SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:18
En esto perdone el SEÑOR a tu siervo: que cuando mi señor entrare en el templo de Rimón, y para adorar en él se apoyare sobre mi mano, si yo también me inclinare en el templo de Rimón, que el SEÑOR perdone en esto a tu siervo, si en el templo de Rimón me inclino.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 5:18
Verse 18. In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant] It is useless to enter into the controversy concerning this verse. By no rule of right reasoning, nor by any legitimate mode of interpretation, can it be stated that Naaman is asking pardon for offenses which he may commit, or that he could ask or the prophet grant indulgence to bow himself in the temple of Rimmon, thus performing a decided act of homage, the very essence of that worship which immediately before he solemnly assured the prophet he would never practice. The original may legitimately be read, and ought to be read, in the past, and not in the future tense. "For this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, for that when my master HATH GONE into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he HATH LEANED upon mine hand, that I also HAVE BOWED myself in the house of Rimmon; for my worshipping in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing." This is the translation of Dr. Lightfoot, the most able Hebraist of his time in Christendom. To admit the common interpretation is to admit, in effect, the doctrine of indulgences; and that we may do evil that good may come of it; that the end sanctifies the means; and that for political purposes we may do unlawful acts.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 18. In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant , etc.] Which he next mentions, and on account of which he desires the prayers of Elisha for him, as the Vulgate Latin version; or it may be, this is a prayer of his own, put up at this time to the true Jehovah, in whom he believed: that when my master : meaning the king of Syria: 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 ; the house of Rimmon was a temple of an idol of that name; what idol it was is not easy to say; the Septuagint version calls it Remman, thought by some to be the same with Remphan, ( Acts 7:43), a name of Saturn, said to be given him from a Greek word, which signifies to “wander” f66 , he being placed among the wandering stars in the supreme heavens; which is not likely, for the word is certainly of a Syriac signification, and comes either from µ wr , which signifies “high”, and so the same with Elioun, the Phoenician deity, called the most high f67 ; or, as “Rimmon” is used for a pomegranate, this is thought to design the Syrian goddess, to whom this sort of fruit was sacred; or Juno, whose statue, in her temple at Mycenas f68 , had a pomegranate in one hand; or rather this Rimmon was Jupiter Cassius, so called from Mount Cassius, which divided Syria from Egypt, who is painted with his hand stretched out, and a pomegranate in it f69 ; and may be the same with Caphtor, the father of the Caphtorim, ( Genesis 10:14) who might be deified after his death, their names, Rimmon and Caphtor, being of the same signification f70 . But be this deity as it may, it was worshipped by the Syrians; and when the king of Syria went in to worship, he used to lean upon the hand of one of his officers, either being lame, or for state sake, in which office Naaman was; and his request to the prophet, or to the Lord, is, not for pardon for a sin to be committed; nor to be indulged in his continuance of it; not to worship the idol along with his master; nor to dissemble the worship of it, when he really worshipped it not; nor to be excused any evil in the discharge of his post and office; but for the pardon of the sin of idolatry he had been guilty of, of which he was truly sensible, now sincerely acknowledges, and desires forgiveness of; and so Dr. Lightfoot f71 , and some others f72 , interpret it; and to this sense the words may be rendered, when my master went in to the house of Rimmon to worship there ; which was his usual custom; and he leaned on my hand, which was the common form in which he was introduced into it: and I worshipped in the house of Rimmon , as his master did, for the same word is used here as before; in as much, or seeing I have worshipped in the house of Rimmon , have been guilty of such gross idolatry: the Lord, I pray, forgive thy servant in this thing ; the language of a true penitent.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 15-19 - The mercy of the cure affected Naaman more than the miracle. Those ar best able to speak of the power of Divine grace, who themselve experience it. He also shows himself grateful to Elisha the prophet Elijah refused any recompence, not because he thought it unlawful, for he received presents from others, but to show this new convert that the servants of the God of Israel looked upon worldly wealth with a holy contempt. The whole work was from God, in such a manner, that the prophet would not give counsel when he had no directions from the Lord It is not well violently to oppose the lesser mistakes which unite with men's first convictions; we cannot bring men forward any faster tha the Lord prepares them to receive instruction. Yet as to us, if, in covenanting with God, we desire to reserve any known sin, to continu to indulge ourselves in it, that is a breach of his covenant. Those wh truly hate evil, will make conscience of abstaining from all appearances of evil.
Original Hebrew
לדבר 1697 הזה 2088 יסלח 5545 יהוה 3068 לעבדך 5650 בבוא 935 אדני 113 בית 1004 רמון 7417 להשׁתחות 7812 שׁמה 8033 והוא 1931 נשׁען 8172 על 5921 ידי 3027 והשׁתחויתי 7812 בית 1004 רמן 7417 בהשׁתחויתי 7812 בית 1004 רמן 7417 יסלח 5545 נא 4994 יהוה 3068 לעבדך 5650 בדבר 1697 הזה׃ 2088
