2 Kings 5

1 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 man of valor, but he was a leper.

2 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.

3 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.”

4 And Naaman went and told his master what the girl from the land of Israel had said.

5 “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.

6 And the letter that he took to the king of Israel stated: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman, so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”

7 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!”

8 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.”

9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house.

10 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.”

11 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.

12 Are not the 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.

13 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’?”

14 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.

15 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.”

16 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.

17 “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.

18 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.”

19 “Go in peace,” said Elisha. But after Naaman had traveled a short distance,

20 Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Look, my master has spared this Aramean, Naaman, by not accepting what he brought. As surely as the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something from him.”

21 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?”

22 “Everything is all right,” Gehazi replied. “My master has sent me to say, ‘Look, two young men from the sons of the prophets have just now come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.’”

23 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.

24 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.

25 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.

26 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?

27 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.

1 ¶ Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, [but he was] a leper.

2 And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife.

3 And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord [were] with the prophet that [is] in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.

4 And [one] went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that [is] of the land of Israel.

5 And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand [pieces] of gold, and ten changes of raiment.

6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have [therewith] sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.

7 And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, [Am] I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.

8 And it was [so], when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy 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 chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.

10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.

11 But Naaman was wroth, 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 strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.

12 [Are] not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.

13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, [if] the prophet had bid thee [do some] great thing, wouldest thou not have done [it]? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?

14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

15 ¶ And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that [there is] no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.

16 But he said, [As] the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take [it]; but he refused.

17 And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD.

18 In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, [that] when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy servant in this thing.

19 And he said unto 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 hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, [as] the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.

21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw [him] running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, [Is] all well?

22 And he said, All [is] well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.

23 And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid [them] upon two of his servants; and they bare [them] before him.

24 And when he came to the tower, he took [them] from their hand, and bestowed [them] in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.

25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence [comest thou], Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.

26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart [with thee], when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? [Is it] a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?

27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper [as white] as snow.

1 Naaman the captain of the host of the king of Syria was an excellent man in the sight of his lord, and highly esteemed: for by him the LORD gave salvation in Syria. And he was a mighty man, and a leper.

2 And the men of war that were in Syria fell out, and carried away a little damsel out of the land of Israel, which was in the service of Naaman's wife.

3 And she said unto her wife, If my lord were with the prophet of Samaria, he would rid him of his leprosy.

4 And he went in unto his lord, and told him, and said, Thus and thus spake the damsel of the land of Israel.

5 And the king of Syria said, Go, I will write a letter unto the king of Israel. And he went, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand shekels, and ten sets of garments.

6 And he brought the letter unto the king of Israel, saying, When this letter cometh unto thee, behold, I have sent unto thee Naaman my servant, that thou shouldest rid him of his leprosy.

7 And when the king of Israel read the letter, he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, that I can kill, and that I can make alive, to send unto me to rid the man of his leprosy? Mark and behold, how he seeketh a cause of me!

8 And when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, he sent unto him, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? Let him come to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.

9 So Naaman came with horses and chariots, and stopped at the door of Elisha's house.

10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall be restored unto thee, and thou shalt be clean.

11 And Naaman was wroth, and departed, and said: I meant that he should come out unto me, and stand, and call upon the name of the LORD his God, and run his hand over the place, and so put away the leprosy.

12 Are not the waters of Amanah and Pharphar in Damascus better than all the waters of Israel, that I may wash in them, and be clean? And he turned and departed in anger.

13 And his servants came unto him, and spake unto him, saying: Dear father, if the prophet had commanded thee a great thing, shouldest thou not do it? How much more, if he say unto thee, Wash, and thou shalt be clean?

14 And he went down, and was baptized in Jordan seven times, as the man of God had spoken: and his flesh was restored, as the flesh of a young lad, and he was clean.

15 And he returned unto the man of God, and to all his host. And when he was come in, he stood before him, and said, Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth, save in Israel: now therefore receive the blessing of thy servant.

16 And he said, If the LORD be alive, before whom I stand, I will not take it. And he urged him to take it; but he would not.

17 And Naaman said, Shall not thy servant have a burden given unto this earth, as much as two mouths shall bear? For thy servant will no more sacrifice unto other gods, nor offer burnt offerings, but unto the LORD;

18 That the LORD may be gracious unto thy servant in this, where I worship in the house of Rimon, when my lord goeth into the house of Rimon to worship there, and he leaneth upon my hand.

19 And he said unto him. Go in peace. And when he was departed from him one country way in the country,

20 And Gehazi the son of Elisha, the man of God, said, Behold, my lord hath spared Naaman the Syrian, that he hath taken nothing of him that he hath brought. As the LORD liveth, I will go after him, and take something of him.

21 So Gehazi pursued after Naaman. And when Naaman saw that he pursued him, he came down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is it lawful?

22 And he said, Yea. And my lord hath sent me to say unto thee, Behold, there are now come unto me from mount Ephraim two lads of the sons of the prophets; give them a talent of silver, and two sets of garments.

23 And Naaman said, Take the two talents: and he constrained him, and bound the two talents of silver in two bags, and in two garments, and gave them to his two sons, which bare them before him.

24 And when he was come to Ophel, he took it from their hands, and laid it up in the house, and sent the men away.

25 And when they were departed, he stood before his lord. And Elisha said unto him, Whence, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went neither hither nor thence.

26 And he said unto him, Was not my heart moved, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Was this the time to take silver, and raiment, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?

27 But the leprosy of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and to thy seed for ever. And he went out from him leprous as snow.