Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Kings 5:18

"In this thing Jehovah pardon thy servant: when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, Jehovah pardon thy servant in this thing." — 2 Kings 5:18 (ASV)

(18) In this thing: This refers to touching this thing (though the word "in" is at the end of the verse). The Septuagint and Syriac read, “and touching this thing,” an improvement in the connection.

To worship: This means to bow down (the same verb occurs three times in the verse).

The house of Rimmon: The Assyrian Rammânu (from ramâmu, “to thunder”). One of his epithets in the cuneiform is Râmimu, “the thunderer;” and another is Barqu (= Bâriqu), “he who lightens.” Rimmon was the god of the atmosphere, called in Accadian, AN. IM (“god of the air or wind”), figured on bas-reliefs and cylinders as armed with the thunderbolt.

His name is prominent in the story of the Flood (for example, it is said Rammânu irmum, “Rimmon thundered”); and one of his standing titles is Râhiçu (“he who deluges”).

The Assyrians identified Rammân with the Aramean and Edomite Hadad. (Compare the name Hadad-rimmon, Zechariah 12:11; and Tabrimon, 1 Kings 15:18.) A list of no fewer than forty-one titles of Rimmon has been found among the cuneiform tablets.

Leans on my hand.: This is a metaphor denoting the attendance on the king by his favorite grandee or principal adjutant. (Compare 2 Kings 7:2; 2 Kings 7:17.)

When I bow down myself.: An Aramaic form is used. The clause is omitted in some Hebrew manuscripts.

The Lord pardon your servant.: Naaman had solemnly promised to serve no god but Jehovah for the future. He now prays that an unavoidable exception (which will, indeed, be such only in appearance) may be excused by Jehovah. His request is not, of course, to be judged by a Christian standard.

By the reply, Go in peace, the prophet, as spokesman of Jehovah, acceded to Naaman’s prayer. “Naaman did not dare profess conversion to the foreign religious practices before the king, his master; so he asks leave to go on assisting at the national rites” (Reuss).

The Lord pardon.: In the current Hebrew text it is the Lord pardon, I pray. The Septuagint appears to have had the same reading; but very many manuscripts and all the other versions omit the precative particle. It is, however, probably genuine.