Hebrew word · H5283

נַעֲמָן

na'aman

Naaman

From the root n-ʿ-m, 'to be pleasant, lovely, gracious.' The name means something like 'pleasant one' or 'gracious one.' In Ugaritic texts (from Ugarit, a Syrian coastal city of the 13th century BC) n'mn is an honorific title for heroes and kings, for example King Kirta, meaning roughly 'the fair...

Appears 16 times in 14 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ki.5.1

Also named: Neeman, Naiman (Νεεμάν, Ναιμάν "Naaman" G3497)

§ Naaman = "pleasantness"

1) son of Bela of the family of Benjamin; he was among the family of Jacob that went down to Egypt

2) commander-in-chief of the army of Syria; stricken with leprosy he went to Elisha, eventually followed his instructions, and was cured

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of 2 Kings 5:1

Range of meaning

From the root n-ʿ-m, 'to be pleasant, lovely, gracious.' The name means something like 'pleasant one' or 'gracious one.' In Ugaritic texts (from Ugarit, a Syrian coastal city of the 13th century BC) n'mn is an honorific title for heroes and kings, for example King Kirta, meaning roughly 'the fair or favoured one.'

Against the English

English leaves the name untranslated, so the irony of its meaning is lost.

Used elsewhere in the period

A Benjamite Naaman appears in Gen 46:21 and Num 26:40. The Ugaritic epic of Kirta uses n'mn as an epithet. Isa 17:10 has 'plantings of naʿămānîm' ('pleasant plants'), often linked to Adonis-type garden rites. Josephus (Antiquities 8.414) and later Jewish tradition identify the Aramean archer who killed Ahab in 1 Kgs 22:34 with Naaman. This is a later tradition and the biblical text does not say it.

Similar words

Where it appears

Genesis · 1

  1. Genesis 46:21 וְנַעֲמָ֖ן and Naaman

    The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.

Numbers · 2

  1. Numbers 26:40 וְנַעֲמָ֑ן לְנַֽעֲמָ֔ן and Naaman, to Naaman

    And the descendants of Bela from Ard and Naaman were the Ardite clan from Ard and the Naamite clan from Naaman.

2 Kings · 11

  1. 2 Kings 5:1 וְ֠נַעֲמָן and Naaman

    Now Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man in his master’s sight and highly regarded, for through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. And he was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper.

    Here: A personal name from the root meaning 'pleasant, lovely, gracious.' Putting it first in the sentence brings a new main character on stage. A name that means 'pleasant' sits awkwardly with how the verse ends.

  2. 2 Kings 5:2 נַעֲמָֽן׃ Naaman

    At this time the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken a young girl from the land of Israel, and she was serving Naaman’s wife.

  3. 2 Kings 5:6 נַעֲמָ֣ן Naaman

    And the letter that he took to the king of Israel stated: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman, so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”

  4. 2 Kings 5:9 נַעֲמָ֖ן Naaman

    So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house.

  5. 2 Kings 5:11 נַעֲמָ֖ן Naaman

    But Naaman went away angry, saying, “I thought that he would surely come out, stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the spot to cure my leprosy.

  6. 2 Kings 5:17 נַעֲמָן֒ Naaman

    “If you will not,” said Naaman, “please let me, your servant, be given as much soil as a pair of mules can carry. For your servant will never again make a burnt offering or a sacrifice to any other god but the LORD.

  7. 2 Kings 5:20 נַעֲמָ֤ן Naaman

    Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Look, my master has spared this Aramean, Naaman, by not accepting what he brought. As surely as the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something from him.”

    Here: The Aramean army commander who was healed of a skin disease. His name sounds like the root for "pleasant" or "lovely".

  8. 2 Kings 5:21 נַֽעֲמָ֑ן נַֽעֲמָן֙ Naaman

    So Gehazi pursued Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running toward him, he got down from the chariot to meet him and asked, “Is everything all right?”

  9. 2 Kings 5:23 נַעֲמָ֔ן Naaman

    But Naaman insisted, “Please, take two talents.” And he urged Gehazi to accept them. Then he tied up two talents of silver in two bags along with two sets of clothing and gave them to two of his servants, who carried them ahead of Gehazi.

  10. 2 Kings 5:27 נַֽעֲמָן֙ Naaman

    Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and your descendants forever!” And as Gehazi left his presence, he was leprous—as white as snow.

    Here: The Aramean army commander healed earlier in the chapter. His name comes from a root meaning "pleasant". The disease is still called his. Gehazi chased after what belonged to Naaman, and now he gets Naaman's disease along with the silver and clothes.

1 Chronicles · 2

  1. 1 Chronicles 8:4 וְנַעֲמָ֖ן and Naaman

    Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah,

  2. 1 Chronicles 8:7 וְנַעֲמָ֧ן and Naaman

    Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera, who carried them into exile and who was the father of Uzza and Ahihud.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.