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2 Kings 5
1599 Geneva Bible

5 1 Naaman the Syrian is healed of his leprosy. 16 Elisha refuseth his gifts. 27 Gehazi is stricken with leprosy, because he took money and raiment of Naaman.

1 Now was there one Naaman captain of the host of the King of Aram, a great man, and honorable in the sight of his lord, because that by him the Lord had [a]delivered the Aramites. He also was a mighty man and valiant, but a leper.

2 And the Aramites had gone out by bands, and had taken a little maid of the land of Israel, and she [b]served Naaman’s wife.

3 And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the [c]Prophet that is in Samaria, he would soon deliver him of his leprosy.

4 And [d]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 said, Go thy way thither, and I will send a letter unto the King of Israel. And he departed, and [e]took [f]with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes 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, [g]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 [h]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, [i]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 (A)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 [j]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, [k]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 [l]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, [m]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 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, [n]he lighted 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 changes 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 changes of garments, and gave them unto two of his servants, that they might bear them before him.

24 And when he came to the [o]tower, he took them out of their hands, and laid them in the house, and sent away the men: and [p]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, [q]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, [r]and olives, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?

27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and to thy [s]seed forever. And he went out from his presence a leper white as snow.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 5:1 Here appeareth that among the infidels God hath his, and also that the infidels have them in estimation which do good to their country.
  2. 2 Kings 5:2 Hebrew, she was before.
  3. 2 Kings 5:3 Meaning, Elisha.
  4. 2 Kings 5:4 That is, Naaman told it to the king of Syria.
  5. 2 Kings 5:5 To give this as a present to the Prophet.
  6. 2 Kings 5:5 Hebrew, in his hand.
  7. 2 Kings 5:8 The Prophet rebuketh the king because he did not consider that God was true in his promise, and therefore would not leave his Church destitute of a Prophet, whose prayers he would hear, and to whom others should have recourse for comfort.
  8. 2 Kings 5:11 Man’s reason murmureth, when it considereth only the signs and outward things, and hath not regard to the word of God, which is there contained.
  9. 2 Kings 5:13 This declareth that servants ought to reverence and love their masters as children their fathers, and likewise masters toward their servants, must be affectioned as toward their children.
  10. 2 Kings 5:15 Hebrew, blessing.
  11. 2 Kings 5:16 So the Lord commandeth that they that receive freely, should give also freely.
  12. 2 Kings 5:18 He feeleth his conscience wounded in being present at idol’s service, and therefore desireth God to forgive him, lest others by his example might fall to idolatry: for as for his own part he confesseth that he will never serve any but the true God.
  13. 2 Kings 5:19 The Prophet did not approve his act, but after the common manner of speech he biddeth him farewell.
  14. 2 Kings 5:21 Declaring thereby, what honor and affection he bare to the Prophet his master.
  15. 2 Kings 5:24 Or, fortress, or secret place.
  16. 2 Kings 5:24 Naaman’s servants.
  17. 2 Kings 5:26 Was I not present with thee in spirit?
  18. 2 Kings 5:26 That is, money to buy possessions with: meaning, that it is detestable in the servants of God to have covetous minds.
  19. 2 Kings 5:27 To be an example to all such, as by whose covetousness God’s word might be slandered.
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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

  1. 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. 2 Kings 5:5 That is, about 750 pounds or about 340 kilograms
  3. 2 Kings 5:5 That is, about 150 pounds or about 69 kilograms
  4. 2 Kings 5:22 That is, about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms
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2 Kings 4
2 Kings 6
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