2 Kings 5

1 Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him YHWH had given victory to Aram: he was also a mighty man of valor, but he was 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 The Arameans had gone out in bands, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maiden; and she waited on Naaman's 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 She said to her mistress, "I wish that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria. Then he would heal him of his leprosy."

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 Someone went in, and told his lord, saying, "The maiden who is from the land of Israel said this."

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

5 The king of Aram said, "Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel." He departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of clothing.

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 He brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, "Now when this letter has come to you, look, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy."

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.

7 It happened, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he tore his clothes, and said, "Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends to me to heal a man of his leprosy? But please consider and see how he seeks a quarrel against me."

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.

8 It was so, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, "Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel."

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.

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

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

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

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.

11 But Naaman was angry, and went away, and said, "Look, I thought, 'He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of YHWH his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leper.'

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 Aren't Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn't I go wash in them, and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage.

[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 His servants came near, and spoke to him, and said, "My father, if the prophet had asked you to do some great thing, wouldn't you have done it? How much rather then, when he says to you, 'Wash, and be clean?'"

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.

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

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 He returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him; and he said, "See now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel. Now therefore, please take a gift from your servant."

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.

16 But he said, "As YHWH lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none." He urged him to take 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 Naaman said, "If not, then, please let two mules' burden of earth be given to your servant; for your servant will from now on offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice to other gods, but to YHWH.

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.

18 In this thing may YHWH pardon your servant: 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 myself in the house of Rimmon, may YHWH pardon your servant in this thing."

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.

19 He said to him, "Go in peace." So he departed from him a little way.

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

20 But Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, "Look, my master has spared this Naaman the Aramean, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought. As YHWH lives, I will run after him, and take something from 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 after Naaman. When Naaman saw one running after him, he came down from the chariot to meet 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 He said, "All is well. My master has sent me, saying, 'Look, even now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.'"

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.

23 Naaman said, "Be pleased to take two talents." He urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and laid them on two of his servants; and they carried 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 When he came to the hill, he took them from their hand, and stored them in the house. Then he let the men go, 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 But he went in, and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, "Where did you come from, Gehazi?" He said, "Your servant went nowhere."

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

26 He said to him, "Did not my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and olive groves and vineyards, and sheep and cattle, and male servants and female servants?

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.

27 Therefore the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and to your descendants forever." He went out from his presence a leper, as white as snow.

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.