2 Kings 5

1 And Naaman, head of the host of the king of Aram, was a great man before his lord, and accepted of face, for by him had Jehovah given salvation to Aram, and the man was mighty in valour — leprous.

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

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 saith unto her mistress, 'O that my lord [were] before the prophet who [is] in Samaria; then he doth recover him from 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 [one] goeth in and declareth to his lord, saying, 'Thus and thus she hath spoken, the damsel who [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 Aram saith, 'Go thou, enter, and I send a letter unto the king of Israel;' and he goeth and taketh in his hand 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 bringeth in the letter unto the king of Israel, saying, 'And now, at the coming in of this letter unto thee, lo, I have sent unto thee Naaman my servant, and thou hast recovered him from 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 cometh to pass, at the king of Israel's reading the letter, that he rendeth his garments, and saith, 'Am I God, to put to death and to keep alive, that this [one] is sending unto me to recover a man from his leprosy? for surely know, I pray you, and see, for he is presenting himself to 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 cometh to pass, at Elisha the man of God's hearing that the king of Israel hath rent his garments, that he sendeth unto the king, saying, 'Why hast thou rent thy garments? let him come, I pray thee, unto me, and he doth 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 Naaman cometh, with his horses and with his chariot, and standeth at the opening of the house for Elisha;

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

10 and Elisha sendeth unto him a messenger, saying, 'Go, and thou hast washed seven times in Jordan, and thy flesh doth turn back to thee — and be thou 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 And Naaman is wroth, and goeth on, and saith, 'Lo, I said, Unto me he doth certainly come out, and hath stood and called in the name of Jehovah his God, and waved his hand over the place, and recovered 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 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 turneth and goeth on in fury.

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 come nigh, and speak unto him, and say, 'My father, a great thing had the prophet spoken unto thee — dost thou not do [it]? and surely, when he hath said unto thee, Wash, and be 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 And he goeth down and dippeth in Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh doth turn back as the flesh of a little youth, and is 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 turneth back unto the man of God, he and all his camp, and cometh in, and standeth before him, and saith, 'Lo, I pray thee, I have known that there is not a God in all the earth except in Israel; and now, take, I pray thee, a blessing 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 And he saith, 'Jehovah liveth, before whom I have stood — if I take [it];' and he presseth on him to take, and he refuseth.

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 Naaman saith, 'If not — let be given, I pray thee, to thy servant, a couple of mules' burden of earth, for thy servant doth make no more burnt-offering and sacrifice to other gods, but to Jehovah.

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 Jehovah be propitious to thy 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 Jehovah be propitious, I pray thee, to thy servant in 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 saith to him, 'Go in peace.' And he goeth from him a kibrath of land,

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

20 And Gehazi, servant of Elisha the man of God, saith, 'Lo, my lord hath spared Naaman this Aramaean, not to receive from his hand that which he brought; Jehovah liveth; surely if I have run after him, then I have taken from him something.'

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 And Gehazi pursueth after Naaman, and Naaman seeth one running after him, and alighteth from off the chariot to meet him, and saith, 'Is there peace?'

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 saith, 'Peace; my lord hath sent me, saying, Lo, now, this, come unto me have two young men from the hill-country of Ephraim, of the sons of the prophets; give, I pray thee, to them, 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 Naaman saith, 'Be pleased, take two talents;' and he urgeth on him, and bindeth two talents of silver in two purses, and two changes of garments, and giveth unto two of his young men, and they bear 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 he cometh in unto the high place, and taketh out of their hand, and layeth up in the house, and sendeth away the men, and they go.

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 And he hath come in, and doth stand by his lord, and Elisha saith unto him, 'Whence — Gehazi?' and he saith, '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 saith unto him, 'My heart went not when the man turned from off his chariot to meet thee; is it a time to take silver, and to take garments, and olives, and vines, and flock, and herd, 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 yea, the leprosy of Naaman doth cleave to thee, and to thy seed, — to the age;' and he goeth out from before him — leprous 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.