2 Kings 5

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.

Naaman, the respected Syrian army commander, was highly esteemed by his king because God used him to bring victory to Syria. Despite his bravery and strength, he was battling leprosy.

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.

The Syrians, in groups, had taken a young Israeli girl captive. She was now serving Naaman's wife.

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.

She pleaded with her mistress, "If only my master could meet the prophet in Samaria, he could be healed from his leprosy."

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

One rushed in, breathlessly informing his master, "The maiden from Israel spoke, her words were thus..."

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.

The Syrian king commanded, "Leave now, I'll send a letter to Israel's king." So, he left, carrying with him a hefty treasure of silver, an abundance of gold, and a wardrobe of fine clothes.

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.

He delivered the letter to the Israel's king, saying, "Upon receiving this letter, know that I've sent my servant Naaman to you, hoping you can heal his leprosy."

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.

Upon reading the letter, the king of Israel was overcome with disbelief and frustration. Tearing his clothes in distress, he exclaimed, "Am I God, with the power to give or take life, that this man expects me to cure leprosy? Clearly, he's just trying to pick a fight with me."

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.

When Elisha, a man of deep faith, heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes in despair, he sent a message to the king. "Why have you torn your clothes?" he asked. "Let the man come to me now, and he will realize that there is a prophet in Israel."

So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.

Naaman arrived, his horses and chariot in tow, and paused at Elisha's doorstep, anticipation and hope filling his heart.

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.

Elisha instructed through a messenger, "Head to Jordan and bathe seven times. Your skin will be restored, and you'll be purified."

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.

Naaman was upset and stormed off, thinking, "I expected him to come out, stand before me, invoke his God's name, wave his hand over the affected area, and heal the leprosy."

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.

Aren't the rivers of Damascus, Abana and Pharpar, superior to all of Israel's waters? Can't I cleanse myself in them? Frustrated and angry, he stormed off.

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?

His servants approached him, their voices filled with concern. "Father," they said, "if the prophet had asked you to do something grand, wouldn't you have done it? So why not follow his simple advice now - to wash and be purified?"

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.

He descended into the Jordan, immersing himself seven times as the prophet had instructed. Miraculously, his skin was restored, as pure and soft as a newborn's, and he was healed.

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.

He came back to the holy man, bringing his entire group with him. Standing before him, he confessed, "Now I truly understand that the only real God is in Israel. Please, accept this gift from me, your humble servant."

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.

He passionately declared, "By the living God I serve, I won't accept anything!" Despite persistent persuasion, he firmly declined.

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.

Naaman pleaded, "Can I not take home two mules' worth of soil? From now on, I promise to worship and make offerings only to the Lord, not to any other gods."

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.

May the Lord forgive me, for when my master enters the house of Rimmon to worship and leans on me, I too must bow in respect. When I kneel in Rimmon's house, may God understand and pardon me.

And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.

He gently told him, "Leave in tranquility." And so, he walked away, just a short distance.

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.

Gehazi, Elisha's servant, was upset. He thought, "My master let Naaman, the Syrian, off too easily by not accepting his gifts. I swear by God, I'll chase after him and get something from him."

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?

Gehazi hurried after Naaman. Seeing him approach, Naaman quickly stepped down from his chariot to greet him, asking anxiously, "Is everything okay?"

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.

He reassured, "Everything's fine. My master sent me, saying, 'Just now, two young prophets from the hill country of Ephraim arrived. Please, give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothes.'"

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.

Naaman insisted, "Please, accept these two talents." He passionately persuaded him, packing two silver talents into two bags, along with two sets of clothes. He handed them to his two servants who carried them ahead of him.

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.

When he reached the tower, he took the gifts from the servants and put them away in the house. Then he sent the men off, and they left.

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.

He went in and stood before his master. Elisha asked, "Where have you been, Gehazi?" He replied, "I haven't gone anywhere, master."

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?

He asked him, "Didn't my heart go with you when the man left his chariot to greet you? Is this really the time to accept money, clothes, and property, including vineyards, olive groves, livestock, and servants?"

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.

Naaman's leprosy will cling to you and your descendants forever. He left, his skin as white as snow, forever marked by the disease.