II Kings 5:18 · Bible study
2 Kings 5:18 Commentary: Grace for a New Believer's Dilemma
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Naaman asks pardon for bowing in Rimmon's temple. Was it past sin or future permission? Explore the debate and Elisha's response.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Naaman asks pardon for bowing in the temple of Rimmon, either as confession of past idolatry or as a request for grace in a future unavoidable situation.
- Key words: Rimmon (Syrian god), shachah (bow/worship, H7812), salach (forgive/pardon, H5545).
- Main debate: Do the verbs describe past or future actions? Clarke and Gill read past; Barnes and Cambridge read future.
- Theological theme: God's patience with new believers who have incomplete understanding, and the tension between civic duty and exclusive worship.
- Best use: Pastoral teaching on grace toward those with growing faith; small-group discussion about navigating compromise.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Yet may the LORD forgive your servant this one thing: When my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my arm, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the LORD forgive your servant in this matter.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
In this thing may Yahweh pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon. When I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, may Yahweh pardon your servant in this thing.”
KJV King James Version 1769
In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
In this thing Jehovah pardon thy servant: when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, Jehovah pardon thy servant in this thing.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
For this thing Jehovah be propitious to thy servant, in the coming in of my lord into the house of Rimmon to bow himself there, and he was supported by my hand, and I bowed myself in the house of Rimmon; for my bowing myself in the house of Rimmon Jehovah be propitious, I pray thee, to thy servant in this thing.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
In this thing Jehovah pardon thy servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to bow down there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon — when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, Jehovah pardon thy servant, I pray thee, in this thing.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But there is only this, for which thou shalt entreat the Lord for thy servant; when my master goeth into the temple of Remmon, to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand: if I bow down in the temple of Remmon, when he boweth down in the same place, that the Lord pardon me, thy servant, for this thing.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
En esto perdone Jehová á tu siervo: que cuando mi señor entrare en el templo de Rimmón, y para adorar en él se apoyare sobre mi mano, si yo también me inclinare en el templo de Rimmón, si en el templo de Rimmón me inclino, Jehová perdone en esto á tu siervo.
Em isto perdoe o SENHOR a teu servo: que quando meu senhor entrar no templo de Rimom, e para adorar nele se apoiar sobre minha mão, se eu também me inclinar no templo de Rimom, se no templo de Rimom me inclino, o SENHOR perdoe nisto a teu servo.
Voici toutefois ce que je prie l’ Éternel de pardonner à ton serviteur. Quand mon maître entre dans la maison de Rimmon pour s’ y prosterner et qu’ il s’ appuie sur ma main, je me prosterne aussi dans la maison de Rimmon: veuille l’ Éternel pardonner à ton serviteur, lorsque je me prosternerai dans la maison de Rimmon!
Nur darin wolle der HERR deinem Knecht gnädig sein: wo ich anbete im Hause Rimmons, wenn mein Herr ins Haus Rimmons geht, daselbst anzubeten, und er sich an meine Hand lehnt.
In deze zaak vergeve de HEERE uw knecht: wanneer mijn heer in het huis van Rimmon zal gaan, om zich daar neder te buigen, en hij op mijn hand leunen zal en ik mij in het huis van Rimmon nederbuigen zal; als ik mij alzo nederbuigen zal in het huis van Rimmon, de HEERE vergeve toch uw knecht in deze zaak.
Nondimeno, questa cosa voglia l’Eterno perdonare al tuo servo: quando il mio signore entra nella casa di Rimmon per quivi adorare, e s’appoggia al mio braccio, ed anch’io mi prostro nel tempio di Rimmon, voglia l’Eterno perdonare a me, tuo servo, quand’io mi prostrerò così nel tempio di Rimmon!”.
Wszakże w tej mierze niech odpuści Pan słudze swemu, gdy wchodzi pan mój do kościoła Remmon, aby się tam kłaniał, a wesprze się na ręce mojej, że się i ja kłaniam w kościele Remmon. Takowe moje kłanianie w kościele Remmon proszę niech odpuści Pan słudze twemu w tej mierze.
