Original Word: נַעֲמָן
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Na`aman
Pronunciation: nah-ah-MAHN
Phonetic Spelling: (nah-am-awn')
KJV: Naaman
NASB: Naaman, Naaman's
Word Origin: [the same as H5282 (נַעֲמָן - delightful)]

1. Naaman, the name of an Israelite and of a Damascene

Naaman

The same as na'aman; Naaman, the name of an Israelite and of a Damascene -- Naaman.

see HEBREW na'aman

Word Origin
from naem
Definition
a desc. of Benjamin, also an Aramean (Syrian) general
NASB Translation
Naaman (15), Naaman's (1).

II. נַעֲמָן₁₆ proper name, masculine 1. son of Benjamin Genesis 46:21, ᵐ5 Νοεμ(μ)αν; = grandson of Benjamin Numbers 26:40 (twice in verse), ᵐ5 Νοεμα(νει), 1 Chronicles 8:4,7 (so ᵐ5 Genesis 46:21), ᵐ5 in Chronicles Νοομα, ᵐ5^L Ναμει, Νααμαν.

2 Aramaean General 2 Kings 5:1,2,6 8t. 2 Kings 5; ᵐ5 Ναιμαν, ᵐ5^L Νεεμαν.

Overview

Naaman (Strong’s H5283, נַעֲמָן) appears in two distinct contexts in the Old Testament: as a clan-ancestor within the tribe of Benjamin and as the famed Syrian commander healed of leprosy through the ministry of the prophet Elisha. Together, these occurrences unfold a portrait that stretches from Israel’s patriarchal roots to an international stage where the covenant God reveals His grace to a Gentile warrior.

1. Naaman in the Tribe of Benjamin

Genesis 46:21 records Naaman as one of the sons born to Benjamin before Jacob’s household entered Egypt: “The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard”. The same figure re-emerges in Numbers 26:40 during the second wilderness census: “The descendants of Bela were Ard and Naaman; of Ard, the Ardites; of Naaman, the Naamites.” The genealogical notices are completed in 1 Chronicles 8:4 and 8:7, linking Naaman to early post-exilic Benjamite lineages.

Key observations
• The repetition across Genesis, Numbers, and Chronicles confirms that the clan of the “Naamites” remained identifiable from Patriarchal times into Israel’s settled life.
• His inclusion in Jacob’s migration list situates the Naamites among the earliest roots of Israel’s national identity.
• The genealogies underscore divine faithfulness in preserving tribal lines through centuries of slavery, wilderness wandering, monarchy, exile, and return.

2. Naaman the Syrian Commander

2 Kings 5 introduces a second Naaman, captain of the Aramean (Syrian) army:

“Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man in the sight of his master and highly esteemed, for through him the LORD had given victory to Aram, and he was a valiant warrior, but he was a leper.” (2 Kings 5:1)

Occurrences throughout 2 Kings 5 (verses 1, 2, 6, 9, 11, 17, 20, 21, 23, 27) trace his journey from affliction to restoration.

Chronology of the account

1. Military prestige: Naaman’s victories over Israel are attributed to the LORD’s sovereign allowance, foreshadowing divine interaction with the nations (verse 1).
2. A captive Israelite girl becomes a conduit of grace, testifying to the prophet in Samaria (verse 2-3).
3. Diplomatic outreach by the king of Aram demonstrates the commander’s desperation and Israel’s strategic importance (verse 5-6).
4. Elisha’s directive to wash seven times in the Jordan confronts Naaman’s pride and expectation of spectacle (verse 10-11).
5. Humble obedience yields healing: “So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored and became like that of a little child” (verse 14).
6. Confession of exclusive allegiance: “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel” (verse 15).
7. A commitment to worship Yahweh alone, even while returning to a pagan court, reveals a transformed heart (verse 17-18).
8. Gehazi’s greed and subsequent leprosy (verse 20-27) provide a sobering contrast between covenant insiders and the newly grafted outsider.

Theological themes
• Sovereign mercy: The same God who empowers Israel’s adversaries also heals their commander, exposing national boundaries to be no barrier to grace.
• Faith that obeys: Naaman’s healing hinges not on ritual grandeur but on submissive trust in the prophetic word.
• Foreshadowing Gentile inclusion: Jesus cites Naaman to illustrate divine freedom in extending grace beyond Israel (Luke 4:27).
• Judgment on hypocrisy: Gehazi’s punishment highlights that covenant privilege without integrity invites discipline.

3. Prophetic and Redemptive Echoes

The cleansing of Naaman anticipates New Covenant realities:
• Typology of baptism and spiritual cleansing—washing in the Jordan prefigures the regenerative washing promised in Ezekiel 36:25 and fulfilled in Christ’s saving work.
• Reversal motifs—Naaman moves from ceremonial defilement (leprosy) to purity, while Gehazi moves from proximity to prophetic holiness into uncleanness.
• Universality of the gospel—Naaman’s confession, “no God in all the earth except in Israel,” aligns with the prophetic vision that the nations will seek the God of Jacob (Isaiah 2:2-4).

4. Ministry Implications

Pastoral instruction

1. God often employs unlikely messengers—a young servant girl, powerless by human measure, delivers a word that reshapes a nation’s hero.
2. Simple obedience to God’s revealed word remains the means by which His power is accessed, superseding human wisdom, status, or ritual expectations.
3. Spiritual leaders must guard against covetousness; Gehazi’s lapse shows how the pursuit of material gain can forfeit spiritual inheritance.

Mission focus

Naaman’s account encourages extending compassion beyond covenant boundaries. Faith communities are called to mirror Elisha’s posture: accessible, uncompromising, and eager to bear witness to God’s willingness to heal any who come in humble faith.

5. Summary

Across sixteen Old Testament occurrences, Naaman stands both as a Benjamite forefather and as a Gentile commander transformed by Israel’s God. His narrative arc—from enmity and sickness to confession and wholeness—embodies the biblical message that the LORD remains sovereign over nations, faithful to covenant lineage, and ready to extend cleansing grace to all who heed His word.

וְ֠נַעֲמָן וְנַעֲמָ֑ן וְנַעֲמָ֖ן וְנַעֲמָ֧ן ונעמן לְנַֽעֲמָ֔ן לנעמן נַֽעֲמָ֑ן נַֽעֲמָן֙ נַעֲמָ֔ן נַעֲמָ֖ן נַעֲמָ֣ן נַעֲמָ֤ן נַעֲמָֽן׃ נַעֲמָן֒ נעמן נעמן׃ lə·na·‘ă·mān ləna‘ămān lenaaMan na‘ămān na·‘ă·mān naaMan venaaMan Venaamon wə·na·‘ă·mān wəna‘ămānInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts