And this is what God said about His land, You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day. This was Gods land. Naaman's wife had a servant girl from Israel who said that a prophet there would be able to heal him. And in fact, they sent a fellow back carrying a bag. Naaman believed that There [was] no God in all the earth but in Israel (2 Kgs 5:15) and wanted to return to his homeland with holy ground. Christian theology has always depicted Naaman as the paradigmatic case of Gods will to save people we would normally considered as being unworthy of salvation: Naaman is not even an Israelite, and doesnt share the prophets faith. 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. The rabbinical tradition that Naaman was the archer (I Kings xxii. 18 (The rule is that, in general, we are forbidden, but there are certain situations where we can accept gifts, albeit discreetly. 635 (as Haarlem master); see also the RKD website. 20-7). viii. imdi bu mesaj kapatabilir veya Kullanm artlarmz ve Gizlilik Politikamz okuyabilirsiniz. An Israelite maid he had captured advised him to go see the prophet Elisha. ( ). (2 Ne. Christian theology depicts Naaman as an example for the will of God to save people who are considered by men as less than pious and unworthy of salvation. Ps. And he said. 9:18.) Jacobsz acted as an art dealer in Leeuwarden, which allowed him to have close ties with artists and dealers in other cities. Knowledge of this print is evident in Jacob Backers The Tribute Money in Stockholm, which he executed during his Leeuwarden period. When he returned home, Elisha found out and punished . The leprosy was gone.He was so excited he headed back to the prophet's house because he was loaded down with all kinds of gifts that the king of Syria had sent. Request Permissions. In 2 Kings 2:9 what does it mean for Elisha to want "a double portion" from Elijah? Naaman was a powerful man and a warrior who was used to giving commands and having those commands obeyed. The Septuagint, the Greek Old Testament, uses the word baptizein for the dipping that heals the heathen Naaman from the skin disease called tzaraath. He then praised the lord of Israel as the only true god. He focused particularly on Naamans gaze as he quietly reflects upon the prophets reasons for refusing to accept his gifts of appreciationthe moment of revelation when Naaman came to understand that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.. 1 Kings 13:8 And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place: I will receive none.--Theodoret compares our Lord's "Freely ye have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8). Bol was commissioned by the masters of the Amsterdam leper home. Now I told you that a fellow that would have this kind of a gift would have problems. And so the king of Syria Benhadad sent a formal letter to the king of Israel [and sent Naaman down] ( 2 Kings 5:1-5 ). Since 1951 the journals has been generally recognized to be indispensable for scholarly work on the Old Testament. 20-7). When a joyful Naaman stood before Gehazi and Elisha, with skin clean and pure, Naaman pleaded, "Take a blessing [gift] of thy servant.". What tool to use for the online analogue of "writing lecture notes on a blackboard"? The dirt which is Yahwehs domain is holy ground. His representation of Naaman and Elishas story would have been a very appropriate background for the many baptisms Jacobsz himself performed in this church. 26:29.) See Piet Bakker, De Friese schilderkunst in de Gouden Eeuw (Zwolle, 2008), 140, fig. He wanted to thank Elisha by giving him presents, but Elisha refused. 78. Elisha is one of the most powerful prophets in the Old Testament. R. vii. 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. The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Muse des Beaux-Arts et de la Cramique de Rouen), and The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Muse des Beaux-Arts et dArchologie de Besanon); see Werner Sumowski, Gemlder der Rembrandt-Schler, vol. 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. Elisha hearing from God refused out of obedience to God anything Naaman offered because after all he was entitled to payment as a prophet. (Amsterdam, 2012), 4447. For terms and use, please refer to our Terms and Conditions At times, these slivers of warm gray act as a transitional midtone, as in the lower contour of Elishas sleeve where it overlaps with the white page of his book. Publications are increasingly becoming available in electronic format (CD-ROM and/or online editions).BRILL is proud to work with a broad range of scholars and authors and to serve its many customers throughout the world. (2 Ne. It appears that Naaman was acknowledging the God of Heaven, Israels God as the one true God. Could he have executed it for the Leprozenhuis in Leeuwarden, much as Pieter de Grebber did in 1637 for the regents of the Leprozenhuis in Haarlem, or as Ferdinand Bol would do in 1661 for the Leprozenhuis in Amsterdam? Acts 8:20.) Israel was therefore Yahwehs portion (Deut 32:9), whereas all the other nations belong to the sons of God whom Israel was forbidden to worship. In contrast, the figures in the background on the left side were painted on top of the brown background paint. When he discovered that he was stricken with leprosy, he searched for a cure -- and of course, at that time, there was no cure. The name Elisha in Hebrew is translated, "My God is salvation". 