2 Kings 5

1Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man in his master’s sight and highly regarded, because through him Yahweh had given victory to Aram. He was a mighty warrior, but he had a serious skin disease.

2Now the Arameans had gone out on raids and had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife.

3She said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his skin disease.”

4Naaman went in and told his master, “This is what the girl from the land of Israel said.”

5The king of Aram said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of clothing.

6He brought the letter to the king of Israel. It said, “When this letter reaches you, here is my servant Naaman, whom I have sent to you so that you may cure him of his skin disease.”

7When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his skin disease? Just look and see how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!”

8When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent word to the king: “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.”

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

10Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored, and you will be clean.”

11But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, “I thought that he would surely come out to me, stand and call on the name of Yahweh his God, wave his hand over the spot, and cure the disease.

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

13But his servants came up and said to him, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be clean’!”

14So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, as the man of God had said, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.

15Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company. He came and stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.”

16But Elisha said, “As Yahweh lives, before whom I stand, I will not accept anything.” Naaman urged him to accept it, but he refused.

17Then Naaman said, “If not, then please let your servant be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again offer burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but only to Yahweh.

18But in this one matter may Yahweh pardon your servant: when my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to bow down there, and he leans on my arm, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may Yahweh pardon your servant in this matter.”

19Elisha said to him, “Go in peace.” So Naaman went away from him some distance.

20Then Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, “Look, my master has let this Naaman the Aramean off without accepting from him what he brought. As Yahweh lives, I will run after him and get something from him.”

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

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

23Naaman said, “Please, take two talents.” He urged him, and he tied up two talents of silver in two bags, with two sets of clothing, and gave them to two of his servants, who carried them ahead of Gehazi.

24When he came to the hill, he took the things from them and stored them in the house. Then he sent the men away, and they left.

25He went in and stood before his master, and Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” He said, “Your servant has not gone anywhere.”

26But Elisha said to him, “Was my heart not there when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to accept money and to accept clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and cattle, male and female servants?

27So Naaman’s skin disease will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Gehazi went out from his presence with a serious skin disease, as white as snow.