1 N ow Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him Jehovah had given victory unto Syria: he was also a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper.
Naaman the captain of the army of the king of Syria was an important man to his king. He was much respected, because by him the Lord had made Syria win in battle. Naaman was a strong man of war, but he had a bad skin disease.
2 A nd the Syrians 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.
Now the Syrians had gone out in groups of soldiers, and had taken a little girl from the land of Israel. She served Naaman’s wife.
3 A nd she said unto her mistress, Would that my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! then would he recover him of his leprosy.
And she said to her owner, “I wish that my owner’s husband were with the man of God who is in Samaria! Then he would heal his bad skin disease.”
4 A nd one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maiden that is of the land of Israel.
So Naaman went in and told his king, “This is what the girl from the land of Israel said.”
5 A nd the king of Syria said, Go now, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
The king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman went and took with him silver weighing as much as ten men, 6, 000 pieces of gold, and ten changes of clothes.
6 A nd he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, And now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.
He brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said, “I have sent my servant Naaman to you with this letter, that you may heal his bad skin disease.”
7 A nd 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 doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? but consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.
When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive? Is this why this man sends word to me to heal a man’s bad skin disease? Think about it. He wants to start a fight with me.”
8 A nd it was so, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.
Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes. So he sent word to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me. Then he will know that there is a man of God in Israel.”
9 S o 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 his war-wagons, and stood at the door of Elisha’s house.
10 A nd Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
Elisha sent a man to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times. And your flesh will be made well and you will be clean.”
11 B ut Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of Jehovah his God, and wave his hand over the place, and recover the leper.
But Naaman was very angry and went away. He said, “I thought he would come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God. I thought he would wave his hand over the place, and heal the bad skin disease.
12 A re not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away very angry.
13 A nd his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?
Then his servants came and said to him, “My father, if the man of God had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash and be clean’?”
14 T hen went he down, and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
So Naaman went down into the Jordan River seven times, as the man of God had told him. And his flesh was made as well as the flesh of a little child. He was clean.
15 A nd he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him; and he said, Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a present of thy servant.
Then Naaman returned to the man of God with all those who were with him. He came and stood in front of Elisha and said, “See, now I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel. So I ask you now to take a gift from your servant.”
16 B ut he said, As Jehovah liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, before Whom I stand, I will take nothing.” Naaman tried to talk him into taking it, but he would not.
17 A nd Naaman said, If not, yet, I pray thee, let there be given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth; for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt-offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto Jehovah.
Naaman said, “If not, I ask you, let your servant be given as much dirt as two horses can carry. For your servant will not give burnt gifts or kill animals on the altar in worship to other gods any more. I will only give gifts to the Lord.
18 I n this thing Jehovah pardon thy servant: when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, Jehovah pardon thy servant in this thing.
But may the Lord forgive your servant for this. My king goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there. He rests on my arm and I put my face to the ground in the house of Rimmon. When I put my face to the ground in the house of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant.”
19 A nd he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.
And Elisha said to him, “Go in peace.” So Naaman went away from him a short way. Gehazi Wants More
20 B ut Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: as Jehovah liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, “See, my owner has let Naaman the Syrian go without receiving the gift he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and take something from him.”
21 S o Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw one running after him, he alighted from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?
So Gehazi went after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he stepped off the war-wagon to meet him, and said, “Is all well?”
22 A nd he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there are come to me from the hill-country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets; give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of raiment.
Gehazi said, “All is well. My owner has sent me, saying, ‘See, just now two young sons of the men who tell what will happen in the future have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. I ask of you, give them a man’s weight in silver and two changes of clothes.’”
23 A nd Naaman said, Be pleased to take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of raiment, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.
Naaman said, “Be pleased to take silver weighing as much as two men.” And he had him take two bags of silver weighing as much as two men, with two changes of clothes. He gave them to two of his servants. And they carried them before Gehazi.
24 A nd when he came to the hill, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house; and he let the men go, and they departed.
When he came to the hill, Gehazi took them from the servants and put them in the house. Then he sent the men away, and they left.
25 B ut he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.
And Gehazi went in and stood in front of his owner. Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant did not leave.”
26 A nd he said unto him, Went not my heart with thee, when the man turned from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards and vineyards, and sheep and oxen, and men-servants and maid-servants?
Elisha said to him, “Did I not go with you in spirit when the man turned from his war-wagon to meet you? Was it a time to receive money and clothes and olive fields and grape-fields and sheep and cattle and men servants and women servants?
27 T he leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
So now the bad skin disease will be upon you and your children forever.” And Gehazi went away from Elisha with a bad skin disease. He was as white as snow.