Chronological
5 Naaman’s master considered him an extraordinary man. He was the military commander of Aram’s army, and he had won many important battles for Aram by the power of the Eternal. Naturally he was greatly esteemed by his king. Naaman was a fierce warrior, but he also had a skin disease. 2 Now one time, the Arameans went out in raiding parties and took a little girl from Israel as their prisoner. The little girl became a servant to Naaman’s wife.
Girl (to Naaman’s wife): 3 If only my master could be near the prophet in Samaria, the prophet there could heal my master’s disease.
4 Naaman became hopeful, and he went and told his king what the little girl from Israel said.
King of Aram: 5 I am going to write a letter to Israel’s king, and I want you to take it to him immediately.
Naaman left with the king’s letter in his hand, plus 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and 10 sets of fine clothing. 6-7 Naaman handed the letter to Israel’s king, and the king read it.
King of Aram’s Message: The man carrying this letter is my servant, Naaman. He has a skin disease, and I request that you heal him.
King of Israel (ripping his clothing): Who does he think I am—God? Why does Aram’s king think I have the power to kill and make alive again? What in the world makes him think that I can heal you of your disease? It is obvious that Aram’s king is trying to create trouble between us.
8 Elisha, the man of God, received word that Israel’s king had ripped his clothing, so he sent a message to Israel’s king.
Elisha’s Message: What has caused you to rip your clothing? Tell the man who has come to you for healing to come to me. Then he will be assured that a prophet lives in Israel.
9 The king told Naaman to go find Elisha, so Naaman showed up at Elisha’s door with his horses and chariots. 10 Elisha did not show his face to Naaman, but instead sent instructions: “Wash yourself in the Jordan River seven times. The waters will heal you, and your skin will be back to normal. You will be cleansed.” 11 Naaman boiled with anger as he left Elisha. He had come to his house expecting something much different.
Naaman: What is this! I came here thinking that Elisha would come outside and call upon the name of the Eternal One his God, and that Elisha’s hand would pass over my sores and heal my skin disease, not the waters of the Jordan River. 12 The Abanah and Pharpar Rivers in Damascus are greater rivers than all the rivers of Israel combined, so why couldn’t I just go bathe in those and be healed?
Naaman then stormed away, boiling with anger. 13 Later his servants approached and spoke to him with respect.
Naaman’s Servants: Father, if the prophet had told you to do some important thing, wouldn’t you have done what he asked? Why is it difficult for you to follow his instructions when he tells you, “Bathe yourself in the Jordan River, and be cleansed”?
14 So Naaman swallowed his pride, walked down to the Jordan River, and washed himself seven times, just as the man of God had instructed him to do. There, the miracle occurred. Naaman’s disease was healed: his skin was as new as an infant’s, and he was clean from the disease. 15 Naaman and all his entourage went back to the man of God.
Naaman: I am convinced that there is no God who exists in the entire world like the True God in Israel. Please accept this gift from me, your humble servant.
Elisha: 16 As certain as the life of the Eternal whom I worship, I refuse to take any gifts.
Naaman tried again to give Elisha a gift, but Elisha would not take it.
Naaman: 17 OK. If you won’t take my gift, at least allow me to take two mule-loads of earth. I, your servant, will no longer give burnt offerings or sacrifices to other gods. The Eternal One is my only God now. 18 May the Eternal One forgive me when I walk into the house of Rimmon, the storm god of Aram, to worship there beside my master. As his first officer, I must be by his side wherever he goes, even when he worships. May He forgive me for bowing down in that place.
Elisha: 19 Go, and be at peace about this matter.
So Naaman left and traveled for a while.
20 About this time, Gehazi, who served Elisha, the man of God, had a wicked thought: “My master let this Aramean Naaman leave and refused Naaman’s gift! That means the gift is still with Naaman. As certain as the life of the Eternal, I vow to go after him and try to get the gift from him myself.”
21 So Gehazi went after Naaman. When Naaman saw Gehazi chasing him, he stepped down from his chariot in order to greet Elisha’s servant.
Naaman: Is everything fine?
Gehazi: 22 Yes, everything is well. Elisha told me to hurry after you and give you this message. He says, “Two young men who are the prophets’ disciples have just arrived from the hilly land of Ephraim. I request that you give them 75 pounds of silver and two changes of clothing.”
