Texts in Conversation
2 Kings 5 and Numbers 12 likely reflect a distinct source in Hebrew Bible tradition that connected physical disease as punishment for sin, distinct from the priestly source that did not make this connection.
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Numbers 12:10
Hebrew Bible
8 With him I will speak face to face, openly and not in riddles, and he will see the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” 9 The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he departed. 10 After the cloud had departed from above the tent, there was Miriam, leprous like snow. Then Aaron turned toward Miriam, and realized that she was leprous. 11 So Aaron said to Moses, “O my lord, please do not hold this sin against us, in which we have acted foolishly and have sinned! 12 Do not let her be like a baby born dead, whose flesh is half consumed when it comes out of its mother’s womb!” 13 Then Moses cried to the Lord, “Heal her now, O God.”
2 Kings 5:27
Hebrew Bible
25 When he came and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” He answered, “Your servant hasn’t been anywhere.” 26 Elisha replied, “I was there in spirit when a man turned and got down from his chariot to meet you. This is not the proper time to accept silver or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, sheep, cattle, and male and female servants. 27 Therefore Naaman’s skin disease will afflict you and your descendants forever!” When Gehazi went out from his presence, his skin was as white as snow.
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Notes and References
"... The fact that the Priestly writers did not make a connection between צרעת and transgressions is remarkable, especially since other biblical sources take this disorder to be an indicator of sinful behavior. Miriam, for example, suffers צרעת for contesting Moses (Numbers 12:10–12) while King Uzziah is punished with צרעת for the illegitimate offering of sacrifices (2 Chronicles 26:10–20). A similar correlation between צרעת and sin is reflected in 2 Kings 5:27 where Gehazi is afflicted with צרעת for stealing and lying ..."
Cranz, Isabel
Atonement and Purification: Priestly and Assyro-Babylonian Perspectives on Sin and Its Consequences
(p. 131) Mohr Siebeck, 2017
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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