1631 (Private collection, United States); Peter van den Brink, Jacob Backer (1608/91651) (Exh. Because it's just such a simple thing, why don't you try it? . The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? BRILL is renowned for its publications in the following subject areas; Asian Studies, Ancient Near East & Egypt, Biblical Studies & Religious Studies, Classical Studies, Medieval & Early Modern Studies, Middle East & Islamic Studies. It's awfully hard to accept grace gracefully, isn't it? The first one is that between the faith and humility of Naamans young servant (who barely knows of Elisha and still is willing to tell her master to go meet the prophet) and that of Naaman himself, who traveled all the way to Elishas house and was yet willing to leave uncured simply because the prophet did not receive him in person. It's FREE! See also Jasper Hillegers, Lambert Jacobsz: Elisha and Gehazi, in Salomon Lilian Old Masters 2012, Jasper Hillegers et al. [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. To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient. Where our treasure is, there will heart be also. Moreover, the figure of Elisha was thought to resemble the old man at the left in De Grebbers Conferring of the Sword on the Coat-of-Arms of Haarlem from 1630. Elisha refused to accept the gifts, but his servant, Gehazi, decided he would "run after him, and take somewhat of him." But we rebel against that simplicity. Truce of the burning tree -- how realistic? Gehazi asked for (and received) silver and clothing from Naaman, after lying about the arrival of two men of the sons of the prophets. Amsterdam, Royal Palace) (Lochem, 1975), 4146. Why does Jesus turn to the Father to forgive in Luke 23:34? 2,Dutch Paintings c. 1600c. Want to see fewer ads on Aleteia? 2 Now the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and . ), "It is, after all, by divine power that men are able to perform priesthood miracles," states the manual. . Naaman was a man with significant duties in his home country. Lambert Jacobszs interpretation of the story is consistent with Mennonite beliefs. It would have been insulting to God for the prophet to receive anything from Naaman when God is the proprietor and the progenitor of wealth especially on His turf and in His land. This painting was first attributed to Lambert Jacobsz (and dated around 1630) by Jasper Hillegers; see Jasper Hillegers, Lambert Jacobsz (15981636) en zijn werkplaats: Atelierpraktijk in Leeuwarden omstreeks 1630, De Vrije Fries 89 (2009): 6792. After Naaman departed, Gehazi ran after him and asked him for gifts. Amsterdam, Hermitage Amsterdam, Rembrandt and his Contemporaries: History Paintings from The Leiden Collection, 4 February27 August 2023, no. Naaman, standing outside of Elisha's house, was furious when he was greeted by a messenger instead of the prophet himself. Get a roundup of new Word by Word articles in your inbox each Friday. Those were the things which Elisha refused. But I can't. Jacobsz also painted original compositions, of which his assistants made copies and variations. In De Grebbers painting, the patrons assume the roles of Naaman and three of his servants. You must be logged in to use this feature. Jacobszs interpretation of this episode focuses on faith and not questions of civic virtues. Thanks to their partnership in our mission, we reachmore than 20 million unique users per month! Scattered pinpoint losses are also found in the more thinly painted areas. The man standing in the door to the right is Elisha's servant Gehazi. L.J (Yet another landscape with a large ruin and a river within the foreground Naaman speaking to Gehazi, the prophet Elishas servant, who came after him, and for whom a carriage waits in the distance). The request is so odd that its hard to avoid wondering if Naaman needed some other kind of therapy. Superbook whisks the kids off to meet Naamans servant girl and follow Naamans story through to his amazing cure of leprosy. When Naaman offered Elisha money and clothes, why did Elisha refuse? Cornerstone BiblicalCommentary: 1 & 2Kings(CBC), NIV ApplicationCommentary: 1 & 2Kings(NIVAC). Just to receive from God the simplicity with which God gives to me. He was a good commander and was held in favor because of the victory that God brought him. And salvation is such a simple thing. Why did Elisha rebuke Gehazi for things he did not accept from Naaman? I can hire me some servants. He had also trained with Jan Pynas. ( 2 Kings 5:16; see verses 15 through 22 for the whole story.) ), Paul suggested that if one charged for his service in the priesthood, he would abuse his power in the gospel. BRILL's mainly English language publications include book series, individual monographs and encyclopaedias as well as journals. 2 Kings 5:20,26 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him, Genesis 14:22,23 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, . According to the Bible, Naaman was a commander of the army of Syria. Lambert Jacobsz, Elisha and Gehazi (Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Queens University, Kingston). cat. 3238 and 3913. Vetus Testamentum is a leading journal covering all aspects of Old Testament study. The prophet Elisha, upon hearing of the king's tear-clothes moment, asked that Naaman be sent to him so that "he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel." (see 2 Kings 5:8). Gehazi accepted two talents of silver and two changes of clothes. Sperkitap web sitesini kullanarak, Kullanm artlarmz ve Gizlilik Politikamz kabul etmi olursunuz. Naaman was a powerful man and a warrior who was used to giving commands and having those commands obeyed. BRILL, founded in 1683, is a publishing house with a strong international focus. men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion." In Elisha Refusing Naamans Gifts, Jacobsz, a devout Mennonite teacher and biblical expert, was more interested in conveying the conversion of a great leader to the Christian faith than in portraying physical drama.14 With the