Tanach
Melachim II 5:1-19 מלכים ב ה׳:א׳-י״ט
Part of: Chapter 5
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by sideRashi
וְנַעֲמָן שַׂר־צְבָא מֶלֶךְ־אֲרָם הָיָה אִישׁ גָּדוֹל לִפְנֵי אֲדֹנָיו וּנְשֻׂא פָנִים כִּי־בוֹ נָתַן־יְהֹוָה תְּשׁוּעָה לַאֲרָם וְהָאִישׁ הָיָה גִּבּוֹר חַיִל מְצֹרָֽע׃
Now Na῾aman, captain of the host of the king of Aram, was a man of great note with his master and highly esteemed, because by him the Lord had given deliverance to Aram; he was also a mighty warrior, but stricken with żara῾at.
Now Na῾aman, captain of the host of the king of Aram, was a man of great note with his master and highly esteemed, because by him the Lord had given deliverance to Aram; he was also a mighty warrior, but stricken with żara῾at.
Rashi
תשועה לארם. הוא משך בקשת לתומו, והרג את אחאב (ילקוט שמעוני רמז רכב):
Victory to Arom. He drew back his bow innocently and killed Achov.1See I Melochim 22:34 and Rashi there.
וַֽאֲרָם יָצְאוּ גְדוּדִים וַיִּשְׁבּוּ מֵאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל נַעֲרָה קְטַנָּה וַתְּהִי לִפְנֵי אֵשֶׁת נַעֲמָֽן׃
And Aram had gone out in raiding parties, and had brought away captive out of the land of Yisra᾽el a little girl, and she attended the wife of Na῾aman.
And Aram had gone out in raiding parties, and had brought away captive out of the land of Yisra᾽el a little girl, and she attended the wife of Na῾aman.
Rashi
יצאו גדודים. כשהולכין מאה או מאתים מעצמן לשלול כאשר ימצאון, הוא קרוי גדוד:
Bands of marauders [from Arom] went out. When they go [in groups of] one hundred or two hundred by themselves, to plunder whatever they find, that is called a גְּדוּד [=band].
נערה קטנה. ריבה קטנה, מעיר נערון (חולין ה א):
A little girl. A young girl from the city of נַעֲרוֹן.2Two apparently contradictory words, נַעֲרָה [=a twelve year old girl] and קְטַנָה [=a young child] describe the girl. Rashi therefore explains that נַעֲרָה does not mean girl, but one who comes from the city of נַעֲרוֹן, which is mentioned in I Divrei Hayomim 7:28. Alternatively, נַעֲרָה can mean a girl of any age, and when modified by קְטַנָה, it means “a small girl.”—Ralbag
ותהי לפני. והות משמשא קדם אתת נעמן:
She became [a servant] to [Na’amon’s wife]. [Targum Yonoson renders,] “and she served Na’amon’s wife.
וַתֹּאמֶר אֶל־גְּבִרְתָּהּ אַחֲלֵי אֲדֹנִי לִפְנֵי הַנָּבִיא אֲשֶׁר בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן אָז יֶאֱסֹף אֹתוֹ מִצָּרַעְתּֽוֹ׃
And she said to her mistress, Would my lord were with the prophet that is in Shomeron! for he would heal him of his disease.
And she said to her mistress, Would my lord were with the prophet that is in Shomeron! for he would heal him of his disease.
Rashi
אחלי אדני לפני הנביא. לשון (שמות לב יא): ויחל משה בקשות כל המתפללים עליו יהיו, שיבא הנס לפני הנביא:
“My master should plead [for curing his illness] before the prophet.” An expression [similar to], “and Moshe prayed [וַיְחַל].”3Shemos 32:11. See also Tehillim 119:5. The supplications of all those who pray for him, will be that the miracle shall come before the prophet.
אחלי. שוהיידמנ"ס בלע"ז, כלומר זו היא בקשה שהוא צריך לה:
Plead. Soheidement, in O.F., i.e., this is the supplication that he needs.
וַיָּבֹא וַיַּגֵּד לַאדֹנָיו לֵאמֹר כָּזֹאת וְכָזֹאת דִּבְּרָה הַֽנַּעֲרָה אֲשֶׁר מֵאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the girl who is of the land of Yisra᾽el.
