Naaman The Syrian

Q

My question is this: In 2 Kings 5:1 it says Naaman was a leper but a mighty man of valor. I thought lepers were supposed to be separated from society. How is it that Naaman led a mighty army and had the victory given to him by God? Also there is another teaching that Naaman is the one who shot the arrow that killed Ahad which has nothing to do with my question. Naaman was also married with a mistress. Why wasn’t Naaman separated from people?

 

A

2 Kings 5:1 tells us that Naaman commanded the army of Aram. Today he would be called a Syrian. Jewish laws requiring separation of lepers only applied in Israel. Naaman and his wife had a Jewish servant girl, but she was not Naaman’s mistress. It was she who suggested to Naaman’s wife that Naaman could be healed by a prophet in Israel (2 Kings 5:2-3). Because the Lord cured Naaman’s leprosy through the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 5:14), Naaman became a believer in the God of Israel (2 Kings 5:17).