2 Kings 5

1 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.

Now Naiman, the captain of the host of Syria, was a great man before his master, and highly respected, because by him the Lord had given deliverance to Syria, and the man was mighty in strength, [but] a leper.

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

And the Syrians went forth in small bands, and took captive out of the land of Israel a little maid: and she waited on Naiman's wife.

3 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.

And she said to her mistress, O that my lord were before the prophet of God in Samaria; then he would recover him from his leprosy.

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

And she went in and told her lord, and said, Thus and thus spoke the maid from the land of Israel.

5 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,

And the king of Syria said to Naiman, Go to, go, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel. And he went, and took in his hand ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.

6 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.

And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now then, as soon as this letter shall reach thee, behold, I have sent to thee my servant Naiman, and thou shalt recover him from his leprosy.

7 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.

And it came to pass, when the king of Israel read the letter, [that] he rent his garments, and said, [Am] I God, to kill and to make alive, that this [man] sends to me to recover a man of his leprosy? consider, however, I pray you, and see that this [man] seeks an occasion against me.

8 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.

And it came to pass, when Elisaie heard that the king of Israel had rent his garments, that he sent to the king of Israel, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy garments? Let Naiman, I pray thee, come to me, and let him know that there is a prophet in Israel.

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

So Naiman came with horse and chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisaie.

10 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.

And Elisaie sent a messenger to him, saying, Go and wash seven times in Jordan, and thy flesh shall return to thee, and thou shalt be cleansed.

11 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.

And Naiman was angry, and departed, and said, Behold, I said, He will by all means come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of his God, and lay his hand upon the place, and recover the leper.

12 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.

[Are] not the Abana and Pharphar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not go and wash in them, and be cleansed? and he turned and went away in a rage.

13 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?

And his servants came near and said to him, [Suppose] the prophet had spoken a great thing to thee, wouldest thou not perform it? yet he has but said to thee, Wash, and be cleansed.

14 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.

So Naiman went down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the word of Elisaie: and his flesh returned to him as the flesh of a little child, and he was cleansed.

15 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.

And he and all his company returned to Elisaie, and he came and stood before him, and said, Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth, save only in Israel: and now receive a blessing of thy servant.

16 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.

And Elisaie said, [As] the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will not take [one]. And he pressed him to take [one]: but he would not.

17 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.

And Naiman said, Well then, if not, let there be given to thy servant, I pray thee, the load [of a] yoke of mules; and thou shalt give me of the red earth: for henceforth thy servant will not offer whole-burnt-offering or sacrifice to other gods, but only to the Lord by [reason of] this thing.

18 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.

And let the Lord be propitious to thy servant when my master goes into the house of Remman to worship there, and he shall lean on my hand, and I shall bow down in the house of Remman when he bows down in the house of Remman; even let the Lord, I pray, be merciful to thy servant in this matter.

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

And Elisaie said to Naiman, Go in peace. And he departed from him a little way.

20 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.

And Giezi the servant of Elisaie said, Behold, my Lord has spared this Syrian Naiman, so as not to take of his hand what he has brought: as the Lord lives, I will surely run after him, and take somewhat of him.

21 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?

So Giezi followed after Naiman: and Naiman saw him running after him, and turned back from his chariot to meet him.

22 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.

And [Giezi] said, All is well: my master has sent me, saying, Behold, now are there come to me two young men of the sons of the prophets from mount Ephraim; give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of raiment.

23 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.

And [Naiman] said, Take two talents of silver. And he took two talents of silver in two bags, and two changes of raiment, and put them upon two of his servants, and they bore them before him.

24 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.

And he came to a secret place, and took them from their hands, and laid them up in the house, and dismissed the men.

25 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.

And he went in himself and stood before his master; and Elisaie said to him,

26 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?

Whence [comest thou], Giezi? and Giezi said, Thy servant has not been hither or thither. And Elisaie said to him, Went not my heart with thee, when the man returned from his chariot to meet thee? and now thou hast received silver, and now thou hast received raiment, and olive yards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants.

27 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.

The leprosy also of Naiman shall cleave to thee, and to thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence leprous, like snow.