Who Was Naaman in the Bible?
Quick Summary
Naaman was a powerful Aramean military commander whose healing from leprosy is recorded in 2 Kings 5. Though wealthy and respected, Naaman is remembered in Scripture not for his victories but for the moment he learned humility and obedience before the God of Israel. His story centers on healing, pride, faith, and the surprising ways God works through unlikely people.
Introduction
Naaman appears briefly in the biblical narrative, yet his story has endured for centuries because it exposes a tension that runs throughout Scripture: the conflict between human pride and divine grace. Naaman is a man accustomed to command, honor, and recognition. He leads armies. He stands before kings. He expects solutions that match his status.
Instead, his encounter with Israel’s God strips away pretense. Healing comes not through ceremony, payment, or power, but through simple obedience. Naaman’s story unfolds at the intersection of politics, prophecy, and personal transformation, offering insight into how God’s mercy reaches beyond Israel and how faith often begins with resistance.
Naaman’s Historical and Biblical Setting
Naaman served as commander of the army of Aram, also known as Syria, a regional power frequently at odds with Israel. Despite the political hostility between the nations, Scripture describes Naaman as a man through whom the Lord had given victory to Aram (2 Kings 5:1). This detail is striking. The biblical writer attributes success not to Aram’s gods but to the Lord, Israel’s God.
Naaman’s status makes his condition all the more tragic. He is described as a great man and highly regarded, yet he suffers from leprosy, a term that likely covered a range of serious skin diseases. The illness threatens not only his health but his honor and future. Power cannot shield him from vulnerability.
The Role of the Servant Girl
The turning point in Naaman’s story comes not from royal advisors or military strategists but from an unnamed Israelite servant girl taken captive during a raid. She speaks of a prophet in Samaria who could heal Naaman (2 Kings 5:2–3). Her voice carries no authority, yet her testimony sets the entire narrative in motion.
This moment reflects a recurring biblical theme. God often speaks through those with little social standing. The servant girl’s faith contrasts sharply with the skepticism that later emerges from Naaman himself. She trusts in the prophet’s God without hesitation, while Naaman approaches healing with conditions and expectations.
Naaman and the Prophet Elisha
When Naaman arrives in Israel, he comes with letters from the king of Aram, gifts of silver and gold, and a sense of entitlement. The king of Israel panics, assuming the request for healing is a political trap (2 Kings 5:6–7). Elisha, however, responds calmly. He invites Naaman to come to him, not to elevate the prophet, but to reveal the power of God.
Elisha does not even meet Naaman face to face. Instead, he sends a messenger instructing him to wash seven times in the Jordan River. This perceived slight enrages Naaman. He expects dramatic gestures and powerful words. The simplicity of the command offends his pride.
Healing Through Obedience
Naaman’s anger reveals his misunderstanding of how God works. He wants healing on his terms, in a place he deems worthy, through methods that affirm his status. The Jordan River seems insignificant compared to the rivers of Damascus. Obedience feels beneath him.
It is Naaman’s servants who again redirect him. They urge him to comply, reminding him that if the prophet had demanded something difficult, he would have done it (2 Kings 5:13). Their reasoning pierces his pride. Naaman submits, washes in the Jordan, and is healed completely.
Naaman’s Confession of Faith
Naaman emerges from the Jordan not only cleansed physically but transformed spiritually. He confesses that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel (2 Kings 5:15). This declaration marks one of the clearest affirmations of faith by a Gentile in the Old Testament.
Naaman attempts to reward Elisha, but the prophet refuses. God’s grace cannot be purchased. Naaman then requests soil from Israel so he can worship the Lord alone upon returning home. His faith is sincere but still forming, shaped by the categories he knows.
Naaman in the Teaching of Jesus
Naaman’s story extends beyond Kings. Jesus references Naaman in Luke 4:27 while preaching in Nazareth. He highlights that many lepers existed in Israel, yet only Naaman, a foreigner, was healed. The implication is unsettling to his audience. God’s mercy is not confined by ethnicity or expectation.
This reference connects Naaman’s healing to a broader biblical witness. God’s grace often reaches those considered outsiders, while insiders struggle with familiarity and resistance. Naaman becomes a mirror held up to Israel and, later, to the church.
Theological Themes in Naaman’s Story
Naaman’s narrative explores humility, obedience, and the universality of God’s mercy. Healing does not come through status, wealth, or negotiation. It comes through trust. The Jordan River becomes a place of surrender, not spectacle.
His story also challenges assumptions about who belongs within God’s saving work. Naaman remains an Aramean. He does not become an Israelite. Yet he is healed and confesses faith. Scripture presents his story without qualification, allowing his transformation to stand on its own.
A Classic Commentary Perspective
One of the most frequently cited discussions of Naaman appears in Walter Brueggemann’s commentary on 1 and 2 Kings. Brueggemann emphasizes how the narrative dismantles systems of power and expectation, showing that God’s freedom cannot be managed by kings, prophets, or armies. Naaman’s healing, he argues, is less about ritual and more about relinquishing control, a theme that resonates throughout the prophetic tradition.
Legacy of Naaman’s Story
Naaman is remembered not as a conqueror but as a healed man who learned obedience. His name stands as a reminder that faith often begins with resistance and ends with surrender. The story refuses to romanticize belief. Instead, it shows how faith is forged through frustration, listening, and unexpected counsel.
Naaman’s brief appearance in Scripture continues to speak because it reveals a God who heals beyond borders and calls people not to impress but to trust.
FAQ
Was Naaman an Israelite?
No. Naaman was an Aramean, a foreign military commander from Syria. His healing demonstrates that God’s power and mercy extend beyond Israel.
Why was Naaman told to wash in the Jordan River?
The command emphasized obedience and humility. Healing came not through impressive rituals but through simple trust in God’s word.
Is Naaman mentioned elsewhere in the Bible?
Yes. Jesus references Naaman in Luke 4:27 to illustrate God’s grace toward outsiders.
Did Naaman fully convert to Israel’s religion?
Scripture presents Naaman as confessing faith in the Lord, though his understanding reflects his cultural context. His faith is sincere, even as it continues to form.
See Also
Works Consulted
Brueggemann, Walter. 1 & 2 Kings. Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary. Smyth & Helwys, 2000.
Cogan, Mordechai, and Hayim Tadmor. II Kings. Anchor Yale Bible Commentary. Yale University Press, 1988.
The New Revised Standard Version Bible.
