2 Kings 5:2
And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife.
After Israel's defeat in the battle in which Ahab died, Syrian raiding companies kept up border warfare and carried away a Hebrew little girl to serve in the home of Naaman the Syrian army captain as a servant to his wife. Her parents had taught her to know God, and their faithful training formed her character so that even as a slave in a heathen household her conduct bore witness to her early home. Though far from home she was placed where she could point Naaman to divine help in his need, thus serving as God's representative and unconsciously fulfilling the purpose for which Israel had been chosen. Naaman the heathen leper was cleansed and enlightened in the truth because he lived up to the light he had and was open to instruction, while many lepers in apostate Israel were left unhealed through unbelief, showing that God's help is not confined to Israel but is given to receptive hearts wherever they are. Jesus pointed to Naaman as the only leper cleansed in Elisha's time to rebuke unbelief and hypocrisy and to show that rejection of heaven's messengers cuts men off from blessing that the humble and receptive may receive.
Maid's Captivity and Witness
After Benhadad king of Syria defeated Israel in the battle in which Ahab died, Syria kept up constant border warfare against Israel. In one raid by companies the Syrians carried the little maid away captive out of the land of Israel. The captive was a Hebrew little maid from the land of Israel who was brought to Syria to wait on and serve Naaman's wife in the home of Naaman, the Syrian army captain. She was an Israelite girl taken captive in a Syrian raid and made to serve in that household, placed where she could be in contact with those she would help.
Her parents had taught her about God, and she had learned to honor Him. Their faithfulness in example and teaching shaped her habits and character and prepared her to bear witness to God even in captivity. Her conduct in a heathen home testified to the influence of the early training she had received at home, showing how parents shape children through what they teach and live.
Though a slave far from home in a heathen household, she was placed where she could help Naaman in his need of divine help and guidance. There she served as God's representative to the Syrian captain and as one of God's witnesses. In doing so she unconsciously fulfilled the purpose for which God had chosen Israel as His people.
Why a Syrian Was Healed
This verse belongs to the account of Naaman, a Syrian heathen nobleman and captain of the army who was a leper, and who was cleansed through Elisha and thereby came to know the true God and was enlightened in divine truth. His cleansing took place in a time of apostasy in Israel, when many lepers in Israel were not cleansed or healed. His was the last known cleansing of a leper since Elisha, which is why lepers afterward did not expect to be healed.
Naaman was healed because, though a heathen, he lived faithfully by the light, privileges, and convictions of right he had, felt his need of help, and was open and receptive to divine instruction. Israelites who had greater light and spiritual advantages shut themselves off from God's power by unbelief, misuse of blessings and privileges, unwillingness to receive, and lives contradicting their profession of godliness. A heathen who lived up to the light he had received was therefore accounted more righteous than God's chosen people when they turned from Him in unbelief and rebellion.
His story teaches that God's help and blessings are not limited to Israel. Those among the heathen who do right according to the light they have are regarded more favorably by God and counted more righteous than backslidden professors who have great light yet reject it, live unrighteously, and sacrifice principle for convenience and worldly honor. God does not put forth His power through the prophets for the salvation of an unbelieving, hard-hearted people, but for those who have hearts that can feel and faith that will grasp the evidences He is pleased to give, even turning from those who reject the truth to manifest Himself to those in heathen lands who have not rejected heaven's light.
Jesus cited Naaman as the only one cleansed among many lepers in Israel in Elisha's time, a foreigner healed when Israelites were not. He told this prophetic history to meet questioning thoughts, rebuke corrupt lives and wicked unbelief and hypocrisy, and strike truth home. It exposed that the Jews rejected Him because He came in meekness and lowliness, poverty and sorrow, without worldly wealth, honor, power, riches, splendor, or a grand and imposing army. Those who were receptive to God's message could receive His blessings, while Israel's rejection of the prophets cut the people off from those blessings.