2 Kings 5

Naaman Is Healed

1Now 1Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man 2in the view of his master, and eminent, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man was also a valiant warrior, but afflicted with leprosy. 2Now the Arameans had gone out 3in bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she 4waited on Naaman’s wife. 3And she said to her mistress, “If only my master were 5with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy.” 4And 6Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “The girl who is from the land of Israel spoke such and such.” 5Then the king of Aram said, “Go 7now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he departed and 8took with him ten 9talents of silver, six thousand 10shekels of gold, and ten 11changes of clothes.

6And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, 12which said, “And now as this letter comes to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, so that you may cure him of his leprosy.” 7But when the king of Israel read the letter, 13he tore his clothes and said, “14Am I God, to kill and to keep alive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? But 15consider now, and see how he is seeking 16a quarrel against me.”

8Now it happened, when Elisha 17the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent word to the king, saying, “Why did you tear your clothes? Just have him come to me, and he shall learn that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots, and stood at the doorway of Elisha’s house. 10And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “18Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.” 11But Naaman was furious and went away, and he said, “Behold, I 19thought, ‘He will certainly come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the site and cure the 20leprosy.’ 12Are 21Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, not better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and 22went away in a rage. 1323Then his servants approached and spoke to him, 24saying, “25My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, in accordance with the word of the man of God; and 26his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and 27he was clean.

Gehazi’s Greed

15Then he returned to the man of God 28with all his company, and came and stood before him. And he said, “Behold now, 29I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; so please 30accept a 31gift from your servant now.” 16But he said, “32As surely as the Lord lives, before whom I stand, 33I will accept nothing.” And he urged him to accept it, but he refused. 17Then Naaman said, “If not, please let your servant be given two mules’ load of 34earth; for your servant will no longer offer a burnt offering nor a sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord. 18Regarding this matter may the Lord forgive your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and 35he leans on my hand and I bow down in the house of Rimmon, when I bow down in the house of Rimmon, may the Lord please forgive your servant in this matter.” 19He said to him, “36Go in peace.” So he went some distance from him.

20But 37Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, 38thought, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Aramean, 39by not accepting from his hand what he brought. 40As the Lord lives, I will run after him and take something from him.” 21So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he came down from the chariot to meet him and said, “Is everything well?” 22And he said, “41Everything is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from 42the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and 43two changes of clothes.’” 23Naaman said, “44Be sure to take two talents.” And he urged him, and tied up two talents of silver in two bags with two changes of clothes, and gave them to two of his servants; and they carried them before him. 24When he came to the 45hill, he took them from their hand and 46deposited them in the house, and he sent the men away, and they departed. 25But he went in and stood before his master. And Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” And he said, “47Your servant went nowhere.”

26Then he said to him, “Did my heart not go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? 48Is it a time to accept money and to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, sheep, oxen, and male and female slaves? 27Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your 49descendants forever.” So he went out from his presence 50afflicted with leprosy, as white as snow.