2 Kings 5

1 Naaman, the king of Aram's army commander was considered a great man by his master and highly respected, for through him the Lord had made the Arameans victorious. He was a mighty warrior, but he was a leper.

Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great and honorable man in his master's view, because by him Yahweh had given victory to Aram. He was also a strong, courageous man, but he was a leper.

2 Some Arameans had gone on a raid and had captured a young girl from the land of Israel. She had been made a servant to Naaman's wife.

The Arameans had gone out raiding in bands and had taken a little girl from the land of Israel. She served Naaman's wife.

3 She told her mistress, “If only my master would go and see the prophet who lives in Samaria. I'm sure he could cure him of his leprosy.”

The girl said to her mistress, “I wish that my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would heal my master of his leprosy.”

4 Naaman went to his master and explained what the Israelite girl had said.

So Naaman went in and told the king what the little girl from the land of Israel had said.

5 “You can go,” said the king of Aram, “and I will send a letter with you to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left. He took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of clothing.

So the king of Aram said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” Naaman left and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of clothes.

6 The letter he took to the king of Israel read: “This letter accompanies my servant Naaman, sent to you so you can heal him of his leprosy.”

He also took the letter to the king of Israel that said, “Now when this letter is brought to you, you will see that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”

7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he ripped his clothes in panic and said, “Does this man think I'm God, having power over life and death, sending me a leper to heal? Obviously he's just trying to invent an excuse to attack me, as anyone can see!”

When the king of Israel had read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man wants me to cure a man of his leprosy? It seems he is seeking to start an argument with me.”

8 But when Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had ripped his clothes in panic, he sent a message to the king, saying: “What did you rip your clothes for? Please send the man to me, so he will be convinced there is a prophet in Israel.”

So when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent word to the king saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.”

9 So Naaman arrived with his horses and chariots and stood waiting at the door of Elisha's house.

So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariots and stood at the door of Elisha's house.

10 Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan. Then your body will be healed, and you will be clean.”

Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and dip yourself into the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored; you will be clean.”

11 But Naaman got angry and left, saying, “I expected he would at least come out, stand there and invoke the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over where my leprosy is and heal it.

But Naaman was angry and went away and said, “Look, I thought he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of Yahweh his God, and wave his hand over the place and heal my leprosy.

12 Aren't the rivers of Damascus, Abanah and Pharpar, better than any of these streams of Israel? Couldn't I have washed in them and been healed?” So he turned around and went off in a rage.

Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Can I not bathe in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.

13 But Naaman's officials went to him and said, “Sir, if the prophet had told you that you had to do something extraordinary, wouldn't you have done it? How much easier is it to do what he says, ‘Wash and you'll be healed’?”

Then Naaman's servants came near and spoke to him, “My father, if the prophet had commanded you do some difficult thing, would you not have done it? How much rather then, when he says to you to simply, 'Dip yourself and be clean?'”

14 So Naaman went down and plunged himself underwater in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him. His body was healed, his skin became like a baby's, and he was clean.

Then he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, obeying the instructions of the man of God. His flesh was restored again like the flesh of a little child, and he was healed.

15 Then Naaman and his whole entourage went back to the man of God, stood before him, and Naaman announced, “Now I'm convinced that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. Please accept a gift from me, your servant.”

Naaman returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came and stood before him. He said, “Look, now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. So therefore, please take a gift from your servant.”

16 But Elisha replied, “As the Lord lives, the one I serve, I will not accept anything.” Even though Naaman tried to persuade him to take the gift, he refused.

But Elisha replied, “As Yahweh lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing.” Naaman urged Elisha to take a gift, but he refused.

17 So Naaman said, “If you won't, please let me, your servant, take back with me two mule loads of earth, for I will never again bring a burnt offering or make a sacrifice to any other god but the Lord.

So Naaman said, “If not, then I ask you to let there be given to your servant two mule loads of earth, for from now on, your servant will offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice to any god but Yahweh.

18 In addition, may the Lord forgive me for doing this: When my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and I assist him, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive me for doing so.”

In this one thing may Yahweh pardon your servant, that is, when my king goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, may Yahweh pardon your servant in this matter.”

19 “Go in peace,” said Elisha, and Naaman left. But he had only gone a short way

Elisha said to him, “Go in peace.” So Naaman left.

20 when Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, “Just look how my master has let this Naaman the Syrian off the hook by not accepting the gifts he brought! As the Lord lives, I'll run after him and get something from him.”

He had traveled only a short distance, when Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God said to himself, “Look, my master has spared this Naaman the Aramean by not receiving from his hands gifts that he brought. As Yahweh lives, I will run after him and receive something from him.”

21 So Gehazi chased after Naaman. When Naaman saw him running after him, he jumped down from the chariot to meet him and asked, “Is everything all right?”

So Gehazi followed after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he jumped down from his chariot to meet him and said, “Is everything alright?”

22 “Everything's fine,” Gehazi replied. “My master sent me to tell you, ‘I've just found out that two young men have arrived to see me from the sons of the prophets who live the hill country of Ephraim. Please let them have a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.’”

Gehazi said, “Everything is alright. My master has sent me, saying, 'See, now there have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothes.'”

23 But Naaman replied, “Please, take two talents.” He insisted that Gehazi to accept them. Then he tied up two talents of silver in two bags as well as two sets of clothing. He gave them to two of his servants, who carried them for Gehazi.

Naaman replied, “I am very happy to give you two talents.” Naaman urged Gehazi and tied two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothes, and laid them on two of his servants, who carried the bags of silver before Gehazi.

24 When Gehazi arrived at the hill fortress, he took the gifts from the servants and put them in the house. He told the men they could go, and they left.

When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the bags of silver from their hands and hid them in the house; he sent the men away, and they left.

25 When Gehazi got back and attended his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” “Your servant hasn't been anywhere,” he replied.

When Gehazi went in and stood before his master, Elisha said to him, “Where have you come from, Gehazi?” He answered, “Your servant went nowhere.”

26 But Elisha told him, “Didn't I see you in my mind's eye when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money and clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants?

Elisha said to Gehazi, “Was not my spirit with you when the man turned his chariot to meet you? Is this a time to accept money and clothes, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, and male servants and female servants?

27 Consequently Naaman's leprosy will stick to you and your descendants forever!” As Gehazi left him, he had leprosy—he looked as white as snow.

So the leprosy of Naaman will be on you and your descendants forever.” So Gehazi went out from his presence, a leper as white as snow.