of Israel didn't know what to do, yet Elisha (Eliseus) sent a message to the King, advising that the King tell Naaman to come to see him. Elisha refused gifts for use of power By Church News Archives 15 June 1990, 11:00 PM PDT After Naaman was cured of leprosy, he offered Elisha gifts for his use of priesthood powers. Keep them." So when he came before the man of God, he had difficulty humbling himself in obedience to the Lord's instructions. Why would God have rejected Cains offering? The third one is, then, that of the gifts: Naaman insists on giving Elisha some gift (the text doesnt specify what, but one can assume that it might have to do with Naamans six thousand shekels of gold), but Elisha refuses him, saying As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.. The original support has been lined and its tacking margins have been removed. If anyone should have known and obeyed the commandments of God, it was Gehazi. See Hendrik Luitje Straat, Lambert Jacobsz, schilder, De Vrije Fries 28 (1928): 74. 18 (The rule is that, in general, we are forbidden, but there are certain situations where we can accept gifts, albeit discreetly. He then praised the lord of Israel as the only true god. Naaman was cured of his leprosy. All rights reserved. And came whistling in. Can we simply say no, thanks, you keep it to that uncle who has sacrificed some of his time and money to give us (again) a pack of three handkerchiefs for Christmas? The regents of the Leprozenhuizen in Haarlem and Amsterdam seem to have used Naamans story to show their integrity, as city councils often fall back on stories from classical history. 20-7). Not only is Elishas gesture of refusal reminiscent of that in the Leiden Collection painting, but Gehazi similarly stands behind the prophet in both works. When Naaman left Elisha's house to return home to Syria, Gehazi was filled with greed. "And word came to Elisha of how the king was so upset because of this demand. So he planned on taking dirt from where Elisha, the man of God, lived. Why does Jesus turn to the Father to forgive in Luke 23:34? Naaman was a warrior who won many battles for his king and his country. And so, he'd like a couple of changes of apparel for them and a talent of silver. Rawlinson, "Ancient Monarchies," ii. And in the letter it said, "I want you to heal my general of this leprosy." The man was also a valiant warrior, but he was a leper. And when Gehazi came up, he said, "Is everything fine?" Sperkitap web sitesini kullanarak, Kullanm artlarmz ve Gizlilik Politikamz kabul etmi olursunuz. ), "It is, after all, by divine power that men are able to perform priesthood miracles," states the manual. Elisha the prophet healed Naaman of his leprosy by the power of the Lord (verse 14), and Naaman praised God and offered Elisha a gift, which Elisha refused to accept (verse 16). When a joyful Naaman stood before Gehazi and Elisha, with skin clean and pure, Naaman pleaded, "Take a blessing [gift] of thy servant.". An Israelite maid he had captured advised him to go see the prophet Elisha. Naaman believed that "There [was] no God in all the earth but in Israel" ( 2 Kgs 5:15) and wanted to return to his homeland with holy ground. Elisha refused the gift and sent the Syrian commander away in peace. Read more:What is the difference between Elijah and Elisha? Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. 20-7 act epexegetically to Elisha's refusal to accept Naaman's gifts is plausible for three reasons. When he returned home, Elisha found out and punished . Simon Kick, Elisha Refusing Naamans Gifts, 1644 (Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemldegalerie); Werner Sumowski, Gemlde der Rembrandt-Schler, vol. 5 Insights for Interpreting the Deaths of Ananias and Sapphira. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. ), Naaman returns to Elisha with lavish gifts, which Elisha flatly refuses to accept. Angered, Elisha curses his servant, and the servant has Naaman's leprosy for the rest of his life. 15, 5). He couldnt stay in Israel, but he could take Israel with him. But his slaves suggest to him that he really has nothing to lose by giving it a try: Elishas instructions are actually quite easy to follow. Naaman would build and altar on the dirt and make an offering to the one true God. Then when his mentor was taken up into the whirlwind, Elisha became the leader of the sons of the prophets. And so the king of Syria Benhadad sent a formal letter to the king of Israel [and sent Naaman down] ( 2 Kings 5:1-5 ). The paint layers are generally in good condition. If the tradition is correct, the Syrian king whom Naaman served must have been Ben-hadad II. And so Gehazi went out from his presence a leper ( 2 Kings 5:27 ). The model for the elderly man was also used for a version of The Tribute Money in Stockholm by Jacob Backer in his Leeuwarden period; see Grel Cavalli-Bjrkman, Dutch and Flemish Paintings, vol. Why must a product of symmetric random variables be symmetric? 552 et seq.) In The Leiden Collection Catalogue, 3rd ed. Elisha hearing from God refused out of obedience to God anything Naaman offered because after all he was entitled to payment as a prophet. We are like Naaman that we don't always recognize that our lives are held together by God's power and grace. The dirt which is Yahwehs domain is holy ground. In the same way, each one of us needs to be careful to check our heart and our motives in pursuing wealth, especially when it has to do with the kingdom of God or ministry to others. His refusal, strongly contrasting with the conduct of ordinary prophets, Israelite and heathen (comp. 6, unsold). Sign up for our Premium service. The first small-figure picture is known only from a description in Lamberts inventory, where it can be gleaned that a landscape formed the backdrop for Gehazis attempt to inveigle Naaman into giving him the gifts. ( ). [2][3] In fact, he almost lost out on his healing because he did not want to follow the instructions of Elisha to bathe in the Jordan River. Jacobsz also painted original compositions, of which his assistants made copies and variations. When the two meet, Elisha tells him rather dismissively that he needs to take a bath in the Jordan River. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. The display of power, so transparently without sacrifice or incantation, awakens Naaman to the fact that Yahweh of Israel is the true God.
