God is the one who gives, not Elisha. But when they got to the gate of the city, Gehazi said, "That's great. One day, his wife's Israelite servant girl told her about the power of God moving through the prophet Elisha. Scattered pinpoint losses are also found in the more thinly painted areas. If anyone should have known and obeyed the commandments of God, it was Gehazi. It would have been insulting to God for the prophet to receive anything from Naaman when God is the proprietor and the progenitor of wealth especially on His turf and in His land. Maybe something's gone wrong." Did not my heart go when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Iconclass is a classification system pertaining to art and iconography, designed to describe and classify subjects, themes, and motifs represented in images. The suggestion that vv. The Church News is an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In this quiet and restrained scene, Lambert Jacobsz placed Naaman in the center of the composition and gave him added prominence through his slightly larger scale and the brilliant colors of his turban and kaftan. 1800 (Stockholm 2005), 59, no. 14:1-12, where God himself tells Moses the ritual for cleansing one with a skin disease). (1 Cor. In the same way, each one of us needs to be careful to check our heart and our motives in pursuing wealth, especially when it has to do with the kingdom of God or ministry to others. An Israelite maid he had captured advised him to see the prophet Elisha. Why should Elisha receive a gift for him? At times, these slivers of warm gray act as a transitional midtone, as in the lower contour of Elishas sleeve where it overlaps with the white page of his book. It has been lightly edited. "I pray that you'll take this blessing.". Naaman's wife had a servant girl from Israel who said that a prophet there would be able to heal him. 6 [lent by the present owner]. The pictorial source for this confrontation scheme may be Peter Paul Rubenss The Tribute Money (Fine Arts Museum, San Francisco), which was known in the Northern Netherlands from a print by Lucas Vorsterman. As a means of thanks, Naaman tries to give Elisha a gift. Elishas hands are exceptionally beautifully shaped and contrast strongly with the usually somewhat clumsy hands painted on other original work by Lambert Jacobsz. In The Leiden Collection Catalogue, 3rd ed. (The mikveh is a bath used for ritual immersion in Judaism. And so it was told to Naaman and he told the king that there was a prophet in Israel that could cure him of his leprosy. 78. This biblical passage is full of stark contrasts. Why does the king blame Elisha for the siege and famine of Samaria in 2 Kings 6:31? A servant of Elisha, Gehazi, seeing Naaman being turned away from offering God offerings, ran after him and falsely asked for clothing and silver for visitors. He was a man without many options and so God became his only hope. In fact, he almost lost out on his healing because he did not want to follow the instructions of Elisha to bathe in the Jordan River. Josua Bruyn once remarked that the large-figure paintings produced in this workshopthe Backer-like Jacobsz and the Jacobsz-like Backer paintingswere difficult to distinguish.5 One example of how closely related the works of these painters were during this period is The Tribute Money in Stockholm. And the prophet starts laying out the things that he had in mind to do with this money. It's awfully hard to accept grace gracefully, isn't it? Naamans unusual request stems from the ancientand biblicalconception that the earth is the locale for a cosmic turf war. This excerpt about Naaman in the Bible is adapted from the original article in Dr. Heisers book I Dare You Not to Bore Me with the Bible. Art and the Bible 2005 - 2023 artbible.info. 2 Kings 3:14 And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee. 1631 (Private collection, United States); Peter van den Brink, Jacob Backer (1608/91651) (Exh. Perhaps, as he walked back, he was thinking about what he could do with such a large sum: he could buy olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, and have servants rather than being a servant. The Mekilta (Yitro, 'Amale, 1), however, places Naaman's conversion above Jethro's. You can discuss this post and others in the Faithlife Today group. From whom acquired by the present owner in 2006. Arama, l.c.). Nephi taught, " . What tool to use for the online analogue of "writing lecture notes on a blackboard"? He wanted to thank Elisha by giving him presents, but Elisha refused. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. 1800 (Stockholm, 2005), 59, no. You can now hide this message or find out more about cookies. