Βασιλειῶν Δʹ 5
1 καὶ Ναιμαν ὁ ἄρχων τῆς δυνάμεως Συρίας ἦν ἀνὴρ μέγας ἐνώπιον τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ καὶ τεθαυμασμένος προσώπῳ ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἔδωκεν κύριος σωτηρίαν Συρίᾳ καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ ἦν δυνατὸς ἰσχύι λελεπρωμένος
[A man named] Naaman was the commander of the army of Syria. Yahweh had enabled him to win many victories/battles. He was a great warrior, and as a result the king of Syria greatly respected him. But he had (leprosy/a dreaded skin disease).
2 καὶ Συρία ἐξῆλθον μονόζωνοι καὶ ᾐχμαλώτευσαν ἐκ γῆς Ισραηλ νεάνιδα μικράν καὶ ἦν ἐνώπιον τῆς γυναικὸς Ναιμαν
[Some time previously, ] groups of soldiers/marauders from Syria had raided/attacked the land of Israel, and they had captured a young girl [and taken her to Syria]. She became a servant for Naaman’s wife.
3 ἡ δὲ εἶπεν τῇ κυρίᾳ αὐτῆς ὄφελον ὁ κύριός μου ἐνώπιον τοῦ προφήτου τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ τότε ἀποσυνάξει αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῆς λέπρας αὐτοῦ
One day, that girl said to her, “I wish that (my master/your husband) would go to see the prophet in Samaria. That prophet would heal your husband from his leprosy.”
4 καὶ εἰσῆλθεν καὶ ἀπήγγειλεν τῷ κυρίῳ ἑαυτῆς καὶ εἶπεν οὕτως καὶ οὕτως ἐλάλησεν ἡ νεᾶνις ἡ ἐκ γῆς Ισραηλ
[Naaman’s wife told her husband] what the girl from Israel had said, [and] Naaman told [that] to the king.
5 καὶ εἶπεν βασιλεὺς Συρίας πρὸς Ναιμαν δεῦρο εἴσελθε καὶ ἐξαποστελῶ βιβλίον πρὸς βασιλέα Ισραηλ καὶ ἐπορεύθη καὶ ἔλαβεν ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ δέκα τάλαντα ἀργυρίου καὶ ἑξακισχιλίους χρυσοῦς καὶ δέκα ἀλλασσομένας στολάς
The king said to him, “Okay, go [and see the prophet]. I will [write] a letter for you to take to the king of Israel, [saying that I sent you].” The king wrote in the letter, “I am sending this letter with [my army commander] Naaman, who serves me [faithfully]. I want you to heal him of his disease.” So Naaman, [assuming/thinking that the king of Israel was the prophet, took the letter and] 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothing, to give to the king of Israel, [and he went to Samaria, taking along several servants].
6 καὶ ἤνεγκεν τὸ βιβλίον πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα Ισραηλ λέγων καὶ νῦν ὡς ἂν ἔλθῃ τὸ βιβλίον τοῦτο πρὸς σέ ἰδοὺ ἀπέστειλα πρὸς σὲ Ναιμαν τὸν δοῦλόν μου καὶ ἀποσυνάξεις αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῆς λέπρας αὐτοῦ
7 καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἀνέγνω βασιλεὺς Ισραηλ τὸ βιβλίον διέρρηξεν τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν μὴ θεὸς ἐγὼ τοῦ θανατῶσαι καὶ ζωοποιῆσαι ὅτι οὗτος ἀποστέλλει πρός με ἀποσυνάξαι ἄνδρα ἀπὸ τῆς λέπρας αὐτοῦ ὅτι πλὴν γνῶτε δὴ καὶ ἴδετε ὅτι προφασίζεται οὗτός με
[When he arrived in Samaria, he gave the letter to the king] of Israel. The king read the letter. Then, being very dismayed, the king tore his clothes and said, “I am not God [RHQ]! I am not able to enable people to live or to die [RHQ]! Why does [the king] who wrote this letter request me to cure this man of his leprosy? I think that he is just wanting to start a fight with me!”
8 καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἤκουσεν Ελισαιε ὅτι διέρρηξεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ισραηλ τὰ ἱμάτια ἑαυτοῦ καὶ ἀπέστειλεν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα Ισραηλ λέγων ἵνα τί διέρρηξας τὰ ἱμάτιά σου ἐλθέτω δὴ πρός με Ναιμαν καὶ γνώτω ὅτι ἔστιν προφήτης ἐν Ισραηλ
But the prophet Elisha heard that the king of Israel had torn his robe [and said that]. So he sent a message to the king, saying, “Why are you upset/frustrated [RHQ]? Send Naaman to me, and he will find out that [because] I am a true prophet [here] in Israel, [I can help/heal him].”
9 καὶ ἦλθεν Ναιμαν ἐν ἵππῳ καὶ ἅρματι καὶ ἔστη ἐπὶ θύρας οἴκου Ελισαιε
So Naaman went with his horses and chariots to Elisha’s house and waited outside the door.
