Introduction
• She was far from home, enslaved in a strange land and culture. We don’t even know her name, but the only words we know she said changed the fate of nations. God can use even the least significant people in this world to redirect history.
• I’m Brent, and this is episode 59 of The Bible Unplugged. We look at an event in the life of a Hebrew slave girl who, in spite of her captivity, chose to rise above her station in life to change the life of commander of the Syrian army.
• Please take a minute to look at the show notes for this episode at PowerLoveandMiracles.com. While you are there, check out my devotional series that I publish Monday through Friday.
Background
• The story of Naaman and the slave girl comes from the book of 2 Kings chapter 5.
• Naaman was described as a great man with his master, was honorable, and had defeated Israel in battle. While this sounds like a defeat for Israel and for God, the writer states that “Yahweh had given victory to Syria.” We learn a lesson early in this story: God allowed defeat to the chosen people in order to get their attention.
• The only other description of Naaman was that he had leprosy. In the Bible, the word leprosy describes a number of diseases that affected the skin and could lead to disfigurement and even death from infections. People with leprosy were outcasts and were required to announce their disease to anyone who came close to them.
• Naaman likely did what he could to hide his disease, but it had a profound effect on his life.
The Slave Girl
• During a raid into Israel’s territory a young girl was taken captive as a slave by the Syrians. This “little girl” as she is described in 2 Kings 5:2, was likely 10-13 years old. The Hebrew words used in this passage would best fit a girl who is old enough to be a servant, but not old enough to marry.
• This girl, whose name is lost to history, was the servant to Naaman’s wife. The girl likely found out about Naaman’s disease in the course of her duties as a slave.
• The only words we have from this girl are in 2 Kings 5:3– “She said to her mistress, ‘I wish that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would heal him of his leprosy.’”
• Someone told the king what the girl had said. In that culture, approaching the king without an invitation was a potential death sentence. Naaman’s wife likely told someone who told someone else to take this information to the king.
• In verse 5, the king said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” The context tells us that Naaman was sent by the king and took with him some extravagant gifts to give to the king if Israel. The king wrongly assumed that the king of Israel controlled the actions of the prophet Elisha.
• We will focus on Naaman’s story in the next episode. There is a lot to learn from this unnamed slave girl.
The Faith of a Slave
• This girl changed the course of history for two nations with what seemed to be an off-handed comment to Naaman’s wife. The girl said “I wish that my lord were with the prophet….” We learn some things about this girl from her comment:
• Even though she had been kidnapped and taken to a strange land, this girl shows amazing personal strength and faith.
• Her faith in God did not waver. She continued to trust God even in the middle of a challenging time in her life.
• She did not resent or hate her captors. Calling Naaman “her lord” showed she did not see her captivity as her defining trait.
• She believed that Naaman could be healed by the prophet, showing that she had compassion for others, even those who enslaved her.
• This girl’s faith set into motion Naaman’s journey to Elisha—the intersection of two nations, two faiths, and two kinds of power.
Takeaways from the Slave Girl’s Faith
• There are several takeaways from this girl’s faith and strength.
• God works through those we may overlook. The miracle of Naaman’s eventual healing begins not with a king or a prophet but with a child, not with a command but with a whispered comment.
• Many cultures believed their gods were powerful only in their territories. This child believed that the God of Israel was still at work even when she found herself in a strange land surrounded by a pagan culture.
• This girl wished a blessing for the very people that enslaved her. This foreshadows what Jesus would command of us: to love your enemies.
• She became the first missionary to Syria, showing that witnessing doesn’t require power or training, only faith and love.
Practical Challenges for This Week
• I have some challenges for you this week.
• As you go through your day look around you for the people you usually don’t notice: a store clerk, or someone waiting in line with you. Say a prayer for that person that God would work in their lives to bring them to or strengthen their faith.
• Are you willing to bless someone that has wronged you? If you are in conflict with someone, pray for that person. Ask God to give them a life of peace and to give you a heart of humility and forgiveness.
• Are there difficult or painful aspects of your life that overwhelm your relationship with God? Ask God for a heart of understanding and wisdom to overcome what holds you back. As we learn from this little slave girl, we can find peace that passes all understanding even in the middle of our greatest trials.
The conclusion
• Yes, we have reached the end of the episode, but I’ve got a lot more on the way.
• I hope this has been helpful. If so, take a minute to give this podcast a high rating and share it with someone you know.
• In the next episode, we focus on the experience of Naaman who went in search of healing and found freedom from his own pride.
• My prayer for you is that you will see the situations and circumstances of your life as a mission field and a place to learn and grow in God’s grace.
• Have a blessed week.
The disclaimers
• Just to let you know:
• All opinions are my own. If you agree, keep listening. If you don’t… keep listening. If you listen long enough, you might learn something you didn’t know before.
• All Bible quotations come from the World English Bible which is a public domain work.
• Our show theme song is “Awesome Call” by Kevin MacLeod and is available under a Creative Commons license.
• The content of this podcast is copyrighted 2025 by J. Brent Eaton
• This has been a Power Love and Miracles production.