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. Why does Jesus turn to the Father to forgive in Luke 23:34? So Naaman became enraged. Truce of the burning tree -- how realistic? Discover God's grace, His officers convinced him of the wisdom of obeying the commands of the prophet. Notice Naaman asks for dirt to take back home with him. It's FREE! 15:15-16 ). Superbook whisks the kids off to meet Naamans servant girl and follow Naamans story through to his amazing cure of leprosy. An overall warm gray ground has been applied to the painting. Can we say the same thing about Elishas rejection of Naamans gift? This attribution by Fred Meijer was largely based on an alleged kinship with De Grebbers Belshazzars Great Feast from 1625 in Museum Schloss Wilhelmshhe, Kassel. Christian theology has always depicted Naaman as the paradigmatic case of Gods will to save people we would normally considered as being unworthy of salvation: Naaman is not even an Israelite, and doesnt share the prophets faith. Entrust your prayer intentions to our network of monasteries. Elisha is one of the most powerful prophets in the Old Testament. ; Arama, "'Aedat Yia," ch. Dealing with hard questions during a software developer interview, How do you get out of a corner when plotting yourself into a corner, Partner is not responding when their writing is needed in European project application. And so the king of Syria Benhadad sent a formal letter to the king of Israel [and sent Naaman down] ( 2 Kings 5:1-5 ). The expression "So he departed from him a little way" (; II Kings v. 19) seems to contradict the assertion of Naaman's intention to return to Syria with the two loads of earth. But this only can happen if we are willing to humble ourselves and recognize that Jesus is Lord and that we are His servants. 212. ( ). Elisha, instead, just tells him what God had already told Moses. lx. The third one is, then, that of the gifts: Naaman insists on giving Elisha some gift (the text doesnt specify what, but one can assume that it might have to do with Naamans six thousand shekels of gold), but Elisha refuses him, saying As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.. Naaman's wife had a servant girl from Israel who said that a prophet there would be able to heal him. BRILL, founded in 1683, is a publishing house with a strong international focus. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Elisha was totally surrendered to God in every area of his life. [2][3] Saya mengerti ini adalah website yang berdasarkan ajaran Alkitab. When he returned home, Elisha found out and punished Gehazi with leprosy for his greed. The rest of the Old Testament is the story of Gods intention to reclaim every nation on earth. Among the onlookers to this encounter are Naamans servants and soldiers, as well as Elishas servant Gehazi, the attentive young man at the far right. This event is alluded to in the words "because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria" (II Kings v. 1), and therefore the Syrian king, Naaman's master, was Benhadad (Midrash Shoer ob to. "I know that," he said. But despite repeated urgings, Elisha replied, "I will receive none," and Naaman departed ( 1 Kgs. Atelierpraktijk in Leeuwarden omstreeks 1630, De Vrije Fries 89 (2009): 6792. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.. It seems unlikely that Jacobszs depiction of this Biblical story would have been suitable for the Regents Chamber in the Leprozenhuis in Leeuwarden. ( 2 Kings 5:25-26 ). The model for the elderly man was also used for a version of The Tribute Money in Stockholm by Jacob Backer in his Leeuwarden period; see Grel Cavalli-Bjrkman, Dutch and Flemish Paintings, vol. Elisha's servant, Gehazi, was not happy. Naaman was a powerful man and a warrior who was used to giving commands and having those commands obeyed. 552 et seq.) The Bible doesn't say whether God told him not to receive the gift from Naaman, but we see that Elisha was quick to refuse the offer, desiring only to honor God. Vetus Testamentum is a leading journal covering all aspects of Old Testament study. Only a few Dutch paintings depicting this biblical narrative have survived, most of them by artists working in Amsterdam and Haarlem in the first half of the 1600s. Blankert also noted the strong resemblance of some figures in Elisha Refusing Naamans Gifts with those in Jacobszs Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard in the Muse des Beaux-Arts et de la Cramique de Rouen and especially with those in the painting with the same subject in the Muse des Beaux-Arts et dArchologie de Besanon. And the guy urged him, but still he refused. Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man with his master, and highly respected, because by him the LORD had given victory to Aram. His painting does not focus on Naamans recovery from leprosy or on Elishas refusal to be rewarded, but rather on Naamans conversion to the true faith.13. . In the more thickly painted central figures, the artist used dabs of paint to imitate metallic reflections in Naamans garments, as well as in the highlights and other light-colored details in the textiles. II Kings v. 2). In which circumstances are we allowed to reject a gift? 6, Nachtrge, Ortsregister, Ikonographisches Register, Bibliographie, Knstlerverzeichnis (Landau, 1983), no. Naaman, a man of heathen faith who is unfamiliar with the Jewish mezora, had expected the prophet himself to come out to him and to perform some kind of impressive ritual magic; he angrily refuses, and prepares to go home unhealed. iii. Kullanm artlarmz ve Gizlilik Politikamz kabul ettiiniz iin teekkr ederiz. And he urged him to take it; but he refused. As Halbertal explains, the goal of the sacrifice is to produce a gift cycle,. BRILL's mainly English language publications include book series, individual monographs and encyclopaedias as well as journals. oil on canvas (151 249 cm) 1661 Please sign in or register for a free Superbook account to watch full episodes, earn SuperPoints and win great prizes. Jacobsz also painted original compositions, of which his assistants made copies and variations. Naaman is understood