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2 Kings 5
Legacy Standard Bible
2 Kings 5
Legacy Standard Bible
Naaman Cleaned from Leprosy
5 Now (A)Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man [a]with his master, and [b]highly respected, because by him Yahweh had given salvation to Aram. The man was also a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. 2 Now the Arameans had gone out (B)in marauding bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she [c]waited on Naaman’s wife. 3 And she said to her mistress, “I wish that my master were before the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy.” 4 Then [d]Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus spoke the girl who is from the land of Israel.” 5 Then the king of Aram said, “Go [e]now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he went and (C)took in his hand [f]ten talents of silver and [g]six thousand shekels of gold and ten (D)changes of clothes.
6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying,
“So now as this letter comes to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may cure him of his leprosy.”
7 Now it happened that when the king of Israel read the letter, (E)he tore his clothes and said, “(F)Am I God, to put to death and to make alive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? But (G)know now, and see how he is seeking [h]a quarrel against me.”
8 Now it happened when Elisha (H)the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent word to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Now let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots and stood at the doorway of the house of Elisha. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “(I)Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.” 11 But Naaman was furious and went away and said, “Behold, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of Yahweh his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.’ 12 Are not [i]Abanah 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 (J)went away in wrath. 13 (K)Then his servants approached and spoke to him and said, “(L)My father, had the prophet spoken with you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and (M)his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy and (N)he was clean.
Gehazi’s Leprosy
15 Then he returned to the man of God [j]with all his camp, and came and stood before him, and said, “Behold now, (O)I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel; so now please (P)take a blessing from your servant.” 16 But he said, “(Q)As Yahweh lives, before whom I stand, (R)I will take nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused. 17 So Naaman said, “If not, please let your servant at least be given two mules’ load of (S)earth; for your servant will no longer offer burnt offering nor will he sacrifice to other gods, but to Yahweh. 18 In this matter may Yahweh pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and (T)he leans on my hand and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, Yahweh pardon your servant in this matter.” 19 And he said to him, “(U)Go in peace.” So he went from him some distance.
20 Then (V)Gehazi, the young man of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Aramean, [k]by not receiving from his hands what he brought. (W)As Yahweh lives, I will run after him and take something from him.” 21 So Gehazi pursued Naaman. And Naaman saw one running after him, so he came down from the chariot to meet him and said, “Is all at peace?” 22 And he said, “(X)All is at peace. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from (Y)the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and (Z)two changes of clothes.’” 23 Then Naaman said, “(AA)Be pleased to take two talents.” And he urged him and bound two talents of silver in two bags with two changes of clothes and gave them to two of his young men; and they carried them before him. 24 So he came to the [l]hill, and he took them from their hand and (AB)deposited them in the house. Then he sent the men away, and they departed. 25 But he came in and stood before his master. And Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” And he said, “(AC)Your servant went nowhere.”
26 Then he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? (AD)Is it a time to receive money and to receive clothes and olive groves and vineyards and sheep and oxen and male and female slaves? 27 Thus the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your seed forever.” So he went out from his presence (AE)a leper as white as snow.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 5:1 Lit before
- 2 Kings 5:1 Lit the one whose face is lifted up
- 2 Kings 5:2 Lit was before
- 2 Kings 5:4 Lit He
- 2 Kings 5:5 Lit enter
- 2 Kings 5:5 Approx. 750 lb. or 340 kg, a talent was approx. 75 lb. or 34 kg
- 2 Kings 5:5 Approx. 150 lb. or 66 kg, a shekel was approx. 0.4 oz. or 11 gm
- 2 Kings 5:7 Lit an occasion
- 2 Kings 5:12 Or Amanah
- 2 Kings 5:15 Lit he and
- 2 Kings 5:20 Lit from
- 2 Kings 5:24 Heb ophel
2 Kings 5
New International Version
2 Kings 5
New International Version
Naaman Healed of Leprosy
5 Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram.(A) He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.[a](B)
2 Now bands of raiders(C) from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet(D) who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”
4 Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. 5 “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents[b] of silver, six thousand shekels[c] of gold and ten sets of clothing.(E) 6 The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”
7 As soon as the king of Israel read the letter,(F) he tore his robes and said, “Am I God?(G) Can I kill and bring back to life?(H) Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel(I) with me!”
8 When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet(J) in Israel.” 9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash(K) yourself seven times(L) in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.”
11 But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand(M) over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters(N) of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage.(O)
13 Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father,(P) if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times,(Q) as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored(R) and became clean like that of a young boy.(S)
15 Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God(T). He stood before him and said, “Now I know(U) that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift(V) from your servant.”
16 The prophet answered, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.” And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.(W)
17 “If you will not,” said Naaman, “please let me, your servant, be given as much earth(X) as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the Lord. 18 But may the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning(Y) on my arm and I have to bow there also—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this.”
19 “Go in peace,”(Z) Elisha said.
After Naaman had traveled some distance, 20 Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, “My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the Lord(AA) lives, I will run after him and get something from him.”
21 So Gehazi hurried after Naaman. When Naaman saw him running toward him, he got down from the chariot to meet him. “Is everything all right?” he asked.
