King James Version

What Does 2 Kings 5:6 Mean?

2 Kings 5:6 in the King James Version says “And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewit...” — study this verse from 2 Kings chapter 5 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.”

2 Kings 5:6 · KJV

Context

4

And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.

5

And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment. with: Heb. in his hand

6

And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.

7

And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.

8

And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.

Read 2 Kings 5 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.

This verse contributes to the overall theme of chapter 5: God's grace extends to Gentiles; judgment on greed. The reference to kingship reminds readers that all human authority is subordinate to God's ultimate kingship. The prophetic ministry served as God's primary means of covenant enforcement, calling both kings and people to faithfulness. During this period, Israel and Judah struggled with persistent idolatry, particularly Baal worship introduced under Ahab and Jezebel.

The narrative demonstrates God's justice in judging covenant unfaithfulness while maintaining His ultimate purposes for redemption.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Historical Setting: 2 Kings 5 takes place during the Elisha prophetic ministry, approximately 850-800 BCE. The chapter's theme (Naaman's Healing and Gehazi's Greed) reflects the historical reality of God's compassionate provision through prophetic miracles while both kingdoms struggled with persistent idolatry. Archaeological evidence from this period includes royal inscriptions, administrative documents, and material culture that corroborate the biblical account while providing additional context for understanding the political and social dynamics at work.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does this verse contribute to understanding the theological message of 2 Kings 5 regarding god's grace extends to gentiles; judgment on greed?
  2. What does this passage reveal about God's character, particularly His justice, mercy, and faithfulness to covenant promises?
  3. In what practical ways should this text shape contemporary Christian thinking about faithfulness, worship, and obedience to God?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 19 words
כְּב֨וֹא1 of 19

“And he brought”

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

הַסֵּ֤פֶר2 of 19

“Now when this letter”

H5612

properly, writing (the art or a document); by implication, a book

אֶל3 of 19
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

מֶ֥לֶךְ4 of 19

“to the king”

H4428

a king

יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל5 of 19

“of Israel”

H3478

he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity

לֵאמֹ֑ר6 of 19

“saying”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

וְעַתָּ֗ה7 of 19
H6258

at this time, whether adverb, conjunction or expletive

כְּב֨וֹא8 of 19

“And he brought”

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

הַסֵּ֤פֶר9 of 19

“Now when this letter”

H5612

properly, writing (the art or a document); by implication, a book

הַזֶּה֙10 of 19
H2088

the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that

אֵלֶ֔יךָ11 of 19
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

הִנֵּ֨ה12 of 19
H2009

lo!

שָׁלַ֤חְתִּי13 of 19

“unto thee behold I have therewith sent”

H7971

to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)

אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙14 of 19
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

אֶת15 of 19
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

נַֽעֲמָ֣ן16 of 19

“Naaman”

H5283

naaman, the name of an israelite and of a damascene

עַבְדִּ֔י17 of 19

“my servant”

H5650

a servant

וַֽאֲסַפְתּ֖וֹ18 of 19

“to thee that thou mayest recover”

H622

to gather for any purpose; hence, to receive, take away, i.e., remove (destroy, leave behind, put up, restore, etc.)

מִצָּֽרַעְתּֽוֹ׃19 of 19

“him of his leprosy”

H6883

leprosy

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of 2 Kings. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

2 Kings 5:6 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Test Your Knowledge

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