MPV Commentary

Elisha Refuses Naaman's Gifts.

After being miraculously cured, Naaman returned to Elisha and acknowledged his full faith in the one true God of Israel. He offered a generous reward to Elisha, but the prophet respectfully declined it. This was not because Elisha never accepted gifts; on other occasions, he had done so (2Ki 4:42). However, in this case, Elisha wanted to demonstrate that God's servants are motivated by a desire to honor God and promote true religion, rather than by selfish or mercenary interests.

Naaman then asked Elisha for two mules' burden of earth from Israel, which he intended to use to make an altar (Ex 20:24) to the God of Israel. It's unclear what Naaman's specific motive was in making this request. Perhaps he believed that God could only be worshiped on his own soil, or maybe he wanted to have some of the earth from Palestine as a substitute for water, which was commonly used by the Orientals. Alternatively, Naaman may have thought that Elisha's grant of the earth would impart some kind of virtue.

Naaman planned to go into the house of Rimmon, a Syrian deity likely represented by the sun or planetary system, and lean on his hand as an attendant to his sovereign. However, Elisha did not comment on Naaman's decision to continue serving this idolatrous deity. Instead, he simply gave him a parting blessing (2Ki 5:19).