And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the girl who is of the land of Yisra᾽el.
Rashi
ויבא. נעמן:
He came. Na’amon.
ויגד לאדוניו. מלך ארם:
And told his master. The king of Arom.
וַיֹּאמֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָם לֶךְ־בֹּא וְאֶשְׁלְחָה סֵפֶר אֶל־מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיִּקַּח בְּיָדוֹ עֶשֶׂר כִּכְּרֵי־כֶסֶף וְשֵׁשֶׁת אֲלָפִים זָהָב וְעֶשֶׂר חֲלִיפוֹת בְּגָדִֽים׃
And the king of Aram said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter to the king of Yisra᾽el. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of clothing.
And the king of Aram said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter to the king of Yisra᾽el. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of clothing.
Rashi
ויקח בידו. מנחה לנביא:
And took in his hand. A present for the prophet.
וששת אלפים זהב. זהובים:
Six thousand gold [pieces]. Gold pieces.
וַיָּבֵא הַסֵּפֶר אֶל־מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר וְעַתָּה כְּבוֹא הַסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה אֵלֶיךָ הִנֵּה שָׁלַחְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ אֶת־נַעֲמָן עַבְדִּי וַאֲסַפְתּוֹ מִצָּרַעְתּֽוֹ׃
And he brought the letter to the king of Yisra᾽el, saying, Now when this letter is come to thee, behold, I have sent Na῾aman my servant to thee, that thou mayst heal him of his infection.
And he brought the letter to the king of Yisra᾽el, saying, Now when this letter is come to thee, behold, I have sent Na῾aman my servant to thee, that thou mayst heal him of his infection.
Rashi
לאמר ועתה כבוא הספר הזה וגו'. הספר אמר לו, ועתה כבוא הספר הזה וגו':
Saying, “Now when this letter reaches, etc.” The letter said to him, “And now, when this letter reaches, etc.”
ואספתו מצרעתו. 'אסיפה' במצורע היא לשון רפואתו, כי בהתרפאותו הוא נאסף אל תוך בני אדם, ובחליו הכל בדלין הימנו:
Arrange to cure him of this tzora’as. ‘אֲסֵפָה’ [=gathering], pertaining to a metzora, is an expression of his cure, because when he is cured, he is [once again] gathered in among people, but during his illness, everyone stays away from him.4The Torah forbids a metzora to dwell within the camp of Yisroel. See Vayikra 13:46. However, even among the other nations a metzora is excluded from the general community until he is cured.
וַיְהִי כִּקְרֹא מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־הַסֵּפֶר וַיִּקְרַע בְּגָדָיו וַיֹּאמֶר הַאֱלֹהִים אָנִי לְהָמִית וּֽלְהַחֲיוֹת כִּי־זֶה שֹׁלֵחַ אֵלַי לֶאֱסֹף אִישׁ מִצָּרַעְתּוֹ כִּי אַךְ־דְּעוּ־נָא וּרְאוּ כִּֽי־מִתְאַנֶּה הוּא לִֽי׃
And it came to pass, when the king of Yisra᾽el had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends to me to cure a man of his infection? only consider, I pray you, and see how he seeks a quarrel against me.
And it came to pass, when the king of Yisra᾽el had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends to me to cure a man of his infection? only consider, I pray you, and see how he seeks a quarrel against me.
Rashi
האלהים אני. ה"א נקוד פת"ח, ללמד שהוא בלשון תמיהה:
“Am I God?” The [first] ‘ה’ is voweled with a ‘פתח’ to indicate that it is a question.
מתאנה. מבקש תואנה להתגרות בי:
He is looking for an excuse. He is looking for a pretext to attack me.5Because he was so involved in his evil ways, it did not occur to Yehorom to seek help from Elisha the prophet.—Metzudas Dovid He is looking for an excuse.
מתאנה. לשון עלילות דברים (דברים כב יד):
[מִתְאַנֶּה is] an expression of “false accusation [=עֲלִילוֹת דְּבָרִים].”6Devarim 22:14.