Naaman: 23 Of course. Please take 150 pounds.
Naaman then put the 150 pounds of silver in two bags, along with two sets of clothing. He secured the bags, placed them in the possession of two of his servants, and gave them instructions to take the bags back to Elisha’s house with Gehazi. 24 When Gehazi and Naaman’s servants arrived at the hill where Elisha’s house sat, Gehazi took the bags from Naaman’s servants and placed them in the house. He then told the servants to go back to Naaman, and so they went away. 25 Gehazi then went to find Elisha.
Elisha: I’ve missed you. Where have you been, Gehazi?
Gehazi: I’ve been here all along.
Elisha: 26 You must not be aware that I knew where you were when Naaman stepped down from his chariot and asked you if everything was well. Do you think you are in a place to accept money, clothes, olive groves, vineyards, sheep, oxen, and servants on my behalf? 27 Because you have sought to deceive me and have deceived Naaman, the skin disease that was washed away from Naaman in the Jordan River will now infect you and your offspring for all of time.
Skin diseases of all kinds—psoriasis, eczema, vitiligo, and even baldness—are of great concern in God’s purity laws (Leviticus 13–15). The appearance of some of these diseases makes a person ineligible to enter the temple, especially diseases with open sores and flaking skin. Israelites with such a skin disease are quarantined outside of the cities until it disappears and they become pure again. In the case of chronic diseases such as psoriasis, the sufferer is doomed to permanent exile and separation from God. What greater punishment can there be for a prophet of God?
Gehazi turned and departed from Elisha. By the time Gehazi had walked out of the room, the skin disease had entirely infected him, and his skin was as white as snow.
6 The students of the prophets spoke to Elisha.
Students of the Prophets: The place where we are staying with you is too small for us. 2 Allow us to travel to the Jordan Valley, cut down trees, and build a house there for ourselves.
Elisha: Go.
One of the Students: 3 Will you please travel with us, your servants?
Elisha: Yes, I will go with you.
4 Elisha traveled with them, and they cut down trees when they arrived at the Jordan. 5 While one of the students was cutting down a tree, the iron of the ax broke off and dropped into the river.
Student of the Prophets (to Elisha): Oh no, master! This ax is not mine! I borrowed it!
Elisha: 6 Where did it drop into the river?
The man showed Elisha where it had dropped into the water, and Elisha took a stick and tossed it into the river. Then the iron of the ax floated to the surface.
Elisha: 7 Get your iron out of the water.
The man then grabbed it.
8 Aram’s king had waged war against Israel. He gave instructions to those who served him: “I want my war camp at this particular place.” 9 The man of God sent a message to Israel’s king.
Elisha’s Message: Be sure not to travel through this place. The Arameans are on their way.
10 Israel’s king passed this warning on to those in the place the man of God had told him about. Elisha’s warning saved Israel’s king more than a few times. 11 Aram’s king became greatly angered by this. He gathered his servants together.
King of Aram: Which one of you has betrayed me and sided with Israel’s king?
Servant: 12 It is none of us, my lord and king. The prophet Elisha, who lives in Israel, is the one who informs Israel’s king of these things. Elisha somehow knows everything you say—even the secret things you whisper in your private chambers.
King of Aram: 13 Find Elisha right away so that I may capture him!
The servants found Elisha and informed Aram’s king, “Elisha is in Dothan.” 14 So Aram’s king dispatched a great army of warriors, along with many horses and chariots, and they encircled the city of Dothan at night.
15 The servant of the man of God woke up early and went outside. There he saw a great army, along with many horses and chariots, encircling Dothan.
Elisha’s Servant: Ah! Master, what are we going to do now?
Elisha: 16 Have no fear. We have more on our side than they do.
17 (praying) O Eternal One, I ask You to allow my servant to see heavenly realities.
The Eternal awakened Elisha’s servant so that he could see. This is what he saw: the mountain was covered with horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha. 18 When the enemy approached Elisha, he prayed.
Elisha: Eternal One, I ask you to blind these people.
The Eternal blinded them, just as Elisha had requested.
