5
1 Now
Naaman, captain of
the army of
the king of Syria,
was a great
man with his
master, and
honorable, because
by him the
LORD had given
victory to Syria;
he was also
a mighty man
of valor, but
he was a
leper.
2 The Syrians
had gone out
in bands, and
had brought away
captive out of
the land of
Israel a little
girl, and she
waited on Naaman’s
wife.
3 She said
to her mistress,
“I wish that
my lord were with
the prophet who
is in Samaria! Then
he would heal him
of his leprosy.”
4 Someone went
in and told
his lord, saying, “The
girl who is
from the land of
Israel said this.”
5 The
king of Syria said, “Go
now, and I
will send a
letter to the
king of Israel.”
He departed, and
took with him
ten talents
of silver,
six thousand pieces of
gold, and ten
changes of clothing.
6 He
brought the letter
to the king
of Israel, saying, “Now
when this letter
has come to
you, behold, I
have sent Naaman
my servant to
you, that you
may heal him of
his leprosy.”
7 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 sends
to me to heal
a man of
his leprosy? But
please consider
and see how
he seeks a quarrel
against me.”
8 It
was so, when Elisha
the man of
God heard that
the king of
Israel had torn
his clothes, that
he sent to
the king, saying, “Why
have you torn
your clothes? Let
him come now
to me, and
he shall know
that there is
a prophet in
Israel.”
9 So
Naaman came with
his horses and
with his chariots,
and stood at
the door of
the house
of Elisha.
10 Elisha
sent a messenger
to him, saying, “Go
and wash in
the Jordan seven
times, and your
flesh shall come
again to you,
and you shall
be clean.”
11 But
Naaman was angry,
and went away
and said, “Behold,
I thought, ‘He
will surely come
out to me,
and stand, and
call on the
name of the
LORD his God,
and wave his
hand over the
place, and heal
the leper.’
12 Aren’t Abanah
and Pharpar, the
rivers of Damascus,
better than all
the waters of
Israel? Couldn’t I
wash in them
and be clean?”
So he turned
and went away
in a rage.
13 His
servants came near
and spoke to
him, and said, “My
father, if the
prophet had asked
you do some
great thing, wouldn’t
you have done
it? How much
rather then, when
he says to
you, ‘Wash, and
be clean’?”
14 Then
went he down
and dipped himself
seven times in
the Jordan, according
to the saying
of the man
of God; and his
flesh was restored
like the flesh
of a little
child, and he
was clean.
15 He
returned to the
man of God, he
and all his
company, and came,
and stood before
him; and he said,
“See now, I
know that there
is no God in
all the earth, but
in Israel. Now
therefore, please
take a gift
from your servant.”
16 But
he said, “As the
LORD lives, before
whom I stand,
I will
receive none.”
He urged him
to take it;
but he refused.
17 Naaman said,
“If not, then,
please let two
mules’ load
of earth be given
to your servant;
for your servant
will from now
on offer neither
burnt offering nor
sacrifice to
other gods, but to
the LORD.
18 In
this thing may
the LORD pardon
your servant: when
my master 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
the LORD pardon
your servant in
this thing.”
19 He said
to him, “Go in
peace.”
So he departed
from him a little
way.
20 But
Gehazi the servant
of Elisha the man
of God, said, “Behold, my master has
spared this Naaman
the Syrian, in not
receiving at his
hands that which
he brought. As
the LORD lives,
I will run
after him, and
take something
from him.”
21 So
Gehazi followed
after Naaman. When
Naaman saw one
running after him,
he came down
from the chariot
to meet him,
and said, “Is all
well?”
22 He said, “All
is well. My
master has sent
me, saying, ‘Behold, even
now two young
men of the
sons of the
prophets have come
to me from
the hill country
of Ephraim. Please
give them a
talent
of silver and
two changes
of clothing.’ ”
23 Naaman said,
“Be pleased to
take two talents.”
He urged him,
and bound two
talents of silver
in two bags,
with two changes
of clothing, and
laid them on
two of his
servants; and they
carried them
before him.
24 When
he came to
the hill, he
took them from
their hand,
and stored them in
the house. Then
he let the
men go, and
they departed.
25 But
he went in,
and stood before
his master. Elisha said to
him, “Where did
you come from,
Gehazi?”
He said, “Your
servant went
nowhere.”
26 He said
to him, “Didn’t my
heart go with
you when the
man turned from
his chariot to
meet you? Is
it a time
to receive money,
and to
receive garments, and
olive groves and
vineyards, and
sheep and cattle,
and male servants
and female
servants?
27 Therefore
the leprosy of
Naaman will cling
to you and
to your offspring
forever.”
He went out
from his presence
a leper, as white
as snow.