וַיְהִי כִּשְׁמֹעַ ׀ אֱלִישָׁע אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִים כִּֽי־קָרַע מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־בְּגָדָיו וַיִּשְׁלַח אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ לֵאמֹר לָמָּה קָרַעְתָּ בְּגָדֶיךָ יָבֹא־נָא אֵלַי וְיֵדַע כִּי יֵשׁ נָבִיא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
And when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Yisra᾽el had rent his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, Why hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Yisra᾽el.
And when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Yisra᾽el had rent his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, Why hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Yisra᾽el.
וַיָּבֹא נַעֲמָן בְּסוּסָו וּבְרִכְבּוֹ וַיַּעֲמֹד פֶּֽתַח־הַבַּיִת לֶאֱלִישָֽׁע׃
So Na῾aman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
So Na῾aman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
וַיִּשְׁלַח אֵלָיו אֱלִישָׁע מַלְאָךְ לֵאמֹר הָלוֹךְ וְרָחַצְתָּ שֶֽׁבַע־פְּעָמִים בַּיַּרְדֵּן וְיָשֹׁב בְּשָׂרְךָ לְךָ וּטְהָֽר׃
And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, Go and wash in the Yarden seven times, and thy flesh shall be restored to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, Go and wash in the Yarden seven times, and thy flesh shall be restored to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
וַיִּקְצֹף נַעֲמָן וַיֵּלַךְ וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה אָמַרְתִּי אֵלַי ׀ יֵצֵא יָצוֹא וְעָמַד וְקָרָא בְּשֵׁם־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהָיו וְהֵנִיף יָדוֹ אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם וְאָסַף הַמְּצֹרָֽע׃
But Na῾aman was angry, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and so heal the infected person.
But Na῾aman was angry, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and so heal the infected person.
Rashi
הנה אמרתי. סבור הייתי, אלי יצא הנביא וידבר 'עמי ויראה את החולי:
“Behold, I thought.” I thought the prophet would come out and speak with me, and see the ailment.
והניף ידו אל המקום. הצרעת:
And wave his hand toward the spot. Of the tzora’as.7Alternatively, אֶל הַמָּקוֹם refers “to the place where he worships God, i.e., towards the Beis Hamikdosh.—Ralbag
הֲלֹא טוֹב (אבנה) [אֲמָנָה] וּפַרְפַּר נַהֲרוֹת דַּמֶּשֶׂק מִכֹּל מֵימֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הֲלֹֽא־אֶרְחַץ בָּהֶם וְטָהָרְתִּי וַיִּפֶן וַיֵּלֶךְ בְּחֵמָֽה׃
Are not Amana and Parpar, rivers of Dammeseq, better than all the waters of Yisra᾽el? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
Are not Amana and Parpar, rivers of Dammeseq, better than all the waters of Yisra᾽el? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
וַיִּגְּשׁוּ עֲבָדָיו וַיְדַבְּרוּ אֵלָיו וַיֹּאמְרוּ אָבִי דָּבָר גָּדוֹל הַנָּבִיא דִּבֶּר אֵלֶיךָ הֲלוֹא תַעֲשֶׂה וְאַף כִּי־אָמַר אֵלֶיךָ רְחַץ וּטְהָֽר׃
And his servants came near, and spoke to him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldst thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he says to thee, Wash, and be clean?
And his servants came near, and spoke to him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldst thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he says to thee, Wash, and be clean?
Rashi
אבי. כמו אדוני:
“My father [master].” אָבִי [lit., my father, means] the same as אֲדוֹנִי [=my master].8We find instances where אָב is a title that is used for prominent people. See Bereishis 45:8.
הלא תעשה. וכי לא תעשהו, אפילו אמר לך דבר טורח:
Would you not do it? Wouldn’t you do it, even if he told you to do something requiring exertion?
ואף כי. קל וחומר שאמר לך דבר קל, רחץ וטהר:
Certainly since. By a fortiori conclusion, for he said to you [to do] an easy thing, “immerse yourself and become clean.”
