The Resilience of the Captive Girl Child in 2 Kings 5

Abstract

2 Kings 5 contains a brief reference to an unnamed Israelite girl, a war captive in the household of leprosy-afflicted Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army. She instigates her master’s healing by recommending that he seek out the prophet (Elisha). Although the girl utters only a single statement (2 Kgs 5.3), her words have been subject to divergent critical interpretations. Some scholars valorize her utterance as evidence of her faith, compassion, and courage. A contrasting view maintains that as a trauma victim whose sufferings have been glossed over, the girl’s words express her adaptation to an abusive environment. This study posits an alternative interpretation, by drawing upon research on the concept of resilience with regard to war-affected children. While acknowledging the girl’s trauma, this article argues that her words reflect a resilience-building process by affirming her cultural identity, values, and beliefs.