только вот в чем да простит Господь раба твоего: когда пойдет господин мой в дом Риммона для поклонения там и опрется на руку мою, и поклонюсь я в доме Риммона, то, за мое поклонение в доме Риммона, да простит Господь раба твоего в случае сем.
惟有一件 事，願耶和華 饒恕 你僕人：我主人 進 臨門 廟 叩拜的時候，我用 手 攙 他 在臨門 廟，我也屈身。我在臨門 廟 屈身 的這 事，願 耶和華 饒恕我。」
But may your servant have the Lord's forgiveness for this one thing: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon for worship there, supported on my arm, and my head is bent in the house of Rimmon; when his head is bent in the house of Rimmon, may your servant have the Lord's forgiveness for this thing.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Kings 5:18
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree on two things: Naaman’s conscience is newly awakened, and his request arises from genuine faith. But they divide over what exactly he is asking forgiveness for. Adam Clarke, following John Lightfoot’s reading of the Hebrew, argues that the verbs should be translated as past tense: “when my master has gone … I have bowed.” On this view, Naaman is confessing the idolatry he practiced before he knew Yahweh, not asking permission to continue. Gill similarly sees the request as a prayer for pardon of past sin.
Barnes and the Cambridge Bible, however, read the verbs as future. Naaman knows he cannot avoid accompanying his king into Rimmon’s temple and bowing when the king leans on his arm. His conscience troubles him, so he asks the prophet to assure him that such unavoidable action will be pardoned. Both readings treat Naaman as sincere. The Cambridge editors add that Elisha, measuring Naaman by the light he had, simply sends him off with a blessing. The disagreement concerns whether he refers to the past or the future, not his integrity.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Past-tense reading: The verbs can be parsed as perfects, referring to actions already done. Scholars like Lightfoot, Clarke, and Gill argue that Naaman confesses and asks forgiveness for idolatry he practiced before his conversion.
- Future-tense reading: The verbs can be read as imperfects or as expressions of a recurring situation. Barnes and the Cambridge Bible hold that Naaman anticipates future unavoidable bowing and seeks pardon for it.
What is clear: Naaman has a genuine, tender conscience and wants to follow Yahweh; Elisha responds with a gracious blessing, indicating God's patience with new believers whose understanding is still growing.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of Naaman's request | Naaman seeks pardon for bowing in the temple of Rimmon, showing he is aware of a conflict with his new faith. | Some commentators (Clarke, Gill, Lightfoot) read the verbs as past tense, so he confesses former idolatry; others (Barnes, Cambridge) read them as future, so he seeks pardon for unavoidable bowing yet to occur. |
| Elisha's response | Elisha says 'Go in peace' and does not rebuke or deny the request. | Some see it as an endorsement of Naaman's plan; others see it as a non-committal blessing that leaves Naaman to grow in understanding. |
| Evaluation of Naaman's faith | Naaman's faith in Yahweh is genuine and proven by his actions; he is a new believer. | Should Naaman have resisted more strongly? Cambridge says we must judge according to the times; Clarke says the common reading has led to dangerous doctrines of indulgence. |
| Application for today | The passage speaks to the situation of new believers and those with incomplete understanding. | Whether it establishes a principle that external conformity to false worship is permissible for civil reasons is debated; most caution against using it as a blanket excuse. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The god Rimmon appears only here in the Hebrew Bible, but extrabiblical evidence links him to the storm god Hadad. Ellicott notes that the Assyrian name Rammanu means “thunderer,” and the Accadian epithet AN.IM suggests a god of the wind. Rimmon was the chief deity of Damascus, and the king of Syria worshipped in his temple as a matter of national religion. The existence of a place called Hadad-Rimmon (Zechariah 12:11) suggests his worship extended into parts of Palestine.
Naaman’s position as “the captain of the army of the king of Syria” (2 Kings 5:1) placed him close to the monarch. The phrase “he leans on my hand” (cf. 2 Kings 7:2, 7:17) refers to the king’s habit of supporting himself on an attendant when entering or leaving a building. Poole explains that this was either for state or because of age or infirmity. For Naaman, bowing when the king bowed was part of his official duty. But bowing in a pagan temple had clear religious connotations: the verb shachah (H7812) is the same word used in Exodus 20:5 for forbidden worship. Naaman’s request shows he felt that tension acutely.
Naaman’s conversion is still fresh. He has just confessed “there is no God in all the earth but in Israel” (v.15). He has asked for two mules’ load of Israel’s earth, apparently wanting to offer sacrifice on ground he considered holy. In his mind, the soil of Israel made Yahweh’s worship legitimate. That request, while theologically naive, reveals a man who is leaving his old religion and grasping his new one as best he can. Against that background, his concern about bowing in Rimmon’s temple is the first test of how his new faith will function in an old environment.
Scholars point out that Naaman had no local community of Yahweh-worshippers in Damascus and no precedent for how a Gentile convert should behave. His dilemma, loyalty to a human master versus loyalty to the true God, would become a classic problem for believers in pagan courts, from Daniel to the early Christians.
Textual Notes
The Hebrew text of this verse contains no significant textual variants according to the supplied sources. The main interpretive debate, whether the verbs refer to past or future action, arises from the ambiguous verbal forms in the Hebrew. The prefix conjugation (yislaḥ, 'may he forgive') and the infinitive construct (bəvō, 'when he goes') can be read as either past or future depending on the broader context. John Lightfoot, cited by Adam Clarke, argued that the syntax strongly favors a past-tense reading. The disagreement is grammatical, not text-critical.
Reception History
This verse has been a touchstone in discussions about compromise, casuistry, and the pastoral treatment of new believers. In the early church, the problem of attending pagan ceremonies was acute; some saw Naaman as a model of reluctant participation, others as a warning. During the Reformation, the verse was cited in debates about external conformity under religiously mixed governments. Throughout church history, some interpreters have emphasized the tenderness of Naaman's conscience as an example of pastoral patience; others have warned against using the verse to justify even minimal participation in false worship. The diversity of application shows how the story continues to challenge readers to weigh civic duty, personal conscience, and exclusive loyalty to God.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- A new faith faces real-world friction. Naaman has just been healed and converted, but his job requires him to enter an idol's temple. Conversion does not instantly remove all inconvenient circumstances.
- A tender conscience is a mark of new life. Naaman could have ignored the conflict. Instead he raises the matter openly and asks for pardon. His sensitivity to sin is itself evidence of God's work.
- God's grace meets believers at their level. Elisha does not rebuke Naaman's imperfect solution. He says “Go in peace.” God honors sincere faith even where understanding is partial.
Five-point outline
- Naaman's confession of Yahweh is genuine (v.15). He knows the Lord is the only God in all the earth.
- Naaman's request for earth (v.17) shows he associates Yahweh with the land of Israel. His theology is still growing.
- Naaman's dilemma (v.18) is the clash between old duties and new allegiance. He does not want to bow to Rimmon, but his king expects his support.
- Naaman asks for pardon, not permission. Whether past or future, he treats the action as needing forgiveness, not as neutral.
- Elisha's “Go in peace” grants room for growth. The prophet does not examine every corner of Naaman's conscience. He sends him off with a blessing that trusts God to continue the work.
Illustration hooks
- A new Christian whose family expects her to participate in ancestral rites. She feels torn between love and loyalty to her family and her new faith.
- An employee required to attend a company function that includes practices that conflict with Christian convictions. The tension between keeping a job and following Christ.
- A person who grew up in a non-Christian community and was baptized recently, but still struggles with old habits and environments that feel “normal.”
Questions your congregation is asking
- “If I accept a job that requires me to compromise my faith, am I sinning?”
- “Does God forgive me for situations I can't control but that still feel wrong?”