Elisha (to the blind army): 19 You are wrong. This is the wrong path and the wrong city. I will lead you to the person you are really after.
Elisha then led them to Samaria.
Elisha (arriving in Samaria): 20 O Eternal One, I ask you to allow these men to see.
The Eternal awakened the men so they could see. This is what they saw: they were in Samaria. 21 The king of Israel saw them.
King of Israel (to Elisha): Do you want me to slaughter these men, my father? Shall I slaughter them?
Elisha: 22 No, do not slaughter them. Would you really slaughter men whom you have captured with your sword and with your bow? Set the table and fill it with bread and water. Let them eat and drink and return to their own master.
Similar to the Elijah story but expanded, the Elisha story relates the prophet’s life and ministry mostly outside the land. While Elisha is given Elijah’s mantle in Palestine, most of his traveling circuit occurs “outside the land” in Phoenicia or Syria. He even makes a prophecy over Hazael the next Syrian king and enemy of Israel.
The introduction of the figure Ben-hadad (meaning “son of Hadad,” who is the central Syrian god) is pivotal for the rest of the stories of Elisha and Israel. The Eternal uses Syria (also called Aram) as an instrument of divine punishment for Israel’s sins. Ultimately in 732 b.c., Damascus and Syria fall under the hand of Tiglath-Pileser III. The city of Samaria and the Northern Kingdom are conquered just 10 years later.
23 Israel’s king had the table set and offered the Arameans a great feast. After they ate and drank, Israel’s king told them to leave. They returned to their own master, and the Arameans stopped sending raiding parties into Israel.
24 Later, Ben-hadad,[a] Aram’s king, assembled his army and surrounded Samaria. 25 There was already a famine in Samaria. Aram’s king surrounded Samaria for so long that, within Samaria, a donkey head cost two pounds of silver and two cups of dove’s dung[b] cost two ounces of silver.
26 Once when Israel’s king was walking on the wall, a woman yelled up to him.
Woman: My lord and king, help!
King of Israel: 27 How am I supposed to help you if the Eternal does not help you? Do you expect me to miraculously get food from empty storerooms or drink from the silent winepress? 28 But tell me, what is bothering you?
Woman: A woman approached me and said, “If you give up your son and allow us to eat him today, I promise to give up my son, too, and we can eat him tomorrow.” 29 So I gave up my son, and we boiled him and ate him. But when I went to the woman the next day and asked for her son so that we could eat him, she had hidden him.
30 When the king heard of this horror, he ripped his clothes. Since he was walking on the wall, everyone who looked up saw that he was wearing sackcloth underneath.
King of Israel: 31 May God behead me and even worse if the head of Elisha (Shaphat’s son) is still attached to his body by the end of today.
32 Meanwhile Elisha was resting in his house with the elders. The king had sent a messenger to him; but before the messenger arrived at Elisha’s house, Elisha knew what would happen.
Elisha (to the elders): Watch closely. A murderer’s son desires my head on a platter. When the messenger arrives, close the door and hold it tightly shut. Certainly his master will be close behind him.
33 While Elisha was telling the elders these things, the messenger arrived.
Messenger: This wickedness is from the Eternal. Why should I be patient for Him?
7 Elisha: Pay attention to this prediction from the Eternal. This is His message: “By this time tomorrow, 7 quarts of flour and 13 quarts of barley will sell for 11 grams at the market in the gate of Samaria.”
2 Then the king’s first officer responded to the man of God.
First Officer: Even if the Eternal carved out windows in heaven, is this really possible?
Elisha: You will witness this event, but you will not be allowed to enjoy the feast.
3 Meanwhile four men with skin diseases were standing and conversing near the gate entrance.
Diseased Men (to each other): Why are we just sitting around here isolated, waiting to die? 4 If we decide to go into the city where there is a famine, we will die just the same as if we stay here. So why don’t we walk over to the Aramean camp and see if we can get some food; it is our only hope. If we live, then we live; if we die, then we die.
5 Just before nightfall, they stood up and walked over to the Aramean camp, but when they got close to the camp, there was no one in sight. 6 The Lord had fooled the Aramean army. He had caused them to imagine the monstrous noise of a mighty army of chariots and horses coming toward them.
