It is the middle of the ninth century B.C.E. in ancient Israel. King Ahab of the Omrid Dynasty rules from his capital city of Samaria. Through his queen, Jezebel, he is allied to the Kingdom of Sidon, northwest of Israel on the Mediterranean seacoast. Religion in Israel is confused. With King Ahab’s approval, there are many shrines to the Sidonian god and goddess Baal and Asherah, as well as to Yahweh (Jehovah). Many Israelites think of “Baal” and “Yahweh” as different names for the same god.
Off and on Ahab wages war with King Ben-Hadad of Aram, to the northeast. A bone of contention between Israel and Aram is the town of Ramoth-Gilead, where Adara and her family live. Ramoth-Gilead, an important stop on the trade route between Egypt and Mesopotamia, is under Aramean control for the moment.
Now King Ahab is leading his army across the Jordan River to take back Ramoth-Gilead for Israel. The armies of Damascus, commanded by General Naaman, are marching south to oppose him.
The Old Testament account of Naaman and Elisha is found in Kings II, Chapter 5.