as Moab in the expression "Moab is my washpot" (Ps. The original support has been lined and its tacking margins have been removed. As a result, the earlier work lacks the spiritual and reflective character that is so poignant in the masters later rendering of this biblical narrative. Moreover, the figure of Elisha was thought to resemble the old man at the left in De Grebbers Conferring of the Sword on the Coat-of-Arms of Haarlem from 1630. Elisha refuses. And so Naaman came to Elisha's house and Elisha didn't even go out to meet him but sent his servant Gehazi out with the orders, "Go down to the Jordan River and just dip in the Jordan River seven times, and after you've dipped seven times, you'll be cleansed of your leprosy." However, Elisha's servant, Gehazi, followed Naaman and deceitfully asked for a gift in Elisha's name. Create an account or log in to get started. This painting was long believed to have been painted by Lambert Jacobsz, but recently has been attributed to Jacob Backer.6. men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion." Originating around the same time are versions of the subject by Jacob I de Wet (161075) and Simon Kick (160352). The word is transliterated in the Septuagint (Vatican) and (Lucian) , while the Alexandrian codex has ' , apparently reading . Now the servant Gehazi, when he saw Elisha turning down these gifts, he began to think, "Wow, what I could do with just a little bit of that loot. The request is so odd that its hard to avoid wondering if Naaman needed some other kind of therapy. The man standing in the door to the right is Elisha's servant Gehazi. A person is not born a Mennonite, but only becomes one when mature enough to decide based on personal belief to follow the Christian faith, much like Naaman, who came to that revelation through the actions and words of Elisha. Dirt? Because it's just such a simple thing, why don't you try it? UFOs and Christianity: What Hath Roswell to Do with Jerusalem? Gehazi, as is recounted in a subsequent episode in the biblical story, follows Naaman after the Syrian commander leaves Elisha and accepts the gifts intended for his master, falsely telling Naaman that Elisha had sent him to do so (2 Kings 5:1727). One day his wife's Israeli servant girl told her about the power of God moving through the prophet Elisha. Gehazi's acceptance was unacceptable in the frame of Elisha's refusal. When the two meet, Elisha tells him rather dismissively that he needs to take a bath in the Jordan River. Knowledge of this print is evident in Jacob Backers The Tribute Money in Stockholm, which he executed during his Leeuwarden period. New York, 2020. Previous commentary: Next commentary: About this commentary: are made available by the generosity of . Elisha repeatedly refuses. According to Blankert, the subject had a twofold significance for the regents: first, Elishas refusal symbolized the regents own rectitude and, second, the example of Gehazi was a cautionary note for their servants that they would pay a heavy price for deception. He is a former scholar-in-residence at Logos Bible Software. Who Are Gog and Magogand Whats So Evil about the North? New versions are added only when a substantive change to the narrative occurs. 6 (ascribed to Pieter de Grebber by Fred Meijer). The artist carefully modelled the faces of these two protagonists, paying great attention to their facial expressions. So when he came before the man of God, he had difficulty humbling himself in obedience to the Lord's instructions. Gehazi was Elisha's young messenger and servant. And he said. This is the second contrast we find in this story: that of the pomp of Naaman and Elishas humbleness. And in fact, they sent a fellow back carrying a bag. He focused particularly on Naaman's gaze as he quietly reflects upon the prophet's reasons for refusing to accept his gifts of appreciationthe moment of revelation when Naaman came to understand that "there is no God in all the world except in Israel." This seems to be, to a certain extent, self-evident. (Comp. cat. Joy is upset because shes in charge of a big service project. Get a roundup of new Word by Word articles in your inbox each Friday. The Church News is an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Elisha refused to accept the gifts, but his servant, Gehazi, decided he would "run after him, and take somewhat of him." After this, Naaman and his retinue returned to Elisha and offered a giftten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, ten sets of clothingElisha could take whatever he wanted. He does, however, ask for sacrificial altar soil to be given him to take back home and that the God of Israel pardon him when he enters the temple of Rimmon as part of his obligations to the king of Syria. 1 Kings 13:8 And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place: I will receive none.--Theodoret compares our Lord's "Freely ye have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8). When Elisha became aware of Gehazis duplicity, he punished his servant by infecting him with the disease from which Naaman had just been cured. For an extensive discussion of this work, see Neeltje Khler, ed., Painting in Haarlem 15001850: The Collection of the Frans Hals Museum (Ghent, 2006), 46869. Elisha did not accept Naaman's gifts because he wanted Naaman to know that his healing had nothing to do with Elisha but everything to do with the God of Israel.