מלכים ב, פרק ה׳, פסוק י״ב

Anticipating a profound remedy for his condition, Naaman is met instead with a mundane instruction. His angry reaction reveals his deep disappointment with the prophet's seemingly simple solution, which he perceives as a mere natural medical prescription. Operating under this assumption, he argues that there is absolutely no logic in the specific command to travel and dip in the Jordan River [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד]. He proudly declares that the rivers of Damascus are far superior to any water sources found in Israel [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

When questioning why he could not simply wash in his own local rivers to be cleansed, his reasoning can be understood in two primary ways. One perspective suggests he is making a theoretical argument: if the mere act of washing in water is what cures leprosy, he could have easily washed in the superior rivers of Damascus to achieve the exact same result [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Another perspective views his complaint as a rhetorical question drawn from his own daily routine. According to this view, he bathes in the rivers of Damascus every single day without seeing any improvement in his illness. He naturally concludes that if the mighty rivers of his homeland have not healed him, the waters of the Jordan certainly will not do him any good [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד, רלב״ג, רד״ק].

Convinced that the prophet's advice is entirely useless and lacking any real substance, he abruptly turns away and departs in a state of intense anger [ביאור שטיינזלץ].