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v1
Now Naaman was the commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man before his master and highly regarded, ^[Literally “faces were being lifted up ”] for by him Yahweh had given victory to Aram. Now the man was a mighty warrior, but he was afflicted with a skin disease.
v2
When the Arameans went on a raid, they brought back a young girl from the land of Israel, and she came into the service of ^[Literally “she became before”] the wife of Naaman.
v3
She said to her mistress, “If only my lord would come before the prophet who is in Samaria; then he would cure his skin disease.” ^[Literally “he would withdraw him from his skin disease”]
v4
He came and told his master, saying, “Thus and so the girl who is from the land of Israel said.”
v5
So the king of Aram said, “Go, I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” He went and took with him ^[Literally “in his hand”] ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of clothing.
v6
So he brought the letter of the king to Israel, saying, “Now, when this letter comes to you, I have just sent Naaman my servant to you that you may cure him from his skin disease.”
v7
It happened that when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God to cause death or to give life? This man is sending a man to me to cure his disease. Indeed! But know and see that he seeks an opportunity against me.”
v8
It happened that as soon as Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, “Why did you tear your clothes? Please may he come to me, that he might know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
v9
Then Naaman came with his horses and his chariots, and he stopped at the doorway of the house of Elisha.
v10
Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go, you must wash seven times in the Jordan, then your flesh shall return to you, and you shall be clean.”
v11
But Naaman became angry and he went and said, “Look, I said to myself, ‘Surely he will come out, stand, call upon the name of Yahweh his God, and wave his hands over the spot; then he would take away the skin disease.‘
v12
Are not the Abana and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all of the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them that I may be clean?” Then he turned and left in anger.
v13
But his servants came near and spoke to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had spoken a difficult thing to you to do, would you not have done it? Why not even when he says to you, ‘Wash and you shall be clean’?“
v14
So he went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh returned as the flesh of a small boy, and he was clean.
v15
When he returned to the man of God, he and all of his army, he came and stood before him and said, “Please now, I know that there is no God in all of the world except in Israel. So then, please take a gift from your servant.”
v16
And he said, “As Yahweh lives, ^[Literally “The life of Yahweh”] before whom I stand, I surely will not take it.” Still he urged him to take it, but he refused.
v17
Then Naaman said, “If not, then please let a load of soil on a pair of mules be given to your servants, for your servant will never again bring a burnt offering and sacrifice to other gods, but only to Yahweh.
v18
As far as this matter, may Yahweh pardon your servant when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he is leaning himself on my arm, that I also bow down in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down in the house of Rimmon, may Yahweh please pardon your servant in this matter.”
v19
He said to him, “Go in peace,” so he went from him a short distance. ^[Literally “a stretch of land”]
v20
But Gehazi the servant of Elisha, the man of God, thought, “Look, my master has refrained from taking what this Aramean Naaman brought from his hand. As Yahweh lives, ^[Literally “The life of Yahweh”] I will certainly run after him, and I will accept something from him.”
v21
So Gehazi pursued after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he jumped off his chariot to meet him and asked him, “Is it peace?“
v22
He said, “Peace. My master has sent me saying, ‘Look, just now ^[Literally “now this”] two servants from the hill country of Ephraim came to me, from the sons of the prophets. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.‘“
v23
Then Naaman said, “Be prepared to accept two talents.” So he urged him and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, with two sets of clothing and gave it to two of his servants and they carried it before him.
v24
When he came to the citadel, he took them from their hand and put them in the house, then sent away the men so that they went.
v25
When he went and stood by his master, Elisha asked him, “From where have you come, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant has not gone anywhere.” ^[Literally “where to where”]
v26
Then he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you as the man turned from on his chariot to meet you? Is it time to take silver, clothes, olive orchards, vineyards, sheep, oxen, male slaves, and female slaves?
v27
The skin disease of Naaman shall cling to you and to your offspring forever.” Then he went out from before him having a skin disease like the snow.