2 Kings 5:16

2Ki 5:16 But he said, [As] the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take [it]; but he refused.

Ver. 16. Before whom I stand.] As his menial servant, being θεοφορος, i.e., carrying God in him, as Isidor Pelusiot was called, full of God. Particeps Dei est vir sapiens, saith a philosopher, a wise man is a partaker of God, and therefore holds everything else worthless: as Abraham, when once assured that God, "the possessor of heaven and earth," was his "shield and exceeding great reward," would not take of the king of Sodom anything, to a shoelatchet. {Gen 14:23; Gen 15:1}

I will receive none.] Lest I should seem covetous, or to be thy beneficiary, or pensioner engaged. This made also Abraham so resolute. {Gen 14:22-23} Epaminondas, the famous Theban, though very poor, would by no means accept of a great mass of money sent him by the king of Persia; et ut mea fert sententia, magnificentior fuit is qui non aurum accepit, quam qui donavit, {a} saith Aelian, and it was very bravely done of him. It was God’s glory that the prophet in this refusal aimed at, and Naaman’s soul’s good: that he might give all the honour of his cure to God alone; and learn to set light by earthly property, and pomp of the world.

{a} Var., Hist., lib. v.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ki 5:16. He said, As the Lord liveth, I will receive none — Not that he thought it unlawful to receive presents, which he did receive from others; but because of the special circumstances of the case, it being much for the honour of God that the Syrians should see the generous piety and kindness of his ministers and servants, and how much they despised all that worldly wealth and glory, which the prophets of the Gentiles so greedily sought after.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

So the Lord commandeth that they that receive freely, should give also freely.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 16. I will receive none.] It was very common to give presents to all great and official men; and among these, prophets were always included: but as it might have appeared to the Syrians that he had taken the offered presents as a remuneration for the cure performed, he refused; for as God alone did the work, he alone should have all the glory.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(16) But.—And (both times).

I will receive none.—Theodoret compares our Lord’s “Freely ye have received, freely give” (Mat_10:8). (Comp. Act_8:20.) Such may have been Elisha’s feeling. His refusal, strongly contrasting with the conduct of ordinary prophets, Israelite and heathen (comp. 1Sa_9:6-9), would make a deep impression upon Naaman and his retinue.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

16. I will receive none] Just as in the earlier part of his conduct Elisha had done everything to direct Naaman’s attention to Jehovah alone as the healer of his disease; so now he will have no gift for himself, lest thereby he should mar the effect of the previous lesson. Heathen priests and prophets were noted for the greed with which they received and demanded rewards. With the servants of the God of Israel there could be nothing of this kind. It was not of them, except as instruments, that the help came, and the gratitude must be paid where it was due. So in spite of much urging, Elisha would receive nothing. He stood before the Lord, and feeling whose servant he was, he must direct all honour to be offered to his Master.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But he said, as the Lord liveth, before whom I stand,.... Whose minister and prophet he was, and by whom he swears:

I will receive none: to let him know that this cure was not to be attributed to him, but the Lord only; and that what concern he had in it was not for the sake of money, but for the glory of the God of Israel:

and he urged him to take it, but he refused it; Naaman was very pressing upon him to receive a gift from him, but he could not be prevailed upon to accept it.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

I will receive none - The prophets were in the habit of receiving presents from those who consulted them 1Sa 9:7-8; 1Ki 14:3, but Elisha refused. It was important that Naaman should not suppose that the prophets of the true God acted from motives of self-interest, much less imagine that “the gift of God might be purchased with money” Act 8:20.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Not that he thought it simply unlawful to receive gifts or presents, which he did receive from others, 2Ki 4:42, but because of the special circumstances of the present case; this being much for the honour of the true God and religion, that the Syrians should see the generous piety, and charity, and kindness of his ministers and servants, and how much they despised all that worldly wealth and glory which the priests or prophets of the Gentiles so greedily sought after; and that hereby Naaman might be much confirmed in that good religion which he had embraced, and others might be brought to a love and liking of it.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

16. I will receive none — It seems to have been a custom for the prophets to receive presents from those who consulted them, (1Sa_9:7,) and it would appear from 2Ki_8:8-9 that on another occasion Elisha himself received a present from the king of Syria; why, then, did he refuse to accept one from Naaman? Some say because Naaman did not offer his present until after his cure, and thereby showed no little disrespect to the prophet; but a better reason is found in Elisha’s own words, 2Ki_5:26, “Is it a time to receive money and garments,” etc. It was a time of hypocrisy and avarice among the professed prophets and priests in the northern kingdom, and this fact brought the sacred office into disrepute and contempt among the people. It was wise, therefore, for Elisha, in connexion with this great miracle of healing, to decline the rich present of Naaman, so that all might know that the mighty works of God’s grace were free, and that avarice dwelt not in the heart of the true prophet of Jehovah.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But he said, As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. Elisha regards it as best, under the circumstances, to refuse the offered recompense. It was not compulsory on him so to act; for the precept, "Freely ye have received, freely give", (Mat_10:8) had not been yet uttered. Pious Israelites commonly brought gifts to the prophets whom they consulted (1Sa_9:7, 1Sa_9:8; 1Ki_14:3) But, in the case of a foreigner, ignorant hitherto of true religion, whom it was important to impress favorably, and, if possible, win over to the faith, Elisha deemed it advisable to take no reward. Naaman was thus taught that Jehovah was his true Healer, the prophet the mere instrument, and that it was to Jehovah that his gratitude, his thanks, and his offerings were due. And he urged him to take it; but he refused. Contests of politeness are common in the East, where the one party offers to give and even insists on giving, while the other makes a pretence of declining; but here both parties were in earnest, and the gift was absolutely declined.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He refused - Not that he thought it unlawful to receive presents, which he did receive from others, but because of the special circumstances of the case; this being much for the honour of God that the Syrians should see the generous piety, and kindness of his ministers and servants, and how much they despised all that worldly wealth and glory, which the prophets of the Gentiles so greedily sought after.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

I will not accept. Because monies pertaining to idols are included in it.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.