It appears that Naaman was acknowledging the God of Heaven, Israels God as the one true God. It. Jacobszs interpretation of this episode focuses on faith and not questions of civic virtues. Naaman was angry and would have left, but his servant asked him to try it and he was healed. Naaman was a powerful man and a warrior who was used to giving commands and having those commands obeyed. He did not want sin to come between him and the Lord or to hinder the Lord's work through his life because of his greed. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.. Why must a product of symmetric random variables be symmetric? ), Naaman returns to Elisha with lavish gifts, which Elisha flatly refuses to accept. cat. I'll take it from here." There are some old damages to the canvas support with associated paint losses, as in the two figures immediately to the left of Naaman. He is miraculously healed by the simple act. Publications are increasingly becoming available in electronic format (CD-ROM and/or online editions).BRILL is proud to work with a broad range of scholars and authors and to serve its many customers throughout the world. Gehazi asked for (and received) silver and clothing from Naaman, after lying about the arrival of two men of the sons of the prophets. Find a vector in the null space of a large dense matrix, where elements in the matrix are not directly accessible. Naaman wanted dirt from Israel because Israel was Yahwehs territory. 26:29.) Then when his mentor was taken up into the whirlwind, Elisha became the leader of the sons of the prophets. Naaman believed that "There [was] no God in all the earth but in Israel" ( 2 Kgs 5:15) and wanted to return to his homeland with holy ground. In which circumstances are we allowed to reject a gift? One day his wife's Israeli servant girl told her about the power of God moving through the prophet Elisha. Who Are Gog and Magogand Whats So Evil about the North? For example, Naamans turban and sashas well as the sash of his youngest servantfeature the same decorations as Belshazzars sash. In contrast, the figures in the background on the left side were painted on top of the brown background paint. The Church News is an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Create an account or log in to get started. Discover God's grace, His officers convinced him of the wisdom of obeying the commands of the prophet. 1Samuel 9:6-9), would make a deep impression upon Naaman and his retinue. Yet Naaman was a leper. A Bible Story for Adults. 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). Truce of the burning tree -- how realistic? 3, B. Keil J. And he took it and put it in his house. Naaman was a man with significant duties in his home country. "And Naaman said, "Here, take a couple of talents of silver," and he was happy to give it to him. Deuteronomy 8:18 . Lambert Jacobszs Elisha Refusing Naamans Gifts depicts an episode from the Old Testament story of Naaman, the widely admired commander of the Syrian army, and the Prophet Elisha, who cured him of leprosy. rev2023.3.1.43269. This website uses cookies to ensure the best user experience. . Since Jacobsz did not execute large figure pieces after Backers departure, Elisha Refusing Naamans Gifts must have been painted between 1628, shortly after Backer arrived in Leeuwarden, and 1633, when he returned to Amsterdam. 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. Learn more at. When we come before the Lord in our time of prayer, it's important for us to humble ourselves like Naaman did to receive favor from God. Because it's just such a simple thing, why don't you try it? For example, the artist often divided the picture plane and juxtaposed his main protagonists in this manner, as in The Disobedient Prophet in the Nationalmuseum Stockholm (fig 5).11 The old prophet in that painting, moreover, resembles Elisha.12, A final question concerns patronage. Naaman was a powerful man and a warrior who was used to giving commands and having those commands obeyed. He's trying to start a fight. In 2 Kings 5:17, Naaman follows the request with an explanation: for from now on your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the Lord. The dirt and Naamans new allegiance to the God of Israel are related. But rather than personally receiving Naaman when the latter arrives at Elisha's house, Elisha merely sends a messenger to the door who tells Naaman to cure his affliction by dipping himself seven times in the Jordan River. Gehazi did not tell Elisha but he followed Naaman and told him a lie. Why was Hezekiah not rebuked for seeking a sign in 2 Kings 20. Can we say the same thing about Elishas rejection of Naamans gift? Why would God have rejected Cains offering? Not only is Elisha's gesture of refusal reminiscent of that in the Leiden Collection painting, but Gehazi similarly stands behind the prophet in both works. Elisha refused to accept the gifts, but his servant, Gehazi, decided he would "run after him, and take somewhat of him." When the two meet, Elisha tells him rather dismissively that he needs to take a bath in the Jordan River. So when he came before the man of God, he had difficulty humbling himself in obedience to the Lord's instructions. He had also trained with Jan Pynas. He did not want sin to come between him and the Lord or to hinder the Lord's work through his life because of his greed. And in certain dire situations, one is permitted to accept presents openly.) 