2 Kings 5

1 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.

And Naaman, head of the host of the king of Aram, was a great man before his lord, and accepted of face, for YHWH had given salvation to Aram by him, and the man was mighty in valor, [but] leprous.

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

And the Arameans have gone out [by] troops, and they take a little girl captive out of the land of Israel, and she is before the wife of Naaman,

3 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.”

and she says to her mistress, “O that my lord [were] before the prophet who [is] in Samaria; then he recovers him from his leprosy.”

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

And [one] goes in and declares [it] to his lord, saying, “Thus and thus the girl who [is] from the land of Israel has spoken.”

5 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.

And the king of Aram says, “Go, enter, and I send a letter to the king of Israel”; and he goes and takes in his hand ten talents of silver, and six thousand [pieces] of gold, and ten changes of garments.

6 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.”

And he brings in the letter to the king of Israel, saying, “And now, at the coming in of this letter to you, behold, I have sent my servant Naaman to you, and you have recovered him from his leprosy.”

7 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.”

And it comes to pass, at the king of Israel’s reading the letter, that he tears his garments and says, “Am I God, to put to death and to keep alive, that this [one] is sending to me to recover a man from his leprosy? For surely know now, and see, for he is presenting himself to me.”

8 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.”

And it comes to pass, at Elisha the man of God’s hearing that the king of Israel has torn his garments, that he sends to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your garments? Please let him come to me, and he knows that there is a prophet in Israel.”

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

And Naaman comes, with his horses and with his chariot, and stands at the opening of the house for Elisha;

10 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.”

and Elisha sends a messenger to him, saying, “Go, and you have washed seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh turns back to you—and be clean.”

11 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.

And Naaman is angry, and goes on and says, “Behold, I said, He certainly comes out to me, and has stood and called in the Name of his God YHWH, and waved his hand over the place, and recovered the leper.

12 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.

Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Do I not wash in them and I have been clean?” And he turns and goes on in fury.

13 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?'”

And his servants come near, and speak to him, and say, “My father, the prophet had spoken a great thing to you—do you not do [it]? And surely, when he has said to you, Wash, and be clean.”

14 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.

And he goes down and dips in the Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh turns back as the flesh of a little youth, and is clean.

15 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.”

And he turns back to the man of God, he and all his camp, and comes in, and stands before him, and says, “Now behold, I have known that there is not a God in all the earth except in Israel; and now, please take a blessing from your servant.”

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

And he says, “YHWH lives, before whom I have stood—if I take [it]”; and he presses on him to take, and he refuses.

17 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.

And Naaman says, “If not, please let a couple of mules’ burden of earth be given to your servant, for your servant makes no more burnt-offering and sacrifice to other gods, but [only sacrifices] to YHWH.

18 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.”

For in this thing may YHWH be propitious to your servant, in the coming in of my lord into the house of Rimmon to bow himself there, and he was supported by my hand, and I bowed myself [in] the house of Rimmon; for my bowing myself in the house of Rimmon, may YHWH now be propitious to your servant in this thing.”

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

And he says to him, “Go in peace.” And he goes from him a distance of land,

20 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.”

and Gehazi, servant of Elisha the man of God, says, “Behold, my lord has spared this Aramean Naaman, not to receive from his hand that which he brought; for YHWH lives; if I have run after him, then I have taken something from him.”

21 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?”

And Gehazi pursues after Naaman, and Naaman sees one running after him, and comes down off the chariot to meet him, and says, “Is there peace?”

22 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.'”

And he says, “Peace; my lord has sent me, saying, Behold, now, this, two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill-country of Ephraim; please give a talent of silver and two changes of garments to them.”

23 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.

And Naaman says, “Be pleased, take two talents”; and he urges him, and binds two talents of silver in two purses, and two changes of garments, and gives [them] to two of his young men, and they carry [them] before him;

24 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.

and he comes to the high place, and takes [them] out of their hand, and lays [them] up in the house, and sends the men away, and they go.

25 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.”

And he has come in, and stands by his lord, and Elisha says to him, “From where—Gehazi?” And he says, “Your servant did not go here or there.”

26 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?

And he says to him, “My heart did not go when the man turned from off his chariot to meet you; is it a time to take silver, and to take garments, and olives, and vines, and flock, and herd, and menservants, and maidservants?

27 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.

Indeed, the leprosy of Naaman cleaves to you and to your seed for all time”; and he goes out from before him—leprous as snow.