The Power of the Marginalised: A Feminist Reading of 2 Kings 5:1-14

Abstract

This paper explores a feminist reading of 2 Kings 5:1-14, shifting the focus from Naaman, the prominent commander of the Syrian army, to the unnamed little girl servant who serves his wife. Captured from Israel, this girl is marginalised both by her status as a servant and by her youth, yet she possesses crucial knowledge about a prophet in Israel who is capable of healing Naaman's leprosy. Through the feminist lens, the paper examines how a feminist perspective can illuminate the inherent power dynamics in this biblical narrative, emphasising the agency of those typically relegated to the margins. This study used feminist biblical criticism to examine the text, paying particular attention to gender, voice, and the sociopolitical ramifications of servanthood in the ancient Near East. One important conclusion was the stark difference in understanding and faith between the monarch of Israel and the servant girl: the monarch reacts with helplessness and terror, but the servant girl exhibits theological assurance and provides a hopeful route to recovery. Her function as a driving force behind Naaman's change upends established hierarchies of power and validates the prophetic abilities of underrepresented groups. The paper reflects on Jesus' acknowledgement of Naaman's healing in Elisha's time (Luke 4:27), further underscoring the transformative potential of marginalised individuals within scriptural narratives. The study suggests that in order to elevate the voices of women and the oppressed as legitimate conduits of divine knowledge, academic and religious institutions should embrace more inclusive interpretive frameworks.