וַיֵּרֶד וַיִּטְבֹּל בַּיַּרְדֵּן שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים כִּדְבַר אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים וַיָּשׇׁב בְּשָׂרוֹ כִּבְשַׂר נַעַר קָטֹן וַיִּטְהָֽר׃
Then he went down, and dipped himself seven times in the Yarden, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
Then he went down, and dipped himself seven times in the Yarden, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
וַיָּשׇׁב אֶל־אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים הוּא וְכׇֽל־מַחֲנֵהוּ וַיָּבֹא וַיַּעֲמֹד לְפָנָיו וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה־נָא יָדַעְתִּי כִּי אֵין אֱלֹהִים בְּכׇל־הָאָרֶץ כִּי אִם־בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַתָּה קַח־נָא בְרָכָה מֵאֵת עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃
And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Yisra᾽el: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.
And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Yisra᾽el: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.
Rashi
ברכה. מנחת שלום של הקבלת פנים, ששואל תלמיד או עבד בשלום הרב, שולד"ו בלע"ז:
A blessing [a gift]. A gift of peace, upon greeting, [e.g.,] when a student or a servant greets [his] master,9See Bereishis 33:11. salud, in O.F.10Na’amon lived as a righteous gentile, keeping the seven commandments that God gave to Noach and his descendants. However, he did not convert to Judaism. See Maseches Gittin 57b.
וַיֹּאמֶר חַי־יְהֹוָה אֲשֶׁר־עָמַדְתִּי לְפָנָיו אִם־אֶקָּח וַיִּפְצַר־בּוֹ לָקַחַת וַיְמָאֵֽן׃
But he said, As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
But he said, As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
Rashi
אם אקח. שדמי עבודה זרה מעורבין בו:
I will not accept. Because monies pertaining to idols are included in it.
וַיֹּאמֶר נַעֲמָן וָלֹא יֻתַּן־נָא לְעַבְדְּךָ מַשָּׂא צֶמֶד־פְּרָדִים אֲדָמָה כִּי לֽוֹא־יַעֲשֶׂה עוֹד עַבְדְּךָ עֹלָה וָזֶבַח לֵאלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים כִּי אִם־לַיהֹוָֽה׃
And Na῾aman said, If not, let then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules’ burden of earth; for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord.
And Na῾aman said, If not, let then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules’ burden of earth; for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord.
Rashi
ולא. לשון בקשה, לשון הלואי:
“Please.” An expression of a request, an expression of הַלְוַאי [=were it only so].11Na’amon would not even take a small amount of earth with asking permission. Radak.
יותן נא. מאדמה זו מארץ ישראל שהיא קדושה, משא שני פרדים, ואשאנה לעירי ואעשה אותה מזבח:
“May there be given.” From this soil of Eretz Yisroel, which is holy, a load [of earth] carried by a team of mules, and I will carry it off to my city, and I will make it [into] an altar.
לַדָּבָר הַזֶּה יִסְלַח יְהֹוָה לְעַבְדֶּךָ בְּבוֹא אֲדֹנִי בֵית־רִמּוֹן לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֺת שָׁמָּה וְהוּא ׀ נִשְׁעָן עַל־יָדִי וְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֵיתִי בֵּית רִמֹּן בְּהִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָתִי בֵּית רִמֹּן יִסְלַח־(נא)־יְהֹוָה לְעַבְדְּךָ בַּדָּבָר הַזֶּֽה׃
In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, that when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to bow down there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow myself down in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing.
In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, that when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to bow down there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow myself down in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing.
Rashi
בית רמון. שם עבודה זרה:
The house of Rimon. The name of a pagan deity.
והשתחויתי. על כרחי, כששוחה אדוני והוא נשען על ידי:
To bow down there. Against my will, when my master bows, because he leans on my hand.
וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ לֵךְ לְשָׁלוֹם וַיֵּלֶךְ מֵאִתּוֹ כִּבְרַת־אָֽרֶץ׃ {ס}
And he said to him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.
And he said to him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.
Rashi
כברת ארץ. שם מדה של קרקע, כמו (ישעיהו ה י): צמדי כרם, ארפינ"ט בלע"ז:
A distance. כִּבְרַת אֶרֶץ is the name of a land measure,12The distance of a mile.—Radak as in, “portions [צִמְדֵי] of vineyard,”13Yeshayahu 5:10. arpent, in O.F.
ונעמן שר צבא. נסים שנעשו על ידי אלישע, מסדר והולך:
Na’amon the general. He goes on and lists the miracles that were performed through Elisha.