2 Kings 5

1 Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria; he was also a mighty man of valour, but he was a leper.

Now, Naaman, general of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man in presence of his lord, and held in honour, because, by him, had Yahweh given deliverance to Syria, —and, the man, was a hero of valour—[but], a leper.

2 The Syrians had gone out in bands, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little girl, and she waited on Naaman’s wife.

Now, the Syrians, had gone out in companies, and had brought back out of the land of Israel, a little maiden, —who became an attendant on the wife of Naaman.

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 unto her mistress, Ah! would that my lord were before the prophet, who is in Samaria! then, would he set him free from his leprosy.

4 Someone went in and told his lord, saying, “The girl who is from the land of Israel said this.”

And he went in and told his lord, saying, —Thus and thus, hath spoken the maiden who is of the land of Israel!

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

And the king of Syria said—Go, get in, that I may send a letter unto the king of Israel. So 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, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy.”

And he brought in the letter unto the king of Israel, saying, Now, therefore, when this letter cometh in unto thee, lo! I have sent unto thee, Naaman my servant, and thou shalt set him free 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 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 had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am, I, God, to kill and to make alive, that, this, man is sending unto me, to set one free from his leprosy, —but, of a truth, just mark, I pray you, and see, that he, is seeking 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 was so, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent unto the king, saying—Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come, I pray thee, unto me, that he may get to 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 Naaman came, with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the entrance of the house of Elisha;

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 Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, —Go and bathe seven times in the Jordan, so shall thy flesh come back to thee, and be thou clean.

11 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 wave his hand over the place, and heal the leper.’

But Naaman was wroth, and went away, —and said—Lo! I thought, Unto me, will he, come right out, and take his stand, and call on the name of Yahweh his God, and wave his hand towards the spot, and so set free the leper.

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

Are not, Abanah and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not bathe, in them, and be clean? So 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 do some great thing, wouldn’t you have done it? How much rather then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”

Then drew near his servants, and spake unto him, and said—My father! if, some great thing, the prophet had commanded thee, wouldst thou not have done it? then, how much rather, when he hath said unto thee, Bathe and be clean?

14 Then went he 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.

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

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 returned unto the man of God, he and all his company; and came, and took his stand before him, and said—Lo! I pray thee—I know that there is no God in all the earth, save in Israel, —now, therefore, I pray thee, accept a blessing from thy servant.

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

But he said—By the life of Yahweh, before whom I stand, I will not accept one. And, though he urged him to accept it, yet did he refuse.

17 Naaman said, “If not, then, please let two mules’ load 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 the LORD.

Then said Naaman, Shall there not, then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant, two mules’ burden of earth? For thy servant will henceforth offer neither ascending-offering nor sacrifice to other gods, save only to Yahweh.

18 In this thing may the LORD 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 the LORD pardon your servant in this thing.”

In this thing, Yahweh grant forgiveness to thy servant, —When my lord entereth the house of Rimmon, to bow down therein, he leaning upon my hand, and so I bow down in the house of Rimmon, when he boweth down in the house of Rimmon, Yahweh, I pray, grant forgiveness to thy servant, in this thing.

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

And he said unto him—Go and prosper! But, when he had gone from him some distance,

20 But Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought. As the LORD lives, I will run after him, and take something from him.”

Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said—Lo! my lord, hath restrained, this Naaman the Syrian, by not taking at his hand that which he brought! By the life of Yahweh, verily, I will runs after him, and accept of him, something.

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 Gehazi hastened after Naaman. And, when Naaman saw one running after him, he alighted from his chariot to meet him, and said, —Is all well?

22 He said, “All is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, 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 he said, All is well. My lord, hath sent me to say, Lo! just now, have come unto me, two young men out of the hill country of Ephraim, of the sons of the prophets, —give for them, I pray thee, 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 Naaman said, Be content, accept two talents. So he urged him, and bound up two talents of silver in two bags, and two changes of raiment, and laid them upon two of his young men, and they bare 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, when he came to the hill-tower, he took them from their hand, and put them in charge within, —and let the men go, and they departed.

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.”

Now, when, he, came in and stood before his lord, Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, —Thy servant hath been neither hither nor thither.

26 He said to him, “Didn’t 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?

Then he said unto him—My heart, had not gone with thee, when someone turned again from off his chariot, to meet thee! Is it a time to accept silver, or to accept raiment, or oliveyards, or vineyards, or flocks or herds, or men-servants, or maid-servants?

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

The leprosy of Naaman, therefore, shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed, to times age-abiding. And he went forth from before him—a leper—like snow.