2 Kings 5

Naaman’s Disease Healed

5Naaman, ^fcommander of the army for the king of Aram, was a great man in his master’s sight ^gand highly regarded ^hbecause through him, the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man was a brave warrior, but he had a skin disease. ⁱ

²Aram had gone on raids ^jand brought back from the land of Israel a young girl who served Naaman’s wife. ³She said to her mistress, “If only my master would go to ^kthe prophet who is in Samaria, he would cure him of his skin disease.”

⁴So Naaman went and told his master what the girl from the land of Israel had said. ⁵Therefore, the king of Aram said, “Go and I will send a letter with you to the king of Israel.”

So he went and took with him 750 pounds ^lof silver, 150 pounds ^mof gold, and 10 changes of clothes. ⁿ⁶He brought the letter to the king of Israel, and it read:

When this letter comes to you, note that I have sent you my servant Naaman for you to cure him of his skin disease.

⁷When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes ^oand asked, “Am I God, ^pkilling and giving life that this man expects me to cure a man of his skin disease? Think it over and you will see that he is only picking a fight with ^qme.” ^r

⁸When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel tore his clothes, he sent a message to the king, “Why have you torn your clothes? Have him come to me, and he will know there is a prophet in Israel.” ^s9So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house.

¹⁰Then Elisha sent him a messenger, ^twho said, “Go wash ^useven times ^vin the Jordan and your flesh will be restored and you will be clean.”

¹¹But Naaman got angry and left, saying, “I was telling myself: He will surely come out, stand and call on the name of Yahweh his God, and will wave his hand ^wover the spot and cure the skin disease. ¹²Aren’t Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? ^xCould I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and left in a rage. ^y

¹³But his servants approached and said to him, “My father, ^zif the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more should you do it when he tells you, ‘Wash and be clean’?” ¹⁴So Naaman went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, according to the command of the man of God. Then his skin was restored and became like the skin of a small boy, and he was clean. ^a

¹⁵Then Naaman and his whole company went back to the man of God, stood before him, and declared, “I know there’s no God in the whole world except in Israel. ^bTherefore, please accept a gift ^cfrom your servant.”

¹⁶But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, ^dI stand before Him. I will not accept it.” ^eNaaman urged him to accept it, but he refused.

¹⁷Naaman responded, “If not, please let your servant be given as much soil as a pair of mules can carry, ^ffor your servant will no longer offer a burnt offering or a sacrifice to any other god but Yahweh. ^g18However, in a particular matter may the Lord pardon your servant: When my master, the king of Aram, goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship and I, as his right-hand man, ^hibow in the temple of Rimmon—when I bow ^jin the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord pardon your servant in this matter.”

¹⁹So he said to him, “Go in peace.” ^k

Gehazi’s Greed Punished

After Naaman had traveled a short distance from Elisha, ²⁰Gehazi, ^lthe attendant of Elisha the man of God, thought: My master has let this Aramean Naaman off lightly by not accepting from him what he brought. As the Lord lives, ^mI will run after him and get something from him.

²¹So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him and asked, “Is everything all right?”

²²Gehazi said, “It’s all right. ⁿMy 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 75 pounds ^oof silver and two changes of clothes.’ ” ^p

²³But Naaman insisted, “Please, accept 150 pounds.” ^qHe urged Gehazi and then packed 150 pounds ^rof silver in two bags with two changes of clothes. Naaman gave them to two of his young men who carried them ahead of Gehazi. ²⁴When Gehazi came to the hill, ^sthe took the gifts from them and stored them in the house. Then he dismissed the men, and they left.

²⁵Gehazi came and stood by his master. “Where did you go, Gehazi?” Elisha asked him.

“Your servant didn’t go anywhere,” he replied.

²⁶But Elisha questioned him, “Wasn’t my spirit ^uthere ^vwhen the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to accept money and clothes, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves? ²⁷Therefore, Naaman’s skin disease will cling to you and your descendants forever.” So Gehazi went out from his presence diseased—white as snow. ^w