The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Kings 05
1 Now Naaman, captain of the army of
the king of Syria, was a great man with
his master, and honorable, because by him
Yahweh had given victory to Syria; he was
also a mighty man of valor, but he was a
leper.
2 The Syrians had gone out in bands, and
had brought away captive out of the land
of Israel a little girl, and she waited on
Naaman’s wife.
3 She said to her mistress, “I wish that
my lord were with the prophet who is in
Samaria! Then he would heal him of his
leprosy.”
4 Someone went in and told his lord,
saying, “The girl who is from the land of
Israel said this.”
5 The king of Syria said, “Go now, and I
will send a letter to the king of Israel.”
He departed, and took with him ten talents† of silver, six thousand pieces of gold,
and ten changes of clothing.
6 He brought the letter to the king of
Israel, saying, “Now when this letter has
come to you, behold, I have sent Naaman
my servant to you, that you may heal him
of his leprosy.”
7 When the king of Israel had read the
letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I
God, to kill and to make alive, thatthis man
sends to me to heal a man of his leprosy?
But please consider and see how he seeks
a quarrel against me.”
8 It was so, when Elisha the man of God
heard that the king of Israel had torn his
clothes, that he sent to the king, saying,
“Why have you torn your 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 chariots, and stood at the door of
the house of Elisha.
10 Elisha sent a messenger tohim, saying,
“Go and wash in the Jordan seven times,
and yourflesh shall come againto you, and
you shall be clean.”
11 But Naaman was angry, and went
away and said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will
surely come out to me, and stand, and call
on the name of Yahweh his God, and wave
his hand over the place, and healthe leper.’
12 Aren’t Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers
of Damascus, better than all the waters of
Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be
clean?” So he turned and went away in a
rage.
13 His servants came near and spoke to
him, and said, “My father, if the prophet
had asked you do some great thing,
wouldn’t you have done it? How much
rather then, when he says to you, ‘Wash,
and be clean’?”
14 Then went he down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to
the saying of the man of God; and his flesh
was restored like the flesh of a little child,
and he was clean.
15 He returned to the man of God, he
and all his company, and came, and stood
before him; and he said, “See now, I know
that there is no God in all the earth, but
in Israel. Now therefore, please take a gift
from your servant.”
16 But he said, “As Yahweh lives, before
whom I stand, I will receive none.”
He urged him to take it; but he refused.
17 Naaman said, “If not, then, please let
two mules’ load of earth be given to your
servant; for your servant willfrom now on
offerneither burnt offeringnor sacrifice to
other gods, but to Yahweh.
18 In this thing may Yahweh pardon your
servant: when my master goes into the
house of Rimmon to worship there, and he
leans on my hand, and I bow myself in the
house of Rimmon. When I bow myself in
thehouse ofRimmon, mayYahwehpardon
your servant in this thing.”
19 He said to 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 has
spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought.
As Yahweh lives, I will run after him, and
take something from him.”
21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman.
When Naaman saw one running after him,
he came down from the chariot to meet
him, and said, “Is all well?”
22 He said, “All is well. My master has
sent me, saying, ‘Behold, even now two
young men of the sons of the prophets
have come to me from the hill country of
Ephraim. Please give them a talent‡ of
silver and two changes of clothing.’ ”
23 Naaman said, “Be pleased to take two
talents.” He urged him, and bound two talents of silver intwo bags, withtwo changes
of clothing, and laid them on two of his
servants; and they carried them before
him.
24 When he came to the hill, he took them
from their hand, and stored them in the
house. Then he let the men go, and they
departed.
25 But he went in, and stood before his
master. Elisha said to him, “Where did you
come from, Gehazi?”
He said, “Your servant went nowhere.”
26 He said to him, “Didn’t my heart go
with you when the man turned from his
chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and
olive groves and vineyards, and sheep and
cattle, and male servants and female servants?
27 Therefore the leprosy of Naaman will
cling to you and to your offspring§ forever.”
He went outfrom his presence a leper, as
white as snow.