Naaman's Seven Dips in the Jordan River

Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army, was afflicted with leprosy and was instructed by the prophet Elisha to dip himself seven times in the Jordan River to be cured ^{[4, 7]}. Initially, Naaman was offended by Elisha's seemingly dismissive instruction, expecting a more elaborate ritual or a personal appearance from the prophet ^{[5, 8, 10]}. He considered the rivers of Damascus, Abana and Pharpar, to be superior to the Jordan ^[10]. However, persuaded by his servants, Naaman eventually complied ^[11].

The biblical account states, "So Naaman went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored and became like that of a little child, and he was clean" ^[1]. This act of obedience, despite Naaman's initial reluctance, resulted in his complete healing ^[11].

The Jordan River, meaning "the descender," is the principal river of Palestine, flowing from the roots of Anti-Lebanon to the Dead Sea ^{[2, 3]}. It held significant symbolic importance for the Israelites, being the river of God's chosen people throughout their history ^[2]. The number seven in this context is understood by some commentators as a symbol of the covenant between God and Israel ^[6]. The act of washing in the Jordan served as a visible reminder that healing came from Yahweh, the God of Israel ^[10].

Early Christian writers, such as Origen, also reflected on the significance of Naaman's healing in the Jordan, drawing parallels between the smiting of the rock in the wilderness and the healing power associated with the Jordan, viewing it as a type of the Word of God ^[9]. The narrative underscores the theme of divine power working through unexpected and humble means, contrasting with human expectations of grandeur ^{[5, 10]}.

Sources

II Kings “II Kings 5:14 (BSB) — So Naaman went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored and became like that of a little child, and he was clean.”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Jordan — (the descender), the one river of Palestine, has a course of little more than 200 miles, from the roots of Anti-Lebanon to the head of the Dead Sea. (136 miles in a straight line.--Schaff.) It is the river of the "great plain" of Palestine--the "descender," if not "the river of God" in the book of Psalms, at least that of his chosen people throughout their history. There were fords over against Jericho, to which point the men of Jericho pursued the spies. (Joshua 2:7) comp. Judg 3:28 Higher up where the fords or passages of Bethbarah, where Gideon lay in wait”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Jordan — Heb. Yarden, "the descender;" Arab. Nahr-esh-Sheriah, "the watering-place" the chief river of Palestine. It flows from north to south down a deep valley in the centre of the country. The name descender is significant of the fact that there is along its whole course a descent to its banks; or it may simply denote the rapidity with which it "descends" to the Dead Sea. It originates in the snows of Hermon, which feed its perennial fountains. Two sources are generally spoken of. (1.) From the western base of a hill on which once stood the city of Dan, the northe”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Naaman — Pleasantness, a Syrian, the commander of the armies of Benhadad II. in the time of Joram, king of Israel. He was afflicted with leprosy; and when the little Hebrew slave-girl that waited on his wife told her of a prophet in Samaria who could cure her master, he obtained a letter from Benhadad and proceeded with it to Joram. The king of Israel suspected in this some evil design against him, and rent his clothes. Elisha the prophet hearing of this, sent for Naaman, and the strange interview which took place is recorded in 2 Kings 5. The narrative contains all ”
2 Kings (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Kings 5:10: And Elisha sent a messenger unto him,.... Or returned an answer by Naaman's messenger; he did not go out to him, choosing to be retired, as he commonly did; and being perhaps employed in prayer for the cure; and it may be also to show his contempt of or little regard he had to worldly grandeur and honour, as well as to mortify the pride of Naaman: saying, go and wash in Jordan seven times; so, according to the law of the cleansing the leper, he was to be sprinkled seven times, and on the seventh day his flesh was to be bathed or dipped all over in water, which is m”
2 Kings (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 2 Kings 5:14: Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan--Persuaded by his calmer and more reflecting attendants to try a method so simple and easy, he followed their instructions, and was cured. The cure was performed on the basis of God's covenant with Israel, by which the land, and all pertaining to it, was blessed. Seven was the symbol of the covenant [KEIL].”
2 Kings (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Kings 5 (introduction): INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 5 This chapter gives an account of the leprosy of Naaman the Syrian, and of the cure of it by Elisha; how he came to hear of him, and the recommendation he had from the king of Syria to the king of Israel, Kg2 5:1, who, coming to Elisha's house, was ordered to dip himself seven times in Jordan, which made him depart in wrath; but one of his servants persuaded him to do it, and he did, and was cured, Kg2 5:9, upon which he returned to Elisha, and offered him a present, which he refused, Kg2 5:15 but Gehazi, his servant, ran after ”
2 Kings (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 2 Kings 5:8: ELISHA SENDS HIM TO JORDAN, AND HE IS HEALED. (Kg2 5:8-15) when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, . . . let him come now to me--This was the grand and ultimate object to which, in the providence of God, the journey of Naaman was subservient. When the Syrian general, with his imposing retinue, arrived at the prophet's house, Elisha sent him a message to "go and wash in Jordan seven times." This apparently rude reception to a foreigner of so high dignity incensed Naaman to suc”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 9: Gospel of Peter, Diatessaron, Origen's Commentaries — 28. NAAMAN THE SYRIAN AND THE JORDAN. NO OTHER STREAM HAS THE SAME HEALING POWER. (part 1): Should any one object to the expression "He smote the water," on account of the conclusion we arrived at above with respect to the Jordan, that it is a type of the Word who descended for us our descending, we rejoin that with the Apostle the rock is plainly said to be Christ, and that it is 374 smitten twice with the rod, so that the people may drink of the spiritual rock which follows them. The "smiting" in this new difficulty is that of ”
2 Kings (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 2 Kings 5:9: 5:9-12 Rather than receiving Naaman, who came to buy his healing, Elisha left him standing at the door and communicated with him by messenger. Naaman expected special treatment befitting his station and was disappointed both in Elisha’s failure to receive him and at his instructions to wash . . . seven times in the Jordan River, which he considered inferior to the rivers of Aram. Washing in the Jordan would be a visible reminder that only Yahweh, the God of Israel, could heal Naaman.”
2 Kings (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Kings 5:14: Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God,.... He listened to the reasoning of his servant, and his passion subsided, and did as the prophet ordered him: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child; clear and fresh, soft and tender as an infant, quite new flesh: and he was clean; from the leprosy, and all the filthy symptoms of it.”

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