2 Kings
Chapter 5
1 Naaman, the leader of the Syrian king’s army, was important to his king and respected because through him, God had let Syria win battles. He was also very brave, but he had leprosy.
2 The Syrians had attacked in groups and had taken a young girl prisoner from Israel; she served Naaman’s wife.
3 She told her mistress, “I wish my master were with the prophet in Samaria, because he could cure his leprosy.”
4 Someone went and told his master, “The girl from Israel said this and this.”
5 The king of Syria said, “Go ahead, go, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” He left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand gold coins, and ten sets of clothes.
6 He took the letter to the king of Israel, which said, “When you get this letter, know that I have sent my servant Naaman to you so you can heal him of his leprosy.”
7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, able to kill or bring to life, that this man sends someone to me to heal his leprosy? See how he is trying to start a fight with me.”
8 When Elisha, the man of God, found out that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king asking, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, and he will learn that there is a prophet in Israel.”
9 Naaman came with his horses and chariot, and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house.
10 Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and bathe in the Jordan River seven times, and your skin will be healed, and you will be clean.”
11 But Naaman was angry and left, saying, “Look, I thought he would surely come out to me, stand, and pray to God, then wave his hand over the spot and heal the skin disease.”
12 Aren’t Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all Israel’s waters? Can’t I wash in them and be clean? So he left, angry.
13 His helpers came close and spoke to him, saying, “If the prophet had told you to do something big, you would have done it, right? So, shouldn’t you do it when he simply tells you, ‘Wash and be clean’?”
14 He went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan River, as God’s man had said. His skin became like a young child’s, and he was clean.
15 He went back to the man of God with his group. He stood in front of him and said, “Now I understand there is no God anywhere on earth except in Israel. Please accept a gift from me, your servant.”
16 He said, “As God lives, before whom I serve, I won’t take anything.” Though he was pressed to accept, he still refused.
17 Naaman asked, “Please, can your servant take two mules’ load of soil? Because from now on, your servant will not offer burnt offerings or sacrifices to other gods, only to God.”
18 Please God, forgive me, your servant, for when my boss goes into Rimmon’s temple to pray and leans on me, and I kneel down in Rimmon’s temple, please forgive me for this.
19 He said to him, “Leave in peace.” So he left and went a short distance away.
20 Gehazi, Elisha’s helper, thought, “Look, my boss didn’t take what Naaman the Syrian offered. But as God lives, I’ll chase after him and get something from him.”
21 So Gehazi ran after Naaman. When Naaman saw him coming, he got off his chariot to meet him and asked, “Is everything okay?”
22 He said, “Everything is fine. My master sent me, saying, ‘Look, two young prophets from Mount Ephraim have just come to me. Please give them some silver and two sets of clothes.’”
23 Naaman said, “Please, take two talents.” He insisted, so he put two talents of silver in two bags, along with two sets of clothes, and placed them on two of his servants; and they carried them ahead of him.
24 When he got to the tower, he took the items from their hands, placed them in the house, and allowed the men to leave, and they went away.
25 He went in and stood before his boss. Elisha asked him, “Where did you come from, Gehazi?” And he replied, “Your servant didn’t go anywhere.”
26 He asked him, “Didn’t I feel it when the man came back from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money, clothes, olive groves, vineyards, sheep, cattle, male and female servants?”
27 Naaman’s leprosy will stick to you and your descendants forever. He left with skin as white as a leper’s.