2 Kings 5:7
5 “Go now,” said the king of Aram, “and I will send you with a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman departed, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of clothing.
6 And the letter that he took to the king of Israel stated: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman, so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”
When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and asked, “Am I God, killing and giving life, that this man expects me to cure a leper? Surely you can see that he is seeking a quarrel with me!”
8 Now when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king: “Why have you torn your clothes? Please let the man come to me, and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house.
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and asked, “Am I God, killing and giving life, that this man expects me to cure a leper? Surely you can see that he is seeking a quarrel with me!”
- KJV
- And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.
- WEB
- When the king of Israel had read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends to me to heal a man of his leprosy? But please consider and see how he seeks a quarrel against me.”
- ASV
- And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? but consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.
- DARBY
- And it came to pass when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his garments, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeks an occasion against me.
- BLB
- And it came to pass, in the king of Israel reading the letter, that he tore his garments and said, “[Am] I God to kill and make alive, that this one sends to me to heal a man of his leprosy? Upon thus consider, please, and see how he is presenting himself to me.”
- ÅB
- Da Israels konge hadde lest brevet, sønderrev han sine klær og sa: Er jeg Gud, så jeg kan døde og gjøre levende, siden han sender bud til meg og vil at jeg skal fri en mann fra hans spedalskhet? Nå ser dere vel grant at han søker en leilighet til strid med meg.
- OTB
- Men da kongen av Israel leste brevet, rev han sine klær og sa, “Er jeg Gud, til å drepe og gjøre levende, at denne mannen sender bud til meg for å helbrede en mann fra hans spedalskhet? Men tenk nå etter, og se hvordan han søker en strid med meg.”
- B1930
- Da Israels konge hadde lest brevet, sønderrev han sine klær og sa: Er jeg Gud, så jeg kan døde og gjøre levende, siden han sender bud til mig og vil at jeg skal fri en mann fra hans spedalskhet? Nu ser I vel grant at han søker en leilighet til strid med mig.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
1 Samuel 2:6
The LORD brings death and gives life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up.
Read in contextGenesis 30:2
Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?”
Read in context1 Kings 20:7
Then the king of Israel summoned all the elders of the land and said, “Please take note and see that this man is looking for trouble, for when he demanded my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold, I did not deny him.”
Read in contextDeuteronomy 32:39
See now that I am He; there is no God besides Me. I bring death and I give life; I wound and I heal, and there is no one who can deliver from My hand.
Read in contextHosea 6:1
Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us to pieces, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bind up our wounds.
Read in contextDaniel 2:11
What the king requests is so difficult that no one can tell it to him except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.”
Read in contextLuke 11:54
waiting to catch Him in something He might say.
Read in contextActs 14:14
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul found out about this, they tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd, shouting,
Read in context