CHAPTER 5
Now Naaman,
the commander
of the army
of the king
of Aram,
was
a great
man
in his master’s
sight
and highly regarded;
for
through him
the LORD
had given
victory
to Aram.
And he was
a mighty warrior,
but he was a leper.
At this time the Arameans
had gone
out in bands
and had taken
a young
girl
from the land
of Israel,
and she was serving
Naaman’s
wife.
She said
to
her mistress,
“If only
my master
would go to the prophet
who
is in Samaria,
he would cure
him
of his leprosy.”
“Go now,”
said
the king
of Aram,
“and I will send you with
a letter
to
the king
of Israel.”
So Naaman departed,
taking
with him
ten
talents
of silver,
six
thousand shekels
of gold,
and ten
sets
of clothing.
And the letter
that he took
to
the king
of Israel
stated:
“With
this
letter
I have sent
my servant
Naaman,
so that you may cure him
of his leprosy.”
When the king
of Israel
read
the letter,
he tore
his clothes
and asked,
“Am I
God,
killing
and giving life,
that
this man
expects
me
to cure
a leper?
Surely you can
see
that
he
is seeking a quarrel
with me!"
Now
when Elisha
the man
of God
heard
that
the king
of Israel
had torn
his clothes,
he sent
a message to
the king:
“Why
have you torn
your clothes?
Please
let the man come
to me,
and he will know
that
there is
a prophet
in Israel."
Then Elisha
sent
him
a messenger,
who said,
“Go
and wash yourself
seven
times
in the Jordan,
and your flesh
will be restored,
and you will be clean.”
But Naaman
went away
angry,
saying,
“I thought that
he would surely come out,
stand
and call
on the name
of the LORD
his God,
and wave
his hand
over
the spot
to cure
my leprosy.
Are not
Abanah
and Pharpar,
the rivers
of Damascus,
better
than all
the waters
of Israel?
Could I not
have washed
in them
and been cleansed?”
So he turned
and went away
in a rage.
Naaman's servants, however,
approached 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’?”
So Naaman went down
and dipped himself
in the Jordan
seven
times,
according to the word
of the man
of God,
and his flesh
was restored
and became like that
of a little
child,
and he was clean.
Then Naaman
and all
his attendants
went back
to
the man
of God,
stood
before him,
and declared,
“Now
I know
for sure
that there is no
God
in all
the earth
except
in Israel.
So
please
accept
a gift
from
your servant."
But Elisha replied,
“As surely as the LORD
lives,
before whom
I stand,
I will not
accept it.”
And although Naaman urged
him
to accept it,
he refused.
“If you will not,”
said
Naaman,
“please
let me, your servant,
be given
as much soil
as a pair
of mules
can carry.
For
your servant
will never
again
make
a burnt offering
or a sacrifice
to any other
god
but
the LORD.
Yet may the LORD
forgive
your servant
this
one thing:
When my master
goes into
the temple
of Rimmon
to worship
there,
and he
leans
on
my arm,
and I bow down
in the temple
of Rimmon,
may the LORD
forgive
your servant
in this
matter."
Gehazi,
the servant
of Elisha
the man
of God,
said,
“Look,
my master
has spared
this
Aramean,
Naaman,
while not accepting
what
he brought.
As surely as the LORD
lives,
I will run
after him
and get
something
from him."
So Gehazi
pursued
Naaman.
And when Naaman
saw him
running
toward him,
he got down
from
the chariot
to meet him
and asked,
“Is everything all right?”
“Everything is all right,”
Gehazi replied.
“My master
has sent
me to say,
‘I have just now
discovered
that two
young men
from the sons
of the prophets
have come
to me
from the hill country
of Ephraim.
Please
give
them
a talent
of silver
and two
sets
of clothing.'”
But Naaman
insisted,
“Please,
take
two talents.”
And he urged
Gehazi to accept them.
Then he tied up
two talents
of silver
in two
bags
along with two
sets
of clothing
and gave
them to
two
of his servants,
who carried them
ahead of Gehazi.
When Gehazi came
to
the hill,
he took
the gifts from the servants
and stored them
in the house.
Then he dismissed
the men,
and they departed.
When Gehazi
went in
and stood
before
his master,
Elisha
asked
him,
“Gehazi,
where have you been?”
“Your servant
did not
go
anywhere,”
he replied.
But Elisha questioned him,
“Did not
my spirit
go with you
when
the man
got down
from
his chariot
to meet you?
Is this the time
to accept
money
and clothing,
olive groves
and vineyards,
sheep
and oxen,
menservants
and maidservants?
Therefore, the leprosy
of Naaman
will cling
to you
and your descendants
forever!”
And as Gehazi left
his presence,
he was leprous—
as white as snow.