וַיֹּאמֶר֮ נַעֲמָן֒ וָלֹ֕א יֻתַּן־נָ֣א לְעַבְדְּךָ֔ מַשָּׂ֥א צֶֽמֶד־פְּרָדִ֖ים אֲדָמָ֑ה כִּ֡י לֽוֹא־יַעֲשֶׂה֩ ע֨וֹד עַבְדְּךָ֜ עֹלָ֤ה וָזֶ֙בַח֙ לֵאלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים כִּ֖י אִם־לַיהוָֽה׃
Lalu Naaman berkata: “Kalau begitu, biarlah kiranya diberikan kepada hambamu ini tanah sebanyak muatan sepasang bagal, sebab hambamu ini tidak akan lagi mempersembahkan korban bakaran dan korban sembelihan kepada allah lain, melainkan hanya kepada Yang Mahakekal.”
Tze'enah Ure'enah
“Naaman said: at least let your servant be given two mule loads of earth” [5:17]. He asked that Elisha should allow him to take earth from the land of Israel that two mules could carry, to build an altar in his land. He said that he did not want to sacrifice to the idols, but only to the Holy One. Here one asks a question. Who was concerned that Naaman should not take the earth? Why did he have to ask if he could take it? The explanation is that Naaman did not want to steal earth from the land of Israel. He wanted permission from the king of Israel and from the prophet.3Radak, II Kings, 5:17.
Rashi
“Please.” An expression of a request, an expression of הַלְוַאי [=were it only so].11Na’amon would not even take a small amount of earth with asking permission. Radak.
Rashi
“May there be given.” From this soil of Eretz Yisroel, which is holy, a load [of earth] carried by a team of mules, and I will carry it off to my city, and I will make it [into] an altar.