2 Kings 5:1-7 ▼

1 Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man in the opinion of his master. He was highly favored, because by him the LORD had given victory to Aram. Though he was a mighty and valiant man, he was suffering from leprosy.

2 On one of their raids to the territory of Israel, Aram had taken captive a young girl when she was an infant, who had eventually become an attendant to Naaman's wife.

3 She mentioned to her mistress, |If only my master were to visit the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.|

4 Later, Naaman went to inform his master and told him something like this: |Thus and so spoke the young woman from the territory of Israel.|

5 The king of Aram replied, |Go now, and I'll send a letter to the king of Israel.| So he left and took with him ten talents of silver and 6,000 units of gold, along with ten sets of clothing.

6 He also brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read as follows: |...and now as this letter finds its way to you, look! I've sent my servant Naaman to you so you may heal him of his leprosy.|

7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he ripped his clothes and cried out, |Am I God? Can I kill and give life? Is this man sending me a request to heal a man's leprosy? Let's think about this—he's looking for a reason to start a fight with me!|