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. In the past, the edges of the painting appear to have been folded over a smaller stretcher about an inch from the current edge. Simon Kick, Elisha Refusing Naamans Gifts, 1644 (Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemldegalerie); Werner Sumowski, Gemlde der Rembrandt-Schler, vol. The new baptism takes place in the Jordan River where Jesus of Nazareth, also called the Christ by his followers, was baptized many centuries later. Nephi called such employment "priestcraft," in which " . See Hendrik Luitje Straat, Lambert Jacobsz: schilder, De Vrije Fries 28 (1928): 71, no. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. 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. To his amazement, Elisha's cure worked"His flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy" (verse 14). And he said, "Send him down to me, and he will know that there is a God in Israel." Elisha said, Where have you been? 57b; Deut. And he urged him to take it; but he refused. Episodes Available for Superbook DVD Club Members Only. Amsterdam Museum, Amsterdam. 2 Kgs 5:14-17) explains Naaman was a Syrian warlord, who suffered from a grave skin condition (most likely, leprosy). Knowledge of this print is evident in Jacob Backers The Tribute Money in Stockholm, which he executed during his Leeuwarden period. Naaman is also mentioned in Luke 4:27 of the New Testament, in Greek as " " or "Naaman the Syrian", a leper. The display of power, so transparently without sacrifice or incantation, awakens Naaman to the fact that Yahweh of Israel is the true God. When he discovered that he was stricken with leprosy, he searched for a cure -- and of course, at that time, there was no cure. New versions are added only when a substantive change to the narrative occurs. Naaman then traveled to Samaria to see Elisha, but the prophet never received him: he just sent a messenger to meet Naaman and his entourage by the door. (The mikveh is a bath used for ritual immersion in Judaism. According to the narrative, he is called a mezora (), a person affected by the skin disease tzaraath (, tzara'at). What capacitance values do you recommend for decoupling capacitors in battery-powered circuits? Elisha is one of the most powerful prophets in the Old Testament. In 2 Kings 2:9 what does it mean for Elisha to want "a double portion" from Elijah? Wheelock, Arthur K., Jr., Christiaan Vogelaar, and Caroline van Cauwenberge. Naaman hears that Elisha, the prophet of Israel, can heal him, so he makes the trip. The biblical text (Cf. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. Israel was therefore Yahwehs portion (Deut 32:9), whereas all the other nations belong to the sons of God whom Israel was forbidden to worship. Art and the Bible 2005 - 2023 artbible.info. 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. And she said, It's too bad your husband isn't with the prophet there in Israel, because he could heal him of his leprosy. He was a good commander and was held in favor because of the victory that God brought him. This is the second contrast we find in this story: that of the pomp of Naaman and Elishas humbleness. [5], As the object of the narrative of Naaman's sickness and restoration to health is, apparently, to form a link in the long series of miracles performed by Elisha, the redactor of II Kings did not concern himself to indicate the time when this event occurred. You can now hide this message or find out more about cookies. The leprosy was gone.He was so excited he headed back to the prophet's house because he was loaded down with all kinds of gifts that the king of Syria had sent. This item is part of a JSTOR Collection. (Amsterdam, 2012), 4447. Naaman departed for Syria, but Elisha's servant Gehazi ran after him and told a lie in order to get Naaman's gift for himself. However, as noted, nothing is known about a commission, and it therefore remains uncertain for whom or which institution Jacobsz originally made this painting. How does a fan in a turbofan engine suck air in? 6, Nachtrge, Ortsregister, Ikonographisches Register, Bibliographie, Knstlerverzeichnis (Landau, 1983), no. ( 2 Kings 5:16; see verses 15 through 22 for the whole story.) And he urged him to take it; but he refused. Jacobsz also painted original compositions, of which his assistants made copies and variations. For example, mentioned in Jacobszs stock inventory is a Naomi and Ruth by De Grebber, which would have been sent to the artist in Leeuwarden from Haarlem, or from Amsterdam via Hendrick Uylenburgh. The man standing in the door to the right is Elisha's servant Gehazi. Scripture says that we can come before the throne of grace to receive mercy and favor in our time of need. 1800 (Stockholm 