Arameans (to one another): That’s not just the army of Israel. Israel’s king has commissioned the Hittite kings and the Egyptian kings to war against us.
7 So the Arameans ran away just before nightfall, without any fighting taking place. God caused them to abandon their tents, their horses, their donkeys, and the campsite, and run for their lives.
8 When the diseased men arrived at the camp, they walked into one tent and ate and drank. They gathered up all the valuables they could find—clothes, silver, gold—and went out and hid them in a secret place. Then they went into another tent and did the same thing.
Diseased Men (among themselves): 9 This isn’t right. We have stumbled upon a good thing, and we have kept it to ourselves. If we wait until sunrise, we will surely be punished for our silence. Let’s go quickly now to tell the palace of this news.
10 So they returned to the city and called to the gatekeepers.
Diseased Men (to the gatekeepers): The Aramean camp is empty! We have just come from there, and there is not even a whisper of a man left there! The animals are still tied up, and the tents are still standing, but there is no one there!
11 The gatekeepers went and told the palace about this strange news. 12 The king woke up and listened to the report. He was immediately suspicious, so he explained his theory to his servants.
King of Israel: I don’t trust this. I think I know what the Arameans are up to. They are fully aware that we are all starving, so they have hidden themselves in a field outside of their camp and have created a plan: “As soon as they leave the city, we will attack them and capture them and overtake their city.”
Royal Servant: 13 Allow a few men to take five of the horses that are still alive in this miserable city. They are already doomed to the same destiny as all the Israelites left here and all the Israelites who have already died; therefore, let’s at least try to find a way to survive.
14 So a few men took a couple of chariots along with some of the horses that were still alive in the city, and Israel’s king told them, “Trail after the Aramean army, and get down to the bottom of this.” 15 The king’s messengers traveled to the Jordan River and found that the trail was covered with clothing and weapons and tools that the Arameans had left behind in their haste. The messengers immediately went back and told the king what they had found.
16 Everyone in the city went and raided the abandoned Aramean camp. So 7 quarts of premium flour were sold for 11 grams, and 13 quarts of barley were sold for the same, just as the Eternal had said they would be. 17 The king instructed his first officer to guard the gate, but everyone ran over him at the gate on their way to raid the abandoned Aramean camp. He was killed, as the man of God had said he would be when the king had spoken to him.
18 You recall that this man of God had told the king, “By this time tomorrow, 7 quarts of premium flour will sell for 11 grams, and 13 quarts of barley will sell for the same at the market in the gate of Samaria.” 19 The officer had then asked, “Even if the Eternal carved out windows in heaven, is it really possible?” Elisha had replied, “You will witness this event, but you will not be allowed to enjoy the feast.” 20 This was the truth about the officer’s destiny, for he was killed at the city entrance—trampled by the starving, miserable citizens of Samaria.
8 Elisha went and warned the mother of the boy whom he had brought back to life.
Elisha: Get up and gather together your family and servants. Travel as far away from here as you can, and live as a resident alien. The Eternal is going to cause a great famine in the land for the next seven years.
2 The woman did exactly as the man of God instructed her to do. She got up, gathered her family and servants together, and then settled in Philistine territory for seven years. 3 After the seven years were over, she departed from Philistia and went back to her own land. When she returned home, she went straight to the king to argue that she be given back her house and her field.
4 The king was speaking with Gehazi, servant of the man of God.
King of Israel: Tell me everything about Elisha. Fill me in on all the wonders he has done.
5 So Gehazi told the king everything. Just when Gehazi got to the part about Elisha bringing the dead boy back to life, the boy’s mother walked in and argued that the king should give her back her house and her field. Gehazi’s excitement was piqued by the visitor’s timing.
Gehazi: My lord and king, this is the woman I was just telling you about. And this is her son, the boy whom Elisha brought back to life!
6 The king asked the woman if this was true, and she confirmed Gehazi’s story. She told the king every detail. The king was delighted by this story, and he gave an assignment to one of his officials, a eunuch, on her behalf: “Give this woman back her house and her field, as well as all the earnings of her field that were harvested from the day that she left until now.”
7 Now when Elisha arrived in Damascus, Aram’s king, Ben-hadad, was ill. A message arrived for the king: “The man of God has just arrived in Damascus.”
Ben-hