How Much Wealth Did Naaman Bring to Elisha and What It Means Today – Fr. Kelvin Ugwu
Sometimes one sentence in the Bible hides a jaw dropping detail. In 2 Kings 5:5 we read that Naaman left to see Elisha carrying three things: ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of clothing. If you slow down and convert those amounts into modern money, the result is striking.
Below I will show the math, explain the assumptions, and give a short reflection on the story’s message. I used conservative conversion figures that are easy to follow, so you can check the steps yourself.
The raw numbers from the text
The verse lists:
- Ten talents of silver
- Six thousand shekels of gold
- Ten sets of clothing
To convert those items we need two basic conversions used by many Bible scholars:
- One talent is approximately 3,000 shekels.
- One shekel is about 11.4 grams.
Those conversions give us the physical weight, which we then multiply by a price per gram to get a modern dollar value.
Ten talents of silver calculated step by step
1 talent = 3,000 shekels
Ten talents = 10 × 3,000 = 30,000 shekels
30,000 shekels × 11.4 grams per shekel = 342,000 grams of silver
342,000 grams = 342 kilograms
Using a conservative silver price of $1.61 per gram: 342,000 grams × $1.61 = $550,620
So the silver alone comes to about five hundred fifty thousand US dollars.
Six thousand shekels of gold calculated step by step
6,000 shekels × 11.4 grams per shekel = 68,400 grams of gold
68,400 grams = 68.4 kilograms
Using a conservative gold price of $129.62 per gram: 68,400 grams × $129.62 = $8,866,008
So the gold alone is roughly eight million eight hundred sixty six thousand US dollars.
Ten sets of clothing
The Bible does not say what kind of clothing. To be safe I offer a plausible range:
- Modest fine garments: about $50 each, total $500
- Ceremonial or luxury robes: about $2,000 each, total $20,000
Clothing therefore adds a small amount compared with the metal wealth, somewhere between $500 and $20,000 depending on quality.
The grand total
Add silver and gold first: $550,620 (silver) + $8,866,008 (gold) = $9,416,628
Add clothing range: • Low clothing estimate: $9,416,628 + $500 = $9,417,128
• High clothing estimate: $9,416,628 + $20,000 = $9,436,628
Rounded, Naaman arrived carrying roughly $9.42 million to $9.44 million in modern value.
A reality check on those numbers
These figures depend on the per gram prices used. I used conservative per gram prices to avoid exaggeration, and I used the common conversions for talents and shekels. Small changes in the assumed grams per shekel or current metal prices will move the totals, but not the basic insight: Naaman carried the kind of wealth that would buy a very expensive property in many places today.
Think about the scene. Naaman is a high ranking military officer. He is wealthy. He comes with a fortune in hand, ready to reward the prophet who will heal him. Elisha refuses the money. The prophet’s refusal turns the exchange into something different. The miracle cannot be bought.
That refusal teaches several things:
- Grace is not for sale. The healing is a gift, not a transaction.
- True worth is not measured only in money. Someone carrying millions can still be dependent on God.
- The spiritual authority of the prophet is shown. He takes no payment so the focus stays on God.
Practical takeaways for readers
- When reading small details in Scripture, pause and do the math. You may find fresh insight.
- The next time you see someone offer to pay for spiritual help, remember that some gifts are meant to be given freely.
- The story cuts across wealth. Both rich and poor need mercy that money cannot buy.
Naaman came with what would today be millions, and yet the story points back to a simple truth: some things are beyond price. Elisha’s “no” turns a generous offer into a teaching moment. The passage invites us to value grace the way the prophet did.
