His remarkable healing shows that faith in God’s power, combined with humble obedience, results in wholeness and renewal.
In this verse we read, “So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child and he was clean” (v.14). Naaman was a commander of the army of the king of Aram (modern-day Syria) around the mid-9th century BC. Even though he was not an Israelite, he recognized Elisha’s prophetic authority and followed Elisha’s instruction to wash in the Jordan River, which flows north to south through ancient Israel. The Jordan played an important role in Israelite history: it marked the boundary the Israelites crossed under Joshua’s leadership to enter the Promised Land (Joshua 3:14-17) and has long been regarded as a place of divine meeting and purifying symbolism.
In carrying out the command to dip himself seven times (v.14), Naaman displayed humility by doing something that initially felt beneath him (2 Kings 5:11-12), showing us that true faith often requires an openness to God’s methods, whatever they may be. When the verse says “his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child and he was clean” (v.14), it underscores the completeness of God’s miracle. It was not a partial healing; rather, Naaman’s skin became as pure and healthy as a child’s, which symbolizes both physical and spiritual cleansing. Jesus Himself referred to Naaman’s story, noting God’s sovereign grace to outsiders (Luke 4:27).
Naaman’s experience points us toward the greater spiritual truth that faith requires action, which in this narrative was a demonstration of obedience. By washing in one of the most prominent waterways in ancient Israel, Naaman accepted God’s solution to his problem. This acceptance points forward to Jesus Christ, who often healed those from various backgrounds when they approached Him in trust (Luke 17:11-19). The lesson resonates: our own sense of unworthiness or pride can easily stand in the way of experiencing God’s complete restoration, but willing submission to God’s instructions leads to transformative grace.
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2 Kings 5:14 meaning
In this verse we read, “So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child and he was clean” (v.14). Naaman was a commander of the army of the king of Aram (modern-day Syria) around the mid-9th century BC. Even though he was not an Israelite, he recognized Elisha’s prophetic authority and followed Elisha’s instruction to wash in the Jordan River, which flows north to south through ancient Israel. The Jordan played an important role in Israelite history: it marked the boundary the Israelites crossed under Joshua’s leadership to enter the Promised Land (Joshua 3:14-17) and has long been regarded as a place of divine meeting and purifying symbolism.
In carrying out the command to dip himself seven times (v.14), Naaman displayed humility by doing something that initially felt beneath him (2 Kings 5:11-12), showing us that true faith often requires an openness to God’s methods, whatever they may be. When the verse says “his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child and he was clean” (v.14), it underscores the completeness of God’s miracle. It was not a partial healing; rather, Naaman’s skin became as pure and healthy as a child’s, which symbolizes both physical and spiritual cleansing. Jesus Himself referred to Naaman’s story, noting God’s sovereign grace to outsiders (Luke 4:27).
Naaman’s experience points us toward the greater spiritual truth that faith requires action, which in this narrative was a demonstration of obedience. By washing in one of the most prominent waterways in ancient Israel, Naaman accepted God’s solution to his problem. This acceptance points forward to Jesus Christ, who often healed those from various backgrounds when they approached Him in trust (Luke 17:11-19). The lesson resonates: our own sense of unworthiness or pride can easily stand in the way of experiencing God’s complete restoration, but willing submission to God’s instructions leads to transformative grace.