2 Kings 5

1 Now Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man in his master’s sight and highly regarded, for through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. And he was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper.

Now was there one Naaman captaine of the hoste of the King of Aram, a great man, and honourable in the sight of his lorde, because that by him the Lord had deliuered the Aramites. He also was a mightie man and valiant, but a leper.

2 At this time the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken a young girl from the land of Israel, and she was serving Naaman’s wife.

And the Aramites had gone out by bands, and had taken a litle mayde of the land of Israel, and shee serued Naamans wife.

3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would go to the prophet who is in Samaria, he would cure him of his leprosy.”

And she sayd vnto her mistres, Would God my lord were with the Prophet that is in Samaria, he would soone deliuer him of his leprosie.

4 And Naaman went and told his master what the girl from the land of Israel had said.

And he went in, and tolde his lorde, saying, Thus and thus saith the mayde that is of the land of Israel.

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

And the King of Aram sayde, Goe thy way thither, and I will send a letter vnto the King of Israel. And he departed, and tooke with him ten talents of siluer, and sixe thousand pieces of golde, and ten change of rayments,

6 And the letter that he took to the king of Israel stated: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman, so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”

And brought the letter to the King of Israel to this effect, Now when this letter is come vnto thee, vnderstand, that I haue sent thee Naaman my seruant, that thou maiest heale him of his leprosie.

7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and asked, “Am I God, killing and giving life, that this man expects me to cure a leper? Surely you can see that he is seeking a quarrel with me!”

And when the King of Israel had read the letter, he rent his clothes, and sayde, Am I God, to kill and to giue life, that hee doth send to mee, that I should heale a man from his leprosie? wherfore consider, I pray you, and see howe he seeketh a quarel against me.

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

But when Elisha the man of God had heard that the King of Israel had rent his clothes, hee sent vnto the King, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? Let him come now to me, and he shall knowe that there is a Prophet in Israel.

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

Then Naaman came with his horses, and with his charets, and stoode at the doore of the house of Elisha.

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

And Elisha sent a messenger vnto him, saying, Go and wash thee in Iorden seuen times, and thy flesh shall come againe to thee, and thou shalt be clensed.

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

But Naaman was wroth and went away, and sayde, Beholde, I thought with my selfe, Hee will surely come out, and stande, and call on the Name of the Lord his God and put his hand on the place, and heale the leprosie.

12 Are not the Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not have washed in them and been cleansed?” So he turned and went away in a rage.

Are not Abanah and Pharpar, riuers of Damascus, better then all the waters of Israel? may I not washe mee in them, and bee cleansed? so hee turned, and departed in displeasure.

13 Naaman’s servants, however, approached him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’?”

But his seruants came, and spake vnto him, and sayd, Father, if the Prophet had commanded thee a great thing, wouldest thou not haue done it? howe much rather then, when hee sayth to thee, Wash and be cleane?

14 So Naaman went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored and became like that of a little child, and he was clean.

Then went he downe, and washed him selfe seuen times in Iorden, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came againe, like vnto ye flesh of a litle child, and he was cleane.

15 Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God, stood before him, and declared, “Now I know for sure that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.”

And hee turned againe to the man of God, hee, and all his companie, and came and stood before him, and sayd, Behold, now I knowe that there is no God in all the world, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a reward of thy seruant.

16 But Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will not accept it.” And although Naaman urged him to accept it, he refused.

But hee sayde, As the Lord liueth (before whom I stand) I wil not receiue it. And he would haue constrained him to receiue it, but he refused.

17 “If you will not,” said Naaman, “please let me, your servant, be given as much soil as a pair of mules can carry. For your servant will never again make a burnt offering or a sacrifice to any other god but the LORD.

Moreouer Naaman sayde, Shall there not be giuen to thy seruant two mules loade of this earth? for thy seruant will henceforth offer neither burnt sacrifice nor offring vnto any other god, saue vnto the Lord.

18 Yet may the LORD forgive your servant this one thing: When my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my arm, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the LORD forgive your servant in this matter.”

Herein the Lord bee mercifull vnto thy seruant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon, to worship there, and leaneth on mine hand, and I bowe my selfe in the house of Rimmon: when I doe bowe downe, I say, in the house of Rimmon, the Lord be mercifull vnto thy seruant in this point.

19 “Go in peace,” said Elisha. But after Naaman had traveled a short distance,

Vnto whome he saide, Goe in peace. So he departed from him about halfe a dayes iourney of grounde.

20 Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Look, my master has spared this Aramean, Naaman, while not accepting what he brought. As surely as the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something from him.”

And Gehazi the seruant of Elisha the man of God sayde, Beholde, my master hath spared this Aramite Naaman, receiuing not those things at his hand that he brought: as the Lord liueth, I will runne after him, and take somewhat of him.

21 So Gehazi pursued Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running toward him, he got down from the chariot to meet him and asked, “Is everything all right?”

So Gehazi followed speedily after Naaman. And when Naaman sawe him running after him, he light downe from the charet to meete him, and said, Is all well?

22 “Everything is all right,” Gehazi replied. “My master has sent me to say, ‘I have just now discovered that 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.’”

And he answered, All is well: my master hath set me, saying, Behold, there be come to me, euen nowe from mount Ephraim two yong men of the children of the Prophets: giue them, I pray thee, a talent of siluer, and two change of garmets.

23 But Naaman insisted, “Please, take two talents.” And he urged Gehazi to accept them. Then he 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.

And Naaman saide, Yea, take two talents: and he compelled him, and bound two talents of siluer in two bagges, with two change of garments, and gaue them vnto two of his seruants, that they might beare them before him.

24 When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the gifts from the servants and stored them in the house. Then he dismissed the men, and they departed.

And when he came to the towre, he tooke them out of their handes, and laide them in the house, and sent away the men: and they departed.

25 When Gehazi went in and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, “Gehazi, where have you been?” “Your servant did not go anywhere,” he replied.

Then he went in, and stoode before his master. And Elisha said vnto him, Whence commest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy seruant went no whither.

26 But Elisha questioned him, “Did not my spirit go with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to accept money and clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, menservants and maidservants?

But he saide vnto him, Went not mine heart with thee when the man turned againe from his charet to meete thee? Is this a time to take money, and to receiue garments, and oliues, and vineyardes, and sheepe, and oxen, and men seruants, and maide seruants?

27 Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and your descendants forever!” And as Gehazi left his presence, he was leprous—as white as snow.

The leprosie therefore of Naaman shall cleaue vnto thee, and to thy seede for euer. And he went out from his presence a leper white as snowe.