II Kings Chapter 5

II Kings Chapter 5
1 Now was there one Naaman captain of
the host of the king of Aram [Syria], a
great man, and honorable in the sight of
his lord, because that by him the Lord
had delivered the Aramites [Syrians].
He also was a mighty man and valiant ,
but a leper.
2 And the Aramites [Syrians] had gone
out by bands, and had taken a little maid
of the land of Israel, and she served
Naaman's wife.
3 And she said unto her mistress, Would
God my lord were with the prophet that
is in Samaria, he would soon deliver
him of his leprosy.
4 And he went in, and told his lord,
saying, Thus and thus saith the maid that
is of the land of Israel.
5 And the king of Aram [Syria] said, Go
thy way thither, 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
change of raiments, 6 And brought the
letter to the king of Israel to this effect,
Now when this letter is come unto thee,
understand, that I have sent thee Naaman
my servant, that thou mayest heal him of
his leprosy.
7 And when the king of Israel had read
the letter, he rent his clothes, and said,
Am I God, to kill and to give life, that he
doth send to me, that I should heal a man
from his leprosy? Wherefore consider, I
pray you, and see how he seeketh a
quarrel against me.
8 But when Elisha the man of God had
heard that the king of Israel had rent his
clothes, he sent unto 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.
9 Then Naaman came with his horses,
and with his chariots, and stood at the
door of the house of Elisha.
10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto
him, saying, Go and wash thee in Jordan
seven times, and thy flesh shall come
again to thee, and thou shalt be cleansed.
11 But Naaman was wroth and went
away, and said, Behold, I thought with
myself, He will surely come out, and
stand, and call on the name of the Lord
his God and put his hand on the place,
and heal the leprosy.
12 Are not Abanah and Pharpar, rivers
of Damascus, better than all the waters
of Israel? May I not wash me in them,
and be cleansed? So he turned, and
departed in displeasure.
13 But his servants came, and spake unto
him, and said, Father, if the prophet had
commanded thee a great thing, wouldest
thou not have done it?
How much rather then, when he saith to
thee, Wash and be clean?
14 Then went he down, and washed
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.
15 And he turned again to the man of
God, he, and all his company, and came
and stood before him, and said, Behold,
now I know that there is no God in all
the world, but in Israel: now therefore, I
pray thee, take a reward of thy servant.
16 But he said, As the Lord liveth
(before whom I stand) I will not receive
it. And he would have constrained him
to receive it, but he refused. 17
Moreover Naaman said, Shall there not
be given to thy servant two mules load
of this earth? For thy servant will
henceforth offer neither burnt sacrifice
nor offering unto any other god, save
unto the Lord.
18 Herein the Lord be merciful unto thy
servant, that when my master goeth into
the house of Rimmon, to worship there,
and leaneth on mine hand, and I bow
myself in the house of Rimmon: when I
do bow down , I say, in the house of
Rimmon, the Lord be merciful unto thy
servant in this point. 19 Unto whom he
said, Go in peace. So he departed from
him about half a day’s journey of ground.
20 And Gehazi the servant of Elisha the
man of God said, Behold, my master
hath spared this Aramite [Syrian]
Naaman, receiving not those things at his
hand that he brought: as the Lord liveth, I
will run after him, and take somewhat of
him.
21 So Gehazi followed speedily after
Naaman. And when Naaman saw him
running after him, he light down from the
chariot to meet him, and said, Is all
well?
22 And he answered, All is well: my
master hath set me, saying, Behold, there
be come to me, even now from mount
Ephraim two young men of the children
of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a
talent of silver, and two change of
garments.
23 And Naaman said, Yea, take two
talents: and he compelled him, and
bound two talents of silver in two bags,
with two change of garments, and gave
them unto two of his servants, that they
might bear them before him. 24 And
when he came to the tower, he took them
out of their hands, and laid them in the
house, and sent away the men: and they
departed.
25 Then 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. 26
But he said unto him, Went not mine
heart with thee when the man turned
again from his chariot to meet thee? Is
this a time to take money, and to receive
garments, and olives, and vineyards, and
sheep, and oxen, and men servants, and
maidservants?
27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman
shall cleave unto thee, and to thy seed
forever. And he went out from his
presence a leper white as snow.