Naaman Healed of Leprosy
1Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man in his master’s sight and highly regarded, for through him Yahweh had given victory to Aram. He was a mighty warrior, but he had leprosy. 2Now bands of Arameans had gone out on a raid and had taken captive a young girl from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3She said to her mistress, “If only my master would go to the prophet in Samaria — he would cure him of his leprosy.” 4So Naaman went and told his lord what the girl from the land of Israel had said. 5The king of Aram said, “Go, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he set out, 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 read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you, so that you may cure him of his leprosy.” 7When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, able to kill and to give life, that this man sends someone to me to be cured of leprosy? See how he is looking for 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 the man come to me, and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the entrance of Elisha’s house. 10Elisha sent a messenger out to him, saying, “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored, and you will be clean.” 11But Naaman went away angry, saying, “I thought he would surely come out to me, stand there, call on the name of Yahweh his God, wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy. 12Aren’t Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be clean?” And he turned and went off in a rage. 13But his servants approached him and said, “Father, if the prophet had told you to do something difficult, wouldn’t you have done it? How much more, then, when he simply says, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had instructed, 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 his whole company, and stood before him. He said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. Please accept a gift from your servant.” 16But Elisha said, “As Yahweh lives, before whom I stand, I will not accept it.” Naaman urged him to take it, but he refused. 17Naaman said, “If you will not, then please let your servant be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will no longer offer burnt offerings or sacrifices to any other god but Yahweh. 18Only in this matter may Yahweh forgive your servant: when my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to bow down there, leaning on my arm, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon — when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may Yahweh forgive your servant in this matter.” 19Elisha said to him, “Go in peace.” He had traveled only a short distance
Gehazi’s Greed
20when Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, “My master has let this Aramean Naaman off too lightly, not accepting 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 the chariot to meet him and asked, “Is everything all right?” 22Gehazi said, “Everything is all right. My master sent me to say: Just now two young men from the sons of the 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, “By all means, take two talents.” He urged him, 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. 24When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the bags from the servants and put them away in the house, then sent the men away, and they left. 25He went in and stood before his master. Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” He answered, “Your servant didn’t go anywhere.” 26But Elisha said to him, “Was my spirit not with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this a time to accept silver, or to accept clothing, olive groves, vineyards, sheep, cattle, and male and female servants? 27The leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” And Gehazi went out from his presence leprous, white as snow.
