In today’s lectionary reading from 2 Kings 5:1-14, we learn about the commander of Aram’s army, an officer named Naaman. You can listen to my initial reflections to the text in this morning’s episode of First Formation. Here’s the gist;
Despite being a great man (gāḏôl îš) and a mighty warrior (gibôr ḥayil), Naaman suffers from a humbling skin disease. He acquired a Jewish slave girl while leading a military raid whom he assigned to serve his wife. The girl, either on good terms (or hoping to curry favor) with her enslaver, tells her mistress how to find healing for Naaman’s embarrasing skin disease - go to the northern capital, Samaria, and find the prophet Elisha.