Why Are the Words of a Little Slave Girl Considered Important in the Story of Naaman?

The Know

The story of Naaman, a Syrian military leader and “great man” before his king but afflicted with leprosy, contains something that is rare in the Old Testament: a direct quotation from a child. The narrative state that a little Israelite girl, who had been enslaved by the Syrians during war, was a servant to Naaman’s wife. “And [the girl] said unto her mistress, Would God my lord [Naaman] were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy” (2 Kings 5:1–3). In a book that often records the words of kings and generals, one might wonder why the words of this child would be recorded. However, this unnamed Israelite child can be seen as the key to understanding the narrative.

The writer indicates that for some unstated reason Naaman relays the words of the little girl to the king of Syria. Upon hearing her words, the king sends Naaman to the king of Israel with a letter of introduction, asking the king of Israel to heal Naaman of his leprosy. A large sum of money is also sent with him (2 Kings 5:4–6). Upon reading the letter, the king of Israel is distraught. He knows he personally cannot heal Naaman and wonders if the king of Syria is asking this impossible thing to create conflict between them. But Elisha hears of the request and tells the king of Israel to send Naaman to him and everything will end well (2 Kings 5:7–8). When Naaman arrives, Elisha sends a servant out to tell Naaman to wash in the Jordan River seven times if he wants to be healed (2 Kings 5:9–10). This angers Naaman, as he assumed that Elisha would come out and do something impressive to cure him (2 Kings 5:11-12). However, Naaman’s servants persuade him to do what Elisha told him to do, and he is indeed cleansed of his leprosy (2 Kings 5:13-14).

The first thing that is significant about the words of the little child which open the narrative is that she says anything at all. One would assume that an enslaved person would not care about their enslavers and might even be happy that they had a condition like leprosy. However, this little Israelite girl appears to care about Naaman, suggesting that Naaman and his household may have treated their servants well enough that they would be concerned about their master’s welfare.1 Second, why does Naaman take notice of her words, especially enough to present her words to the king? Third, why does the king of Syria apparently believe the child’s words and tell Naaman to go?  

In contrast to all these foreigners who are responding to the words of the child with faith, the narrative portrays the king of Israel as distraught and distrusting. He does not place his faith in God or in His servant Elisha. Instead, he sees only himself as the one who must act as God and does not believe Naaman can be healed: “Am I God ... that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy?” (2 Kings 5:7).2

Up to this point in the narrative, it is unclear how much faith Naaman really has. But whatever his level, it is tested when he arrives at Elisha’s house. Elisha does not even deign to go outside himself to speak to Naaman: “Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean” (2 Kings 5:10).3

Initially, it appears as though Naaman fails this test of faith: “Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage” (2 Kings 5:11–12).4 However, at this point, Naaman humbles himself and listens to his servants. They tell him, “My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?” (v.13) Naaman listens to their advice and washes himself in the Jordan, and when he does so, something amazing occurs, “his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean” (v.14).

When Naaman humbles himself like a little child, his flesh becomes like the flesh of a little child. Readers of the Bible have long pointed out that this simile is an intentional linguistic anchor. The narrative begins with the lowest imaginable status in the ancient Near Eastern hierarchy—a foreign, captive, “female child” (na'arah qetannah)—and concludes with the mighty Aramean military commander physically reduced/restored to the state of a male child (na'ar qaton).

The Why

The scriptures often speak of becoming like a little child. By tying Naaman's healed flesh back to the little girl, the text signals that Naaman hasn't just experienced a physical healing; he has undergone a transformation. To be cured, the "great man" had to listen to a captive child, submit to the instructions of a foreign prophet, strip off his armor and commander's garments, and wash in the waters of the Promised Land. His physical transformation into a na'ar qaton represents his new spiritual and social posture—he has been humbled, effectively reborn as a child of God’s promised land, stripped of the geopolitical arrogance he arrived with.5

King Benjamin stated that “men drink damnation to their own souls except they humble themselves and become as little children, and believe that salvation was, and is, and is to come, in and through the atoning blood of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent” (Mosiah 3:18). He also taught that people need to become “as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father” (Mosiah 3:19).

Jesus taught the same thing: “whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God” (3 Nephi 9:22). He also stated, “ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God” (3 Nephi 11:38). Mormon says something similar, saying people should “repent and be baptized, and humble themselves as their little children” (Moroni 8:10).

Humbling oneself like little children can take many forms, but the Naaman narrative strongly suggests that one important way people can become like little children is to humble themselves and listen to others. Naaman listens to his servants and, indirectly, to the prophet and in the process becomes like a little child. The same is true for people today. People need to humble themselves and listen to the words of the prophets and listen to good advice coming from those they might not otherwise listen to. This can help make it possible for all people to become like little children, like Naaman did.