2005), 59, no. Jacob Backer, The Tribute Money, 1630s (Nationalmuseum, Stockholm); see Grel Cavalli-Bjrkman, Dutch and Flemish Paintings, vol. Jointly published by the Deseret News and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, its content supports the doctrines, principles and practices of the Church. The passage ("because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria," II Kings v. 1) upon which the identification of Naaman with Ahab's slayer is based by the Rabbis is referred by G. Rawlinson, however (in the "Speaker's Commentary"), to the Syrian triumph over Shalmaneser II. Elisha's refusal of Naaman's gift in our passage, and that this expla-nation should be sought in the prophet's judicial deliberations over his servant, Gehazi, incurred after the latter had acquired Naaman's gift (vv. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. He then praised the lord of Israel as the only true god. Not only is Elishas gesture of refusal reminiscent of that in the Leiden Collection painting, but Gehazi similarly stands behind the prophet in both works. Much has been written, in the fields of anthropology, ethnography, ethics, and religious studies about gift-giving, sacrificing, and offering since the last century. The artist began the composition on top of the ground by painting in part of the architectural setting, leaving a reserve for figures such as Naaman, Elisha, and Gehazi. As a means of thanks, Naaman tries to give Elisha a gift. 344, 361). For Bruyns remark, see Jasper Hillegers, Lambert Jacobsz (15981636) en zijn werkplaats: Atelierpraktijk in Leeuwarden omstreeks 1630, De Vrije Fries 89 (2009): 78, which refers to Josua Bruyn, Boekbespreking Werner Sumowski, Gemlde der Rembrandt-Schler, VI, Oud Holland 110 (1996), 167. It would be simply wrong for Elisha to accept Naamans gift, given the fact the prophet has not performed the healing himself, but God. Naaman is understood as Moab in the expression "Moab is my washpot" (Ps. Help us purchase electrical generators for churches. But the Lord revealed to Elisha what Gehazi did and prophet rebuked him saying, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever" (verse 27). Elisha's refusal of Naaman's gift in our passage, and that this expla-nation should be sought in the prophet's judicial deliberations over his servant, Gehazi, incurred after the latter had acquired Naaman's gift (vv. Lambert Jacobsz, Elisha and Gehazi (Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Queens University, Kingston). Naaman is mentioned in 2 Kings 5 of the Tanakh in Hebrew as " " or "Naaman captain of the army of the King of Aram". After Naaman was cured of leprosy, he offered Elisha gifts for his use of priesthood powers. What's it going to hurt?" From whom acquired by the present owner in 2006. When he discovered that he was stricken with leprosy he searched for a cure -- and of course at that time there was no cure. And he said, Did not my spirit go with thee, [when you received] when you went out to their chariot and stopped them and you received the money, and you received the garments, and the oliveyards, and the vineyards, and the sheep, and the oxen, and menservants, and maidservants? 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. ", He was seeking healing from leprosy. The prophet Elisha, upon hearing of the king's tear-clothes moment, asked that Naaman be sent to him so that "he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel." (see 2 Kings 5:8). 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. One day, his wife's Israelite servant girl told her about the power of God moving through the prophet Elisha. In general, he painted directly onto the canvas, working both wet into wet and over dried paint layers. If the tradition is correct, the Syrian king whom Naaman served must have been Ben-hadad II. Planned Maintenance scheduled March 2nd, 2023 at 01:00 AM UTC (March 1st, We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. This biblical passage is full of stark contrasts. The balding and aged prophet, in contrast, is dressed soberly in a brown habit. When the painting first appeared on the market in 2005, it was given to Pieter de Grebber.8 As Albert Blankert rightly recognized, however, this attribution is not tenable for stylistic reasons, despite the fact that Jacobsz knew De Grebbers work.9 Blankert also pointed out that the way in which the old Elisha and young Naaman face each other is comparable to the confrontation between Elisha and Gehazi in the Hannover painting.10 Other arguments reinforce the attribution of the Leiden Collection painting to Lambert Jacobsz. Discover God's love and plan for you, Naaman was returning to a place where false gods were worshiped everywhere. 1996 Brill Naaman's wife had a servant girl from Israel who said that a prophet there would be able to heal him. He couldnt stay in Israel, but he could take Israel with him. Some paint layers were thinly applied, as in sections of the brown background and the plum-colored textile held by Naamans attendant. 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