2 Kings 5 · Verse 18

2 Kings 5:18

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.
2 Kings 5:18, King James Version

2 Kings 5:18 in other translations

BSBYet 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.”
WEBIn this thing may the LORD 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 the LORD pardon your servant in this thing.”
ASVIn 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.
YLTFor 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.'
DARBYIn 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.
BBEBut 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.
WebsterIn 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.

What does 2 Kings 5:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
18. goeth into the house of Rimmon--a Syrian deity; probably the sun, or the planetary system, of which a pomegranate (Hebrew, Rimmon) was the symbol. leaneth on my hand--that is, meaning the service which Naaman rendered as the attendant of his sovereign. Elisha's prophetic commission not extending to any but the conversion of Israel from idolatry, he makes no remark, either approving or disapproving, on the declared course of Naaman, but simply gives the parting benediction (2Ki 5:19). 2Ki 5:20-27. Gehazi, by a Lie, Obtains a Present, but Is Smitten with Leprosy.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Kings 5:15-19

The mercy of the cure affected Naaman more than the miracle. Those are best able to speak of the power of Divine grace, who themselves 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…

Read the full comment on 2 Kings 5:15-19 →

2 Kings 5:18 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

לַדָּבָ֣רla.da.Varto the matterH1697
הַזֶּ֔הha.Zeh<the> thisH2088
יִסְלַ֥חyis.Lachmay he forgiveH5545
יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahwehH3068
לְעַבְדֶּ֑ךָle.'av.De.kha<to> servant yourH5650
בְּב֣וֹאbe.Vo'when goesH935
אֲדֹנִ֣י'a.do.Nimaster myH113
בֵית\־veit-[the] house ofH1004
רִמּוֹן֩ri.mOnRimmonH7417
לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹ֨תle.hish.ta.cha.Votto bow downH7812
שָׁ֜מָּהSha.mahthere <towards>H8033
וְה֣וּא\׀ve.Hu'and heH1931
נִשְׁעָ֣ןnish.'An[is] supporting himselfH8172
עַל\־'al-onH5921
יָדִ֗יya.Dihand myH3027
וְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֵ֙יתִי֙ve.hish.ta.cha.Vei.tiand I will bow downH7812
בֵּ֣יתbeit[the] house ofH1004
רִמֹּ֔ןri.MonRimmonH7417
בְּהִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָ֙תִי֙be.hish.ta.cha.va.Ya.tiwhen bow down IH7812
בֵּ֣יתbeit[the] house ofH1004
רִמֹּ֔ןri.MonRimmonH7417
יִסְלַח\־yis.lach-may he forgiveH5545
[ ][ ]
יְהוָ֥הYah.wehYahwehH3068
לְעַבְדְּךָ֖le.'av.de.Kha<to> servant yourH5650
בַּדָּבָ֥רba.da.Varin the matterH1697
הַזֶּֽה\׃ha.Zeh<the> thisH2088

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Kings 5:18

  • 2 Kings 7:2

    Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

  • 2 Kings 7:17

    And the king appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate: and the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had said, who spake when the king came down to him.

  • Jeremiah 50:20

    In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.

  • 2 Kings 17:35

    With whom the Lord had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:

  • 1 Kings 19:18

    Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

  • Exodus 20:5

    Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

  • 2 Chronicles 30:18-19

    For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good Lord pardon every one That prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
and he leaneth.This verse should probably, as many learned men have supposed, be read in the past, and not in the future tense: "In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, that when my master went into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaned on my hand, and I worshipped in the house of Rimmon; in that I have worshipped in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing." Rimmon is supposed by Selden to the same with Elion, a god of the Phoenicians, borrowed undoubtedly from the Elyon of the Hebrews, one of the names of God.
7:2,17
and I bow.
17:35; Ex 20:5; 1Ki 19:18
the Lord pardon.
2Ch 30:18,19; Jer 50:20

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Kings 5:17

    And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules’ burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the Lord.

  • 2 Kings 5:18

    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.

  • 2 Kings 5:19

    And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.

Read all of 2 Kings 5

2 Kings 5:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		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.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Qu’en ceci l’ Éternel pardonne à ton serviteur: quand mon seigneur entrera dans la maison de Rimmon pour s’y prosterner, et qu’il s’appuiera sur ma main, et que je me prosternerai dans la maison de Rimmon, que l’ Éternel, je te prie, pardonne à ton serviteur en ceci, quand je me prosternerai dans la maison de Rimmon!
German
Elberfelder 1871		In diesem Stücke wolle Jehova deinem Knechte vergeben: Wenn mein Herr in das Haus Rimmons geht, um sich daselbst niederzubeugen, -denn er lehnt sich auf meine Hand, und ich beuge mich nieder im Hause Rimmons-ja, wenn ich mich niederbeuge im Hause Rimmons, so möge doch Jehova deinem Knechte in diesem Stücke vergeben!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Hoc autem solum est, de quo depreceris Dominum pro servo tuo, quando ingredietur dominus meus templum Remmon ut adoret: et illo innitente super manum meam, si adoravero in templo Remmon, adorante eo in eodem loco, ut ignoscat mihi Dominus servo tuo pro hac re.