2 Kings 5:1-27
5 And Naʽaman, the general of the Syrians, was an important man at court and influential, because by him Jehovah had given victory to Syria; and the man became a leper.
2 And the Syrians had gone out on raids and carried off out of the country of Israel a little girl, who had come into the service of Naʽaman’s wife;
3 and she said to her mistress “I wish master was before the prophet in Samaria, then he would restore him from his leprosy”;
4 and he went in and told his sovereign “The girl out of the country of Israel spoke thus and so.”
5 And the king of Syria said “Go ahead, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” And he went, and took with him ten hundredweight of silver and three thousand ounces of gold and ten suits of clothes;
6 and he brought the letter to the king of Israel, “and now, when this letter comes to you, here I have sent my officer Naʽaman to you for you to restore him from his leprosy.”
7 And when the king of Israel read the letter he tore his clothes and said “Am I God, to send death and life, that this man is sending to me to restore a man from his leprosy? do just see for yourselves how he is picking a quarrel with me.”
8 And when Elishaʽ heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes he sent word to the king “Why have you torn your clothes? let him come to me and he shall know there is a prophet in Israel.”
9 And Naʽaman came with his ponies and his chariots and halted at the door of Elishaʽ’s house;
10 and Elishaʽ sent word to him “Go and bathe seven times in the Jordan, and you shall have your flesh renew itself and become clean.”
11 * And Naʽaman was incensed, and went off saying “Here I thought he was going to come out to me and stand and call on the name of his God and make passes with his hand and restore the leprous.
12 * Are not Damascus’s rivers Abana and Parpar better than all the waters of Israel? might I not bathe in them and be clean?”—and he turned round and went off in an angry mood.
13 * But his servants approached and spoke to him, saying “If the prophet had told you a great thing you would do it, would you not? how much more when he says to you ‘Bathe and be clean’!”
14 And he went down and dipped in the Jordan seven times in accordance with Elishaʽ’s words, and his flesh renewed itself like a little child’s and he became clean.
15 And he went back to Elishaʽ, he and all his brigade, and went in and stood before him and said “There, I have found out that there is no God anywhere on earth except in Israel: accept a token of goodwill from your servant.”
16 But he said “By Jehovah, in whose service I am, I will not.” And he urged him to accept it, but he refused.
17 And Naʽaman said “If not, let your servant be given a mule-team-load of earth; for your servant will no longer make burnt-offerings or sacrifices to other gods than Jehovah.
18 * For this matter may Jehovah pardon your servant, when my sovereign goes into Rimmon’s house to do reverence there, leaning on my arm, and I do reverence in Rimmon’s house when he does reverence in Rimmon’s house, may Jehovah pardon your servant in this matter.”
19 And he said to him “Go, and good betide you”; and he went from him a considerable way.
20 And Elishaʽ’s man Gehazi said “Here my master has let off this Syrian Naʽaman, not taking at his hands what he brought; by Jehovah, but I will run after him and have something from him”;
21 * and Gehazi gave chase to Naʽaman. And Naʽaman saw him running after him, and dropped from his chariot to meet him and said “Is all well?”
22 * And he said “All is well. My master has sent me to say ‘Here there have just now come to me two young men from the highland of Ephraim, members of the prophets’ fellowship; please give me a hundredweight of silver for them.”
23 *** And Naʽaman said “Do take two hundredweight,” and urged him, and tied up two hundredweight of silver in two bags and gave it to his two servants, and they carried it before him.
24 And he came to the castle hill and took it out of their hands and stowed it in the house, and dismissed the men; and they went away,
25 * and he went in and stood before his master. And Elishaʽ said to him “Where have you been, Gehazi?” and he said “Your servant did not go anywhere at all.”
26 ** And he said to him “No? my mind went when a man turned from his chariot to meet you. And now you have got the silver, and you have got clothes and olive-trees and vineyards and sheep and cattle and slaves—
27 and Naʽaman’s leprosy, sticking to you and your descendants forever.” And he went out from before him a snowy leper.
Footnotes
^ 5:11 Var. his God Jehovah
^ 5:12 Var. Amana
^ 5:13 Var. saying “Father, the prophet told you a great thing, will you not
^ 5:18 Var. house; when I do reverence
^ 5:21 Codd.* saw somebody running
^ 5:22 Codd. a talent of silver and two suits of clothes
^ 5:23 Var. said “Take
^ 5:23 Var. talents,” and tied up
^ 5:23 Codd. in two bags, and two suits of clothes, and gave
^ 5:25 Lit. Where from, Gehazi?
^ 5:26 Var. to meet you. Is it time to get silver and to get clothes
^ 5:26 Or you will get clothes
