*2 Kings 5:1-27
A young Israelite servant girl helps cure Naaman, a Syrian commander, of leprosy by recommending the prophet Elisha, who instructs him to bathe seven times in the Jordan River.
- Naaman’s Affliction:
- Naaman, a commander of the army of the king of Aram (Syria), is highly esteemed and victorious in battle, but he suffers from leprosy, a debilitating skin disease.
- A young Israelite girl who had been captured and taken to Aram as a servant girl informs Naaman’s wife about the prophet Elisha in Samaria, suggesting that he could heal Naaman of his leprosy.
- Naaman’s Journey to Samaria:
- Naaman seeks permission from his king to visit Samaria and seek healing from Elisha, taking with him a letter of introduction and gifts of silver, gold, and clothing.
- Naaman arrives at Elisha’s house with his horses and chariots, expecting a grand reception and a miraculous cure for his leprosy.
- Elisha’s Unconventional Instructions:
- Instead of greeting Naaman in person, Elisha sends a messenger to instruct Naaman to go and wash himself seven times in the Jordan River to be cleansed of his leprosy.
- Naaman is initially outraged by Elisha’s simple instructions, expecting a more dramatic and elaborate healing process befitting his status and importance.
- Naaman’s Reluctant Obedience:
- Naaman’s servants persuade him to obey Elisha’s instructions, reasoning that if Elisha had commanded him to do something difficult, he would have done it without hesitation.
- Naaman reluctantly agrees to go and immerse himself in the Jordan River, despite his doubts and reservations.
- Naaman’s Healing:
- Naaman follows Elisha’s instructions and washes himself seven times in the Jordan River, and miraculously, his flesh is restored, and he is cleansed of his leprosy.
- Naaman’s skin becomes as healthy as that of a young boy, and he is overjoyed and filled with gratitude for his miraculous healing.
- Naaman’s Confession of Faith:
- Naaman returns to Elisha’s house and acknowledges the God of Israel as the one true God, declaring that he will worship Him alone from that day forward.
- Naaman offers Elisha a gift of gratitude, but Elisha refuses to accept any payment, insisting that the healing was a gift from God and not from him.
- Gehazi’s Greed and Consequence:
- Elisha’s servant Gehazi, seeing the opportunity for personal gain, secretly follows Naaman and deceives him into accepting gifts of silver and clothing.
- When Gehazi returns to Elisha’s house, Elisha rebukes him for his greed and dishonesty, prophesying that Naaman’s leprosy will now afflict Gehazi and his descendants forever.
- Gehazi’s Punishment:
- Gehazi is immediately struck with leprosy, and his skin becomes white as snow, serving as a permanent reminder of his sin and greed.
5:1 Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.
5:2 And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife.
5:3 And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.
5:4 And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.
5:5 And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, 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.
5:6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.
5:7 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 doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.
5:8 And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had 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.
5:9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
5:10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
5:11 But 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 the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.
5:12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, 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.
5:13 And 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? 5:14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in 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.
5:15 And 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 blessing of thy servant.
5:16 But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
5:17 And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, 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 the LORD.
5:18 In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that 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 down myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy servant in this thing.
5:19 And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.
5:20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
5:21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well? 5:22 And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.
5:23 And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.
5:24 And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.
5:25 But 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.
5:26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again 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 menservants, and maidservants? 5:27 The 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.