why did elisha refuse naaman gift
He is unfamiliar with the Jewish tradition of the ritual bath (mikveh) as it appears in several sections of the book of Leviticus (for example, in Lev. New York, 2020. (Amsterdam, 2012), 4447. So Elisha catalogs the types of gifts that he refused in order to emphasize his role as a mere channel of the divinity as opposed to miracle-worker. He chased after Naaman to take the gifts that Elisha refused to accept. He said, "Yea, everything's fine, except that my master had a couple of young prophets come in and they didn't have much. So when he came before the man of God, he had difficulty humbling himself in obedience to the Lord's instructions. cat. ", He was seeking healing from leprosy. 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. Compare translations, take notes and highlight, consult devotionals and commentaries, look up Greek and Hebrew words, and much moreall with the help of intuitive, interactive tools. Since documents about a commission have not been preserved, it is not known for whom Lambert painted Elisha Refusing Naamans Gifts or where it was originally intended to be displayed. Naaman then traveled to Samaria to see Elisha, but the prophet never received him: he just sent a messenger to meet Naaman and his entourage by the door. Such may have been Elisha's feeling. He did make use of translucent glazes in certain areas, however, such as the shadows of the red garments and the figures lips. Am I God that I can heal him of his leprosy? Dirt? Small sections of the ground have been left visible between some of the brushstrokes. Please sign in or register for a free Superbook account to watch full episodes, earn SuperPoints and win great prizes. It would be simply wrong for Elisha to accept Naamans gift, given the fact the prophet has not performed the healing himself, but God. Why does the king blame Elisha for the siege and famine of Samaria in 2 Kings 6:31? This is the second contrast we find in this story: that of the pomp of Naaman and Elishas humbleness. Superbook DVD Club members have access to watch full-length Superbook episodes online or within the Free Superbook Bible App. (2 Ne. And he said. From Marcel Mauss classic The Gift, to the relatively recent book by Moshe Halbertal On Sacrifice, understanding the dynamics involved in giving (and for-giving) seems to be crucial to unveil some of the fundamental tenets of our interpersonal relationships, may them be among humans, or with the divine. Another composition with small-scale figures is the 1635 Elisha Refusing Naamans Gifts in the State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg. New versions are added only when a substantive change to the narrative occurs. II Kings v. 2). Why did Elisha refuse Naaman's gifts? Naaman doesnt take this well and prepares to go home. I can only receive by grace the goodness of God. An Israelite maid he had captured advised him to see the prophet Elisha. 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. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. So please accept a gift from your servant." 16 But Elisha replied, "As surely as the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will not accept it." And although Naaman urged him to accept it . The man was also a valiant warrior, but he was a leper. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? See Piet Bakker, De Friese schilderkunst in de Gouden Eeuw (Zwolle, 2008), 140, fig. Heres where the story usually ends in our telling, but that would result in the omission of one very odd detailwhat Naaman asks to take back home. And unfortunately, some people who have had a ministry of healing or whatever have been guilty of using that to enrich themselves. He was a good commander and was held in favor because of the victory that God brought him. Previous commentary: Next commentary: About this commentary: are made available by the generosity of . Then, Gehazi hid the gift and returned to his Master's home. (2 Ne. Atelierpraktijk in Leeuwarden omstreeks 1630, De Vrije Fries 89 (2009): 6792. 2,Dutch Paintings c. 1600c. And so it was told to Naaman and he told the king that there was a prophet in Israel that could cure him of his leprosy. Discover God's love and plan for you, This was a demonstration of humility. You can now hide this message or find out more about cookies. The artist carefully modelled the faces of these two protagonists, paying great attention to their facial expressions. Abraham van Dijck, Elisha Refusing Naamans Gifts (present whereabouts unknown); Werner Sumowski, Gemlde der Rembrandt-Schler,vol. Discover God's love and plan for you, Elisha was totally surrendered to God in every area of his life. https://theleidencollection.com/iconclass. We've got better rivers up in Damascus." He was even used by God to accomplish His will (2 Kings 5:1). Elisha repeatedly refuses. I'll take it from here." Now, Naaman is not an Israelite. Now you see, he starts to read his mind at this point, or he starts to discern what was on his heart. In which circumstances are we allowed to reject a gift? Lepers were shunned and disgraced. See Grel Cavalli-Bjrkman, Dutch and Flemish Paintings, vol. Most likely, Naaman would have expected Elisha would come out of his house to perform some ritual, or that he would have led him to some special magic place to heal him. The painting is on a fine plain-weave canvas support. Amsterdam, Museum Het Rembrandthuis; Aachen, Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum) (Zwolle, 2008), 44, fig. 635 (as Haarlem master); see also the RKD website. And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and brought away captives out of the land of Israel and a little maid happened to be the servant of his wife. 78. Jacob Backer, The Tribute Money, 1630s (Nationalmuseum, Stockholm); see Grel Cavalli-Bjrkman, Dutch and Flemish Paintings, vol. "I know that," he said. Naaman was angry and would have left, but his servant asked him to try it and he was healed. (Comp. 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). 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. Does Cast a Spell make you a spellcaster? When he discovered that he was stricken with leprosy he searched for a cure -- and of course at that time there was no cure. [1] When the Hebrew slave-girl who waits on his wife tells her of a Jewish prophet in Samaria who can cure her master, he obtains a letter from King Ben-Hadad II of Aram to King Joram of Israel in which Ben-Hadad asks Joram to arrange for the healing of his subject Naaman. Naaman was cured of his leprosy. The rest of the Old Testament is the story of Gods intention to reclaim every nation on earth. 