- “Was Elisha too easy on Naaman? Should he have told him to refuse to go to the temple?”
Leading a Discussion
Naaman has just been healed of leprosy and has declared that Israel's God is the only God in all the earth. But he faces a practical problem: his duties as a Syrian commander require him to attend the king into the temple of Rimmon, where he will naturally bow when the king leans on his arm. His request for pardon shows a tender conscience. This passage invites us to consider how we treat believers whose understanding is still developing, and how we navigate situations where our faith conflicts with our responsibilities.
Discussion questions
- What exactly does Naaman ask Elisha to do? Read verse 18 carefully.
- Why is bowing in the house of Rimmon a serious issue? Compare Exodus 20:5 and 2 Kings 17:35.
- Do you think Naaman is referring to past actions or future ones? What clues in the text support either view?
- Why does Naaman mention that the king leans on his hand? How does that detail shape the nature of his action?
- What does Elisha's response “Go in peace” tell you about the prophet's assessment of Naaman's situation?
- If you were in Naaman's position, what would you have done differently? Or is his solution the best available?
- What does this story teach us about how we should treat new believers or people whose faith journey looks different from our own?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 20:5 | you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, |
| I Kings 19:18 | Yet I reserved seven thousand in Israel, all the knees of which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” |
| II Kings 7:2 | Then the captain on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, “Behold, if Yahweh made windows in heaven, could this thing be?” He said, “Behold, you will see it with your eyes, but will not eat of it.” |
| II Kings 7:17 | The king had appointed the captain on whose hand he leaned to be in charge of the gate; and the people trampled over him in the gate, and he died as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him. |
| II Kings 17:35 | with whom Yahweh had made a covenant and commanded them, saying, “You shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them; |
| II Chronicles 30:18 | For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover other than the way it is written. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, “May the good Yahweh pardon everyone |
| II Chronicles 30:19 | who sets his heart to seek God, Yahweh, the God of his fathers, even if they aren’t clean according to the purification of the sanctuary.” |
| Jeremiah 50:20 | In those days, and in that time,” says Yahweh, “the iniquity of Israel will be sought for, and there will be none, also the sins of Judah, and they won’t be found; for I will pardon them whom I leave as a remnant. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke insists the verse must be read in the past tense, not the future. Naaman asks forgiveness for the times he has already bowed in Rimmon’s temple, not permission to do so again. The common reading, Clarke warns, wrongly suggests that political circumstances can excuse an act of idolatry.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes identifies Rimmon as the Syrian sun god, known also as Hadad. He notes Naaman’s particular worry: his master would literally lean on his arm in the temple, forcing him to seem to participate in worship. Naaman’s conscience troubled him, and he asked the prophet for assurance that this could be pardoned.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator stresses that both Naaman and Elisha must be judged by the limited understanding of their era. Naaman could not instantly discard all old ideas, so his half-hearted service was understandable. Elisha had no missionary mandate, so his gentle answer fit the light available before Christ's command to go into all the world.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights Naaman's careful distinction: he does not bow to the idol Rimmon but merely bows while supporting his master inside that temple. His repeated phrase "in the house of Rimmon" shows his conscience is troubled by the location, not by an act of worship. He pleads for God's mercy on this specific point.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill interprets Naaman's request not as asking permission for future idolatry, but as a confession of past sin. Naaman is acknowledging that he has already bowed in the house of Rimmon alongside his master, and he now seeks pardon for that very act of idolatry as a true penitent.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jfb notes that Elisha
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry points out that Naaman's confession that Israel's God alone is God actually exposes the spiritual poverty of the Gentile world—having many gods meant having none. The personal mercy of healing affected Naaman more deeply than the bare miracle would have, showing that experience of grace produces genuine conviction.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley identifies Rimmon as a Syrian idol, noting the name appears in the Septuagint as Remman and in Acts as Remphan. He clarifies that "my hand" in the verse actually refers to the king's arm, which the king leaned on either for ceremonial state or for physical support.