2 Kings 5:1-23 ▼

1 And Naaman commander of the army of the king of Aram was a great man in the eyes of his master, and was lifted of face, because by him YHWH had given deliverance to Aram. And the man was mighty in valor—a leper.

2 And Aram had gone out in bands, and had brought back captive from the land of Israel a young girl. And she waited before the face of the wife of Naaman.

3 And she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria, then he would heal him of his leprosy!”

4 And he went in and declared to his master, saying, “Thus and thus said the girl who is from the land of Israel.”

5 And the king of Aram said, “Go, enter, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” And he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of garments.

6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, “And now when this letter comes to you, be advised that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may heal him of his leprosy.”

7 And it came to pass, in the king of Israel reading the letter, that he tore his garments and said, “Am I God to kill and make alive, that this one sends to me to heal a man of his leprosy? Upon thus consider, please, and see how he is presenting himself to me.”

8 And it came to pass, in Elisha the man of God hearing that the king of Israel had torn his garments, that he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your garments? Let him come, please, to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”

9 And Naaman went with his horses and with his chariot, and he stood at the door of the house of Elisha.

10 And Elisha sent to him a messenger, saying, “Go and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.”

11 And Naaman became furious and went away and said, “Behold, I said to myself he would surely come out and stand, and call on the name of YHWH his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.

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

13 And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if something great the prophet had spoken to you, would you not have done it? Then how much more when he says to you, ‘Wash and be clean’?”

14 And he went down and dipped in the Jordan seven times, 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 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his camp, and came and stood before his face, and he said, “Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth for but in Israel. And now take please a gift from your servant.”

16 And he said, “As YHWH lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing.” And he urged him to take it, and he refused.

17 And Naaman said, “If not, let be given, please, to your servant a load of earth as a pair of mules, for your servant will offer not anymore either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, for but to YHWH.

18 In this thing may YHWH pardon your servant, when my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon. In my bowing myself in the temple of Rimmon, may YHWH please pardon your servant in this thing.”

19 And he said to him, “Go in peace.” And he departed from him a distance of land.

20 And Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God said, “Behold, my master has spared Naaman this Aramaean—not receiving from his hands what he brought. For as YHWH lives, I will run after him and get from him something.”

21 And Gehazi pursued after Naaman. And Naaman saw him running after him, and he got down from the chariot to meet him and said, “Peace?”

22 And he said, “Peace. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold now this, two young men have come to me from the mountains of Ephraim of the sons of the prophets. Give, please, to them a talent of silver and two changes of garments.’”

23 And Naaman said, “Be resolved, take two talents.” And he urged him and bound two talents of silver in two bags, and two changes of garments, and he gave them to two of his servants, and they carried them on ahead of him.