Naaman Healed of Leprosy
1
Now Naaman was commander of the army of the kings of Aram.
He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded,
becuase through him the LORD had given victory to Aram.
He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.
2
Now bands from Aram had gone out and had taken captive
a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman's wife.
3
She said to her mistress, "If only my master would see the prophet
who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy."
4
Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said.
5
"By all means, go," the king of Aram replied. "I will send a letter to the king
of Israel." So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand
shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing.
6
The letter he took to the king of Israel read:
"With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that
you may cure him of his leprosy."
7
As soon as the king of Israel read he letter, he tore his robes and said,
"Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life?
Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy?
See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!"
8
When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes,
he sent him this message: "Why have you torn your robes?
Have the man come to me and he will know that
there is a prophet in Israel."
9
So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door
of Elisha's house.
10
Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, "Go, wash yourself seven times
in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed."
11
But Naaman went away angry and said, "I thought that he would surely
come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God,
wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.
12
Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than any of
the waters of Israel? Couldn't I wash in them and be cleansed?
So he turned and went off in a rage.
13
Naaman's servants went to him and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you
to do some great thing, would you not have done it?
How much more, then, when he tells you, 'Wash and be cleansed'!"
14
So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times,
as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored
and became clean like that of a young boy.
15
Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God.
He stood before him and said, "Now I know that there is no God
in all the wotld except in Israel. Please accept now a gift from your servant."
16
The prophet answered, "As surely as the LORD lives, whom I serve,
I will not accept a thing." And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.
17
"If you will not," said Naaman, "please let me, your servant, be given as
much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again
make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the LORD.
18
But may the LORD forgive your servant for this one thing:
When my master enters the temple of Rimmon, to bow down and he is
leaning on my arm and I bow there also - when I bow down in the
temple of Rimmon, may the LORD forgive your servant for this."
19
"Go in peace," Elisha said. After Naaman had traveled some distance,
20
Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself,
"My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him
what he brought. As surely as the LORD lives, I will run after him and get
something from him."
21
So Gehazi hurried after Naaman. When Naaman saw him running toward him,
he got down from the chariot to meet him. "Is everything all right?" he asked.
22
"Everything is all right," Gehazi answered. "Mt master sent me to say,
'Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me
from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver
and two sets of clothing.' "
23
"By all means, take two talents," said Naaman.
He urged Gehazi to accept them, and then tied up the two talents of silver
in two bags, with two sets of clothing. He gave them to two of his servants,
and they carried them ahead of Gehazi.
24
When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the things from the servants
and put them away in the house. He sent men away and they left.
25
Then he went in and stood before his master Elisha.
"Where have you been, Gehazi?" Elisha asked.
"Your servant didn't go anywhere," Gehazi answered.
26
But Elisha said to him, "Was not my spirit with you when the man got down
from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money, or to accept
clothes, olive groves, vineyards, flocks, herds, or menservants and maidservants?
27
Naaman's leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever."
Then Gehazi went from Elisha's presence and he was leprous, as white as snow.