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. Rawlinson, "Ancient Monarchies," ii. 18 (The rule is that, in general, we are forbidden, but there are certain situations where we can accept gifts, albeit discreetly. 34) who mortally wounded Ahab seems to have been adopted by Josephus ("Ant." He's going to set himself up. Jack Kilgore & Co., Inc., New York, 2006. When he discovered that he was stricken with leprosy, he searched for a cure -- and of course, at that time, there was no cure. But here is Elisha refusing the gift. [2][3] R. xiv. See Albert Blankert, Kunst als regeringszaak in Amsterdam in de 17e eeuw (Exh. A4. 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. The rabbinical tradition that Naaman was the archer (I Kings xxii. This phrase is used when Moses is in the presence of the Angel of the Lord and the God of Israel at the burning bush (Exod 3:15) and when Joshua meets the Angel of the Lord (Josh 5:15). Naaman tells his lord this and he is sent to Israel with a letter to the king. Lambert Jacobsz, Elisha and Gehazi (Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Queens University, Kingston). And when Gehazi came up, he said, "Is everything fine?" 10 million Ukrainians without power because of Russia. The name Elisha in Hebrew is translated, "My God is salvation". 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. Why should Elisha receive a gift for him? 5, S. Paulus met sijn sweert groot L. Jacobs selffs [added later] off J[acob] A[riens Backer]. In 2 Kings 2:9 what does it mean for Elisha to want "a double portion" from Elijah? I could buy an olive orchard, a vineyard. "And Naaman said, "Here, take a couple of talents of silver," and he was happy to give it to him. 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? Amsterdam, Museum Het Rembrandthuis; Aachen, Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum) (Zwolle, 2008), 32. The baths cured Naaman. He had also trained with Jan Pynas. The man standing in the door to the right is Elisha's servant Gehazi. At the behest of some servants, he consents to dip himself in the Jordan. But he said, As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none. Oh how simple it is. 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. The suggestion that vv. So Naaman became enraged. Elisha's refusal of Naaman's gift in our passage, and that this expla-nation should be sought in the prophet's judicial deliberations over his servant, Gehazi, incurred after the latter had acquired Naaman's gift (vv. Elisha said, Where have you been? So he planned on taking dirt from where Elisha, the man of God, lived. And the fact that He gives to me so freely and in such a simple way that I can't get any credit for it. cat. Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company. ; Arama, "'Aedat Yia," ch. For Parents Only: CBN Animation Club & DVDs, login to access full-length Superbook episodes, FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE SUPERBOOK DVD CLUB. "Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, Tanuma, Tazria' (end), however, says that Naaman was stricken with leprosy for taking an Israelitish maiden and making her his wife's servant (comp. He did not want money, wealth, power, or prestige to interfere with the call of God that was on his life. In this quiet and restrained scene, Lambert Jacobsz placed Naaman in the center of the composition and gave him added prominence through his slightly larger scale and the brilliant colors of his turban and kaftan. According to Blankert, the subject had a twofold significance for the regents: first, Elishas refusal symbolized the regents own rectitude and, second, the example of Gehazi was a cautionary note for their servants that they would pay a heavy price for deception. The Bible calls him "the servant of Elisha, the man of God. He declared that the rivers in Damascus were cleaner than any river in Israel. The guy is just looking for trouble. Among the onlookers to this encounter are Naamans servants and soldiers, as well as Elishas servant Gehazi, the attentive young man at the far right. Elisha, instead, just tells him what God had already told Moses. To demonstrate his gratitude, Naaman, wearing a richly decorated turban and pale turquoise kaftan, came before the prophet to offer Elisha precious gifts, including the purple cloak on which he rests his left hand. Jesus taught His ministering servants, "Freely ye have received, freely give." For Bruyns remark, see Jasper Hillegers, Lambert Jacobsz (15981636) en zijn werkplaats: Atelierpraktijk in Leeuwarden omstreeks 1630, De Vrije Fries 89 (2009): 78, which refers to Josua Bruyn, Boekbespreking Werner Sumowski, Gemlde der Rembrandt-Schler, VI, Oud Holland 110 (1996), 167. Entrust your prayer intentions to our network of monasteries. Naaman was a great man. Leprosy has been a scourge on the human condition for thousands of years. 6, Nachtrge, Ortsregister, Ikonographisches Register, Bibliographie, Knstlerverzeichnis (Landau, 1983), no. The name "Naaman" means "nice guy!". 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 temptation to use priesthood power for personal gain has plagued man throughout history," states the Church Educational System's Old Testament Student Manual. He was accustomed to being in charge and to giving the orders. 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. The dirt which is Yahwehs domain is holy ground. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. The man standing in the door to the right is Elisha's servant Gehazi. Acts 8:20.) It only takes a minute to sign up. Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! Since Jacobsz did not execute large figure pieces after Backers departure, Elisha Refusing Naamans Gifts must have been painted between 1628, shortly after Backer arrived in Leeuwarden, and 1633, when he returned to Amsterdam. And so he said, "Let's wait. 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. Visible between some of the victory that God brought him people who have a... The rivers in Damascus were cleaner than any river in Israel up in.! As Haarlem Master ) ; see Grel Cavalli-Bjrkman, Dutch and Flemish,! Made available by the generosity of but he said, as the Lord lives, whom... Money, 1630s ( Nationalmuseum, Stockholm ) ; see also the RKD.... Free Superbook account to watch full-length Superbook episodes online or within the free Superbook Bible.! In every area of his leprosy I stand, I will receive none, I will none. 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