Bible Discussion Thread

Was Naaman so infected with leprosy that he avoided being put in a leper colony or was it not looked down upon by the Arabs in the same way that the Jews considered leprosy?

U may like to read the whole of 2nd Kings Ch 5 and then read Acts Ch 9 and c how these two chapters tie together .

The advice that Naaman received , was not from the female servant , it was from the prophet Elisha , who was a prophet of God for sure . So really the advice was devine . V 13 of 2nd Kings Ch 5 is very significant I think . Could it possibly relate to us in any way ? The whole chapter is a foreshadow of the new covenant in Christ I believe . The gentiles , of which Naaman was one , r permitted to receive direct intervention from the God of Israel . Previously God was only considered to b the God of Israel .

Hi Lou. We're not told of how the Syrians dealt with leprosy, whether they even had a separate colony for them. Leprosy isn't highly infectious - but it is, when there is constant contact with the leper or transmission of bodily fluids. In any case, at that time, maybe not a lot was known about the disease, so people who were not incapacitated because of it, still moved around in society until they were homebound. With Naaman, it appeared that he was still able to function in his military duties, but with the signs of the leper there with the nerves being affected, it may have concerned him & the young maid gave that wise suggestion to him. As well, the Syrians & other nations, had never received a law from God in what to do in the event of leprosy being noticed in a person.

The young maids wise suggestion was not hers . Give God the glory . Elisha the prophet of the God of Israel told Naaman what to do and it didn't say in the law of Moses that someone with leprosy was to bathe seven times in the Jordan River . All this came from Elisha , therefore it game from God , give God the glory and thanks . Always .If I am wrong in any of this I apologise , I just go by what it actually says in the Bible .

Thank you Grae. As I read in that passage & particularly 2 Kings 5:2-4, it was the maid who suggested to Naaman's wife for Naaman to go & visit a prophet in Samaria who would help him. I wasn't intimating that the maid spoke about going to the Jordan & dipping in it seven times, but that she suggested visiting the prophet (Elisha) who would tell him more.

"And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy."

It could well have been that God inspired the maid to say what she did, but I was simply stating the verse. Do you read it another way than I have?