Kings IV 5

1 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.

Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.

2 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.

And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife.

3 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.

And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.

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

And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.

5 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.

And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.

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

And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter has come unto you, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may recover him of his leprosy.

7 And it came to pass, when the king of Israel read the letter, [that] he tore 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.

And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man does send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeks a quarrel against me.

8 And it came to pass, when Elisaie heard that the king of Israel had tore his garments, that he sent to the king of Israel, saying, Therefore have you tore your garments? Let Naiman, I pray you, come to me, and let him know that there is a prophet in Israel.

And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore have you rent your clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.

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

So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.

10 And Elisaie sent a messenger to him, saying, Go and wash seven times in Jordan, and your flesh shall return to you, and you shall be cleansed.

And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall come again to you, and you shall be clean.

11 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.

But Naaman was angry, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.

12 [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.

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

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

And his servants came near, and spoke unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid you do some great thing, would you not have done it? how much rather then, when he says to you, Wash, and be clean?

14 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.

Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

15 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 your servant.

And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray you, take a blessing of your servant.

16 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.

But he said, As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.

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

And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray you, be given to your servant two mules' burden of earth? for your servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD.

18 And let the Lord be propitious to your 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 your servant in this matter.

In this thing the LORD pardon your servant, that when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon your servant in this thing.

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

And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.

20 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.

But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master has spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD lives, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.

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

So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?

22 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 you, a talent of silver, and two changes of raiment.

And he said, All is well. My master has sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray you, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.

23 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.

And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.

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

And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.

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

But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence come you, Gehazi? And he said, Your servant went no where.

26 Whence [come you], Giezi? and Giezi said, Your servant has not been hither or there. And Elisaie said to him, Went not my heart with you, when the man returned from his chariot to meet you? and now you have received silver, and now you have received raiment, and olive yards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants.

And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with you, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and olive yards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and male servants, and maidservants?

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

The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto you, and unto your seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.