2 Kings 5

1 And Na'aman, the captain of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man before his Lord, and highly honored; because by him had the Lord given victory unto Syria: and this man was valiant in war, [but] a leper.

Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great and honorable man in his master's view, because by him Yahweh had given victory to Aram. He was also a strong, courageous man, but he was a leper.

2 And the Syrians had gone out in predatory troops, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maiden; and she waited on Na'aman's wife.

The Arameans had gone out raiding in bands and had taken a little girl from the land of Israel. She served Naaman's wife.

3 And she said unto her mistress, Oh that my Lord were but before the prophet that is in Samaria! then would he heal him of his leprosy.

The girl said to her mistress, “I wish that my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would heal my master of his leprosy.”

4 And he went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus hath spoken the maiden that is from the land of Israel.

So Naaman went in and told the king what the little girl from the land of Israel had said.

5 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 garments.

So the king of Aram said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” Naaman left and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of clothes.

6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said, And now when this letter cometh unto thee, behold, I have sent to thee Na'aman my servant, that thou mayest heal him of his leprosy.

He also took the letter to the king of Israel that said, “Now when this letter is brought to you, you will see that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”

7 And it came to pass, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this one doth send unto me to heal a man of his leprosy? for know to a certainty, I pray you, and see that he but seeketh a quarrel against me.

When the king of Israel had read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man wants me to cure a man of his leprosy? It seems he is seeking to start an argument with me.”

8 And it happened, when Elisha' the man of God heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him but come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.

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

9 And Na'aman came with his horses and with his chariot, and remained at the door of the house of Elisha'.

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

10 And Elisha' sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and bathe seven times in the Jordan, and thy flesh shall be restored [healthy] to thee, and thou shalt become clean.

Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and dip yourself into the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored; you will be clean.”

11 But Na'aman became wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I had thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and swing his hand over the place, and heal the leper.

But Naaman was angry and went away and said, “Look, I thought he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of Yahweh his God, and wave his hand over the place and heal my leprosy.

12 Are not Amanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not bathe in them, and become clean? and he turned and went away in a rage.

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

13 And his servants came near, and spoke unto him, and they said, My father, if the prophet had bidden thee a great thing, wouldst thou not do it? how much rather then, when he hath said to thee, Bathe, and become clean?

Then Naaman's servants came near and spoke to him, “My father, if the prophet had commanded you do some difficult thing, would you not have done it? How much rather then, when he says to you to simply, 'Dip yourself and be clean?'”

14 Then went he down, and dived seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God: and his flesh was restored [healthy] like the flesh of a little boy, and he became clean.

Then he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, obeying the instructions of the man of God. His flesh was restored again like the flesh of a little child, and he was healed.

15 And he returned to the man of God, he with all his camp, and came and stood before him, and said, Behold, now I know that there is no god on all the earth, but in Israel; and now, I pray thee, take a present from thy servant.

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

16 But he said, As the Lord liveth before whom I have stood, I will take none: and he urged him to take it; but he refused.

But Elisha replied, “As Yahweh lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing.” Naaman urged Elisha to take a gift, but he refused.

17 And Na'aman said, If [thou wilt] not, [then] let there be given, I pray thee, unto thy servant two mules' burden of earth; for thy servant will not offer henceforth either burnt-offering or peace-sacrifice unto other gods, except unto the Lord.

So Naaman said, “If not, then I ask you to let there be given to your servant two mule loads of earth, for from now on, your servant will offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice to any god but Yahweh.

18 For this thing may the Lord pardon thy servant, that when my Lord goeth into the house of Rimmon to prostrate himself there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I prostrate myself also in the house of Rimmon: when I prostrate myself in the house of Rimmon, may the Lord pardon thy servant for this thing.

In this one thing may Yahweh pardon your servant, that is, when my king 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 myself in the house of Rimmon, may Yahweh pardon your servant in this matter.”

19 And he said unto him, Go in peace: so he departed from him some distance.

Elisha said to him, “Go in peace.” So Naaman left.

20 But Gechazi, the servant of Elisha' the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Na'aman, this Syrian, in not receiving from his hand what he had brought; but, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take some little thing from him.

He had traveled only a short distance, when Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God said to himself, “Look, my master has spared this Naaman the Aramean by not receiving from his hands gifts that he brought. As Yahweh lives, I will run after him and receive something from him.”

21 So Gechazi hurried after Na'aman; and when Na'aman saw him running after him, he lighted doom from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is [all] well?

So Gehazi followed after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he jumped down from his chariot to meet him and said, “Is everything alright?”

22 And he said, [all] is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there are come to me from the mountain of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: do give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.

Gehazi said, “Everything is alright. My master has sent me, saying, 'See, now there have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothes.'”

23 And Na'aman said, Give thy assent, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound up two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and he gave them unto his two young men, and they carried them before him.

Naaman replied, “I am very happy to give you two talents.” Naaman urged Gehazi and tied two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothes, and laid them on two of his servants, who carried the bags of silver before Gehazi.

24 And when he came to the hill, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he dismissed the men, and they departed.

When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the bags of silver from their hands and hid them in the house; he sent the men away, and they left.

25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha' said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gechazi? And he said, Thy servant went not hither or thither.

When Gehazi went in and stood before his master, Elisha said to him, “Where have you come from, Gehazi?” He answered, “Your servant went nowhere.”

26 And he said unto him, My mind was not gone, when the man turned round from his chariot to meet thee. Is it a time to take money, and to take garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and men-servants, and maid-servants?

Elisha said to Gehazi, “Was not my spirit with you when the man turned his chariot to meet you? Is this a time to accept money and clothes, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, and male servants and female servants?

27 May then the leprosy of Na'aman cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper [as white] as snow.

So the leprosy of Naaman will be on you and your descendants forever.” So Gehazi went out from his presence, a leper as white as snow.