10 καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Ελισαιε ἄγγελον πρὸς αὐτὸν λέγων πορευθεὶς λοῦσαι ἑπτάκις ἐν τῷ Ιορδάνῃ καὶ ἐπιστρέψει ἡ σάρξ σού σοι καὶ καθαρισθήσῃ
But Elisha [did not come to the door. Instead, he] sent a messenger to Naaman, to tell him, “Go to the Jordan [River] and wash yourself seven times in the river. Then your skin will be restored/healed, and you will no longer have leprosy.”
11 καὶ ἐθυμώθη Ναιμαν καὶ ἀπῆλθεν καὶ εἶπεν ἰδοὺ δὴ ἔλεγον ὅτι ἐξελεύσεται πρός με καὶ στήσεται καὶ ἐπικαλέσεται ἐν ὀνόματι θεοῦ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπιθήσει τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον καὶ ἀποσυνάξει τὸ λεπρόν
But Naaman became very angry. He said, “I thought that surely he would wave his hand over the leprosy, and pray to Yahweh his god, and heal me!
12 οὐχὶ ἀγαθὸς Αβανα καὶ Φαρφαρ ποταμοὶ Δαμασκοῦ ὑπὲρ Ιορδάνην καὶ πάντα τὰ ὕδατα Ισραηλ οὐχὶ πορευθεὶς λούσομαι ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ καθαρισθήσομαι καὶ ἐξέκλινεν καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἐν θυμῷ
Surely the Abana River and the Pharpar River in Damascus [in my own country of Syria] are [RHQ] better than any of the rivers in Israel! Why can I not wash in those rivers and be healed?” [RHQ] So he turned and walked away with great anger/disgust.
13 καὶ ἤγγισαν οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐλάλησαν πρὸς αὐτόν μέγαν λόγον ἐλάλησεν ὁ προφήτης πρὸς σέ οὐχὶ ποιήσεις καὶ ὅτι εἶπεν πρὸς σέ λοῦσαι καὶ καθαρίσθητι
But his servants came to him, and [one of them] said, “Sir, if that prophet had told you to do something difficult, you would certainly [RHQ] have done it. So you should certainly do what he says and wash [in the Jordan River] to be healed!” [RHQ]
14 καὶ κατέβη Ναιμαν καὶ ἐβαπτίσατο ἐν τῷ Ιορδάνῃ ἑπτάκι κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα Ελισαιε καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν ἡ σὰρξ αὐτοῦ ὡς σὰρξ παιδαρίου μικροῦ καὶ ἐκαθαρίσθη
So Naaman went down to the Jordan [River] and washed himself seven times, as (the prophet/Elisha) told him to do. Then his skin was restored/healed, and it became healthy/smooth, like the skin of a young child.
15 καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν πρὸς Ελισαιε αὐτὸς καὶ πᾶσα ἡ παρεμβολὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἦλθεν καὶ ἔστη καὶ εἶπεν ἰδοὺ δὴ ἔγνωκα ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν θεὸς ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ ὅτι ἀλλ’ ἢ ἐν τῷ Ισραηλ καὶ νῦν λαβὲ τὴν εὐλογίαν παρὰ τοῦ δούλου σου
Then Naaman and those who were with him went back to talk to Elisha. They stood in front of him, and Naaman said, “Now I know that there are no real gods anywhere else in the world, but there is a God here in Israel! So now please accept these gifts that I [have brought to you]!”
16 καὶ εἶπεν Ελισαιε ζῇ κύριος ᾧ παρέστην ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ εἰ λήμψομαι καὶ παρεβιάσατο αὐτὸν λαβεῖν καὶ ἠπείθησεν
But Elisha replied, “Just as certainly as Yahweh, the one whom I serve, lives, I will not accept any gifts.” Naaman kept urging him [to accept the gifts], but Elisha kept refusing.
17 καὶ εἶπεν Ναιμαν καὶ εἰ μή δοθήτω δὴ τῷ δούλῳ σου γόμος ζεύγους ἡμιόνων καὶ σύ μοι δώσεις ἐκ τῆς γῆς τῆς πυρρᾶς ὅτι οὐ ποιήσει ἔτι ὁ δοῦλός σου ὁλοκαύτωμα καὶ θυσίασμα θεοῖς ἑτέροις ἀλλ’ ἢ τῷ κυρίῳ μόνῳ
Then Naaman said, “Okay, but [I have one request. This dirt here in Israel is holy, so] please allow me to take some dirt from this place and put it [in sacks] on two mules. Then I will take it back home with me [and make an altar on this dirt]. From now on, I will offer sacrifices to Yahweh [on that altar]. I will not offer sacrifices to any other god.
18 καὶ ἱλάσεται κύριος τῷ δούλῳ σου ἐν τῷ εἰσπορεύεσθαι τὸν κύριόν μου εἰς οἶκον Ρεμμαν προσκυνῆσαι αὐτὸν καὶ ἐπαναπαύσεται ἐπὶ τῆς χειρός μου καὶ προσκυνήσω ἐν οἴκῳ Ρεμμαν ἐν τῷ προσκυνεῖν αὐτὸν ἐν οἴκῳ Ρεμμαν καὶ ἱλάσεται δὴ κύριος τῷ δούλῳ σου ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τούτῳ
However, when my master, [the king, ] goes into the temple of the god Rimmon to worship him/it there, and he is leaning on my arm, I hope/desire that Yahweh will forgive me because I will have to bow down, too.”
19 καὶ εἶπεν Ελισαιε πρὸς Ναιμαν δεῦρο εἰς εἰρήνην καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ εἰς δεβραθα τῆς γῆς
Elisha replied, “Go home, and do not worry about that.” So Naaman [and his servants] started to travel home.
20 καὶ εἶπεν Γιεζι τὸ παιδάριον Ελισαιε ἰδοὺ ἐφείσατο ὁ κύριός μου τοῦ Ναιμαν τοῦ Σύρου τούτου τοῦ μὴ λαβεῖν ἐκ χειρὸς αὐτοῦ ἃ ἐνήνοχεν ζῇ κύριος ὅτι εἰ μὴ δραμοῦμαι ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ καὶ λήμψομαι παρ’ αὐτοῦ τι
But then Elisha’s servant Gehazi said to himself, “It is not good that my master allowed this Syrian man to leave like this. He should have accepted his gifts. So just as certainly as Yahweh lives, I will go and catch up with Naaman and get something from him.”
21 καὶ ἐδίωξε Γιεζι ὀπίσω τοῦ Ναιμαν καὶ εἶδεν αὐτὸν Ναιμαν τρέχοντα ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἅρματος εἰς ἀπαντὴν αὐτοῦ
So Gehazi hurried to catch up with Naaman. When Naaman saw Gehazi running toward him, he [stopped] the chariot [in which he was riding, ] jumped out, and went to see what Gehazi wanted. He asked him, “Is everything all right?”
22 καὶ εἶπεν εἰρήνη ὁ κύριός μου ἀπέστειλέν με λέγων ἰδοὺ νῦν ἦλθον πρός με δύο παιδάρια ἐξ ὄρους Εφραιμ ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν τῶν προφητῶν δὸς δὴ αὐτοῖς τάλαντον ἀργυρίου καὶ δύο ἀλλασσομένας στολάς
Gehazi replied, “Yes, but two young prophets from the hilly area where the descendants of Ephraim live have just arrived. Elisha has sent me to tell you that he would like 75 pounds of silver and two sets of clothing to give to them.”
23 καὶ εἶπεν Ναιμαν λαβὲ διτάλαντον ἀργυρίου καὶ ἔλαβεν ἐν δυσὶ θυλάκοις καὶ δύο ἀλλασσομένας στολὰς καὶ ἔδωκεν ἐπὶ δύο παιδάρια αὐτοῦ καὶ ἦραν ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ
Naaman replied, “Certainly! You can have 150 pounds of silver!” He urged Gehazi to take it. He also gave him two sets of clothing. He tied up the silver in two bags and gave them to two of his servants to carry back to Elisha.
24 καὶ ἦλθον εἰς τὸ σκοτεινόν καὶ ἔλαβεν ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῶν καὶ παρέθετο ἐν οἴκῳ καὶ ἐξαπέστειλεν τοὺς ἄνδρας
But when they arrived at the hill [where Elisha lived], Gehazi took the silver and the clothes from Naaman’s servants and sent the servants back to Naaman. Then he took those things into his house and hid them.
25 καὶ αὐτὸς εἰσῆλθεν καὶ παρειστήκει πρὸς τὸν κύριον αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν Ελισαιε πόθεν Γιεζι καὶ εἶπεν Γιεζι οὐ πεπόρευται ὁ δοῦλός σου ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα
When he went to Elisha, Elisha asked him, “Where did you go, Gehazi?” Gehazi replied, “I did not go anywhere.”
26 καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν Ελισαιε οὐχὶ ἡ καρδία μου ἐπορεύθη μετὰ σοῦ ὅτε ἐπέστρεψεν ὁ ἀνὴρ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἅρματος εἰς συναντήν σοι καὶ νῦν ἔλαβες τὸ ἀργύριον καὶ νῦν ἔλαβες τὰ ἱμάτια καὶ λήμψῃ ἐν αὐτῷ κήπους καὶ ἐλαιῶνας καὶ ἀμπελῶνας καὶ πρόβατα καὶ βόας καὶ παῖδας καὶ παιδίσκας
Elisha asked him, [“Do you not realize that] my spirit was there when Naaman got out of his chariot to talk with you? This is certainly not [RHQ] the time to accept gifts of money and clothes and olive groves and vineyards and sheep and oxen and servants!
27 καὶ ἡ λέπρα Ναιμαν κολληθήσεται ἐν σοὶ καὶ ἐν τῷ σπέρματί σου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ προσώπου αὐτοῦ λελεπρωμένος ὡσεὶ χιών
Because you have done this, you and your children and all your descendants, forever, will have leprosy just like Naaman had!” And when Gehazi left the room, he was a leper! His skin was as white as snow!
