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Naaman was the commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. But the man, though a valiant warrior, suffered from leprosy.
2 Now the Arameans had gone out raiding and they brought back a young girl from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would go to the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”
4 So Naaman went and told his lord what the girl from the land of Israel had said. 5 And the king of Aram said, “Go then, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of clothing. 6 He brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read:
When this letter reaches you, be advised that I have sent my servant Naaman to you, so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”
7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, “Am I God, to kill or give life, that this fellow sends someone to me to cure him of his leprosy? Think about it yourselves. He is only trying to pick a fight with me!”
8 When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king:
“Why have you torn your clothes? Have him come to me now, and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored and you will be clean.”
11 But Naaman became angry and left, saying, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God; then wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy! 12 Are not Abana 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 off in a rage.
13 But his servants came near him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you have not done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So Naaman went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. Then his flesh was restored and became like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
15 Then Naaman returned to the man of God with all his attendants, and he stood before him and declared, “Now I know that there is no God in the whole world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.”
16 But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept anything.” Naaman urged him to accept it, but he refused.
17 Then Naaman said, “If you will not, please let your servant be given two mule-loads of dirt, for your servant will never again offer up a burnt offering or sacrifice to any other god except the Lord. 18 But may the Lord pardon your servant for this one particular issue: When my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to bow down in worship there, and he is leaning on my arm so that I have to bow down with him—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord pardon your servant in this matter.”
19 And Elisha said to him, “Go in peace.”
After Naaman had travelled a short distance from Elisha, 20 Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought: “My master has let this Aramean, Naaman, off too lightly by not accepting from him what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him.”
21 So Gehazi hurried after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him and asked, “Is everything all right?”
22 Gehazi said, “Everything is fine. My master has sent me to say, ‘Just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothes’.”
23 So Naaman said, “Please, accept two talents.” He urged Gehazi, and then he packed two talents of silver into two bags, along with two changes of clothes. Naaman gave them to two of his servants, and they carried them ahead of Gehazi. 24 When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the bags from them and stowed them away in the house. After this he dismissed the men, and they left. 25 Then Gehazi went in and stood before his master.
“Where did you go, Gehazi?” Elisha asked him.
“Your servant didn’t go anywhere,” he answered.
26 But Elisha said to him, “Was I not there with you in spirit when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to accept money, and to accept clothes, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves? 27 Therefore Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and your descendants forever.” So Gehazi went out from his presence leprous, as white as snow.