Friday 19 September 2025
"Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?” He turned and went away in a rage. (v. 12)
Background
Today we are reading about Naaman, a respected commander of the Aramean army who has leprosy and comes to the prophet Elisha after learning about his ability to heal.
Today, Naaman’s pride is on full display and it’s in the middle of his tantrum that he sputters the ridiculous question, “Aren’t my rivers better than theirs?” (v. 12) It's as if he was saying "Do think your nation is better than our nation? You think you are more powerful than me?" Naaman storms off back to Aram to gather his troops and show who really has the power.
Those who risk offering words of reason into this moment are Naaman’s servants. They say words to the effect of “Seriously, just go and wash.” (v. 13) So Naaman does as Elisha had instructed and “his flesh was restored…” (v. 14)
There are many ideas in this story, but let’s look more closely at the pivot points in the story, the choices of key people and the outcomes of those choices.
The first person I want to highlight is the young Israeli slave in Naaman’s household. We don’t know why she spoke up to say there was a prophet in Israel who could heal her captor, but she did. I want to acknowledge that an extraordinarily vulnerable young person spoke a word of kindness in a time of hostility. That act leads to Naaman’s restored health and, if you read further in the story, to his spiritual conversion.
Second, the prophet Elisha, who manages to convince the king of Israel to pipe down, be reasonable, and remember that he didn’t have to manage the situation alone. Even if the Aramean king intended to use the visit of Naaman as an opportunity to stir up more tension and violence, Elisha wisely kept the king of Israel from taking the bait.
The servants of Naaman are the last group to mention. They are confronting an angry warrior with wounded pride. These servants show some kind of courage to intervene in that situation. Yet their doing so kept Naaman from any violence and got him to the River Jordan and to the healing he sought.
The choices and actions of the little Israeli girl, Elisha and Naaman’s servants didn’t bring a lasting peace between Israel and Aram. But I suggest they provide guidance for such a time as the one in which we’re living.
To Ponder:
- The Israeli girl, Elisha and Naaman’s servants recognise the foolishness of pride, of thoughtless rage and of comparing rivers. It's the foolishness of getting caught in the triggers that lead to conflict. Who is speaking truth to power today?
- For the sake of someone you love, what would be your responses to derogatory phrases that someone might level at you? What would it take for you to see through and beyond words that hurt you?
Prayer
God of a people whose history is so complicated and chequered, I pray for your continuing love and mercy to become increasingly part of who I am and the choices I make. May I build others up, rather than push people down. Amen.
Bible notes author: The Revd Dr Mark Cheetham
Mark is Superintendent Minister of the Salisbury Circuit and Minister at Salisbury Methodist Church.