22 “Everything is all right,” Gehazi answered. “My master sent me to say, ‘Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent[d] of silver and two sets of clothing.’”(AB)
23 “By all means, take two talents,” said Naaman. He urged Gehazi to accept them, and then tied up the two talents of silver in two bags, with two sets of clothing. He gave them to two of his servants, and they carried them ahead of Gehazi. 24 When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the things from the servants and put them away in the house. He sent the men away and they left.
25 When he went in and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?”
“Your servant didn’t go anywhere,” Gehazi answered.
26 But Elisha said to him, “Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time(AC) to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves?(AD) 27 Naaman’s leprosy(AE) will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Then Gehazi(AF) went from Elisha’s presence and his skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow.(AG)
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 5:1 The Hebrew for leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin; also in verses 3, 6, 7, 11 and 27.
- 2 Kings 5:5 That is, about 750 pounds or about 340 kilograms
- 2 Kings 5:5 That is, about 150 pounds or about 69 kilograms
- 2 Kings 5:22 That is, about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms
2 Kings 5
King James Version
2 Kings 5
King James Version
5 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.
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.
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.
4 And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.
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.
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.
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.
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.
9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
19 And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
2 Kings 5
New Catholic Bible
2 Kings 5
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 5
Cure of Naaman.[a] 1 There was a certain Naaman, who was the commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was an honorable man, highly esteemed by his master, because it was through him that the Lord had delivered Aram. He was a brave soldier, but he had leprosy.
2 Aramean raiders had gone out into the land of Israel and had taken a young girl captive who served Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my lord would present himself to the prophet who is in Samaria. He would cure him of his leprosy.”
4 He went to his lord and said, “This is what the young girl from the land of Israel said.”
5 The king of Aram said, “Go! I will send a letter to the king of Israel.”
He went on his way, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of clothing. 6 He brought the letter to the king of Israel which said, “With this letter I am sending you my servant Naaman so that you might cure him of his leprosy.”
7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, with the power to kill and give life, that he sends me a man to heal him of his leprosy? Think of it, see how he is seeking a quarrel with me.”
8 When Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me so that he might know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
9 So Naaman went with his horses and his chariot, and he stood at the door to Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go, wash seven times in the Jordan, and your skin will be restored, and you will be clean.”
11 But Naaman went away angry and said, “Behold, I thought he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord, his God, and wave his hand over the place and heal the leprosy. 12 Are not the Abana and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all of the rivers of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be made clean?”
So he turned away and left in a rage. 13 His servants approached him and spoke to him saying, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more should you do it when he said, ‘Wash and be made clean.’ ”
14 He went down and he bathed himself in the Jordan seven times as the man of God had instructed him to do. His skin became like the skin of a little child, and he was clean.
15 He and all of his attendants returned to the man of God. He came and he stood before him and said, “Behold, I now know that there is no God upon the earth except in Israel. Please accept a gift from your servant.” 16 He answered, “As the Lord lives before whom I stand, I will not accept it.” Even though he urged him to take it, he refused.[b]
17 [c]Naaman said, “If not, then let your servant be given two donkey loads of dirt, for your servant will never again offer burnt offerings or sacrifices to any other god but the Lord. 18 Only may the Lord forgive me this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand and I also bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant this thing.”
19 He said to him, “Go in peace.” He left and traveled a little way. 20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, the man of God, said, “Behold, my master has spared Naaman the Aramean by not accepting from his hands what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and take something from him.”
21 So Gehazi followed Naaman. When Naaman saw him running after him, he got off the chariot to greet him and he said, “Is all well?” 22 He answered, “All is well. My master sent me, saying, ‘Two young men from among the sons of the prophets have now come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.’ ”
23 Naaman said, “Please take two talents.” He urged it on him, and he bound up two talents of silver in two bags along with two changes of clothing. He entrusted it to two of his servants who carried it before him. 24 When he came to the tower, he took it from their hands and he placed it in the house. He then dismissed the men and they left.
25 He went in and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, “Where are you coming from, Gehazi?” He answered, “Your servant has not gone anywhere.” 26 He said to him, “Was not my spirit with you when the man got off of his chariot to meet you? Is this now the time to receive money, or clothing, or olive orchards, or vineyards, or sheep, or oxen, or menservants, or maidservants? 27 On account of this, Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and your descendants forever.” He went out from his presence, and he was a leper, as white as snow.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 5:1 The story is highly instructive (see Lk 4:27). The episode of the bathing has been seen as prefigurative of baptism, the waters of which cleanse from sin. Naaman was probably suffering from a simple skin disease; otherwise he would have been kept apart as a leper.
- 2 Kings 5:16 Given the time and place, the prophet’s disinterestedness is admirable. He anticipates the command of Jesus to the apostles that they should not take pay for their ministry (Mt 10:8). Elijah’s action stands out even more clearly in contrast to his servant, who is so greedy that he is willing even to slander his master (vv. 20-21).
- 2 Kings 5:17 Rimmon or Hadad-rimmon was the principal divinity of Damascus (Zec 12:11). Naaman asks for a little earth from the land of the true God in order to make for himself a sacred place in which he may pray. He thereby becomes a model for converted pagans. But he is faced with a difficult matter of conscience and he asks that he not be forbidden outward participation in the false worship that is forced upon him. The prophet leaves the convert in his state of good faith, without expressly giving his approval.
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