painting in The Leiden Collection, Jacobsz showed himself to be both a talented painter and an earnest Mennonite teacher. One day, his wife's Israelite servant girl told her about the power of God moving through the prophet Elisha. And so the king had torn his clothes and was all upset. Because of Jacobszs paintings devotional content, it is tempting to assume that it was intended for the Mennonite Church (Vermaning) he cofounded, and where he delivered the first sermon on 7 August 1631; see the biography of Lambert Jacobsz in this catalogue. I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible. So he planned on taking dirt from where Elisha, the man of God, lived. In v5, we read that Naaman only took with him money (gold and silver) and clothes, so I don't see how Elisha could have refused the other gifts if Naaman didn't even bring them (and how could he bring an olive orchard with him? Find a vector in the null space of a large dense matrix, where elements in the matrix are not directly accessible. Perhaps, as he walked back, he was thinking about what he could do with such a large sum: he could buy olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, and have servants rather than being a servant. 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. Leprosy has been a scourge on the human condition for thousands of years. [5], The request of Naaman to be permitted to carry away two mules' burden of Israelitish earth for the purpose of erecting upon it an altar on which to offer sacrifices to Yhwh, reflects the belief of those days that the god of each land could be worshiped only on his own soil. UFOs and Christianity: What Hath Roswell to Do with Jerusalem? The king was distraught because he knew that he couldn't heal him. Deuteronomy 8:18 . He was even used by God to accomplish His will (2 Kings 5:1). All rights reserved. He did not want sin to come between him and the Lord or to hinder the Lord's work through his life because of his greed. 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. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting and transformative Catholic news, stories, spirituality, and more. Ovens (Landau, 1983), 1630, no. Gehazi's Greed and Leprosy 15 Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God, stood before him, and declared, "Now I know for sure that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. And he came to Elisha and he sought to give to Elisha some of these gifts that he had brought from Syria and Elisha said, "No, I don't want your gifts. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. Naaman was the captain of the army of the king of Aram (Syria). The love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10), and so we must not allow the love of money to interfere with the calling of God on our lives. https://theleidencollection.com/artwork/elisha-refusing-naamans-gifts/ (accessed March 02, 2023). So his king, his soldiers, and the people of Syria heaped praise upon him. You can now hide this message or find out more about cookies. [4], According to Rabbinic teaching, Naaman was the archer who drew his bow at a venture and mortally wounded Ahab, King of Israel (I Kings xxii. 20-7 act epexegetically to Elisha's refusal to accept Naaman's gifts is plausible for three reasons. Naaman's wife had a servant girl from Israel who said that a prophet there would be able to heal him. This attribution by Fred Meijer was largely based on an alleged kinship with De Grebbers Belshazzars Great Feast from 1625 in Museum Schloss Wilhelmshhe, Kassel. He said, "That guy didn't even have the graciousness to come out and meet me himself. Why do we kill some animals but not others? "And word came to Elisha of how the king was so upset because of this demand. 2 Kings 5:4. Articles like these are sponsored free for every Catholic through the support of generous readers just like you. 6 [lent by the present owner]. Then when his mentor was taken up into the whirlwind, Elisha became the leader of the sons of the prophets. As a result, Israel was holy ground; the territory of every other nation was not. 10 Elisha sent out a messenger who told him, "Go and wash seven times in the Jordan; your skin will be restored and you will be healed." 11 Naaman went away angry. When Naaman left Elisha's house to return home to Syria, Gehazi was filled with greed. Throughout its existence the company has been honored with many awards which recognise BRILL's contribution to science, publishing and international trade. Discover God's love and plan for you. Backer had a great reputation as a skilled painter of finely formed hands. Explain that Naaman was healed by Heavenly Father through the power of the priesthood and that priesthood holders cannot use the priesthood to gain recognition or wealth. Why did Elisha refuse Naaman's gifts? And the prophet starts laying out the things that he had in mind to do with this money. Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular, LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel, Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular, Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular, Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not, Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular, Preposition | third person masculine singular, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular, Naaman, by the report of a captive maid, is sent to Samaria to be cured of leprosy, He refusing Naaman's gifts grants him some of the earth, Gehazi, abusing his master's name unto Naaman, is smitten with leprosy, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, OT History: 2 Kings 5:16 But he said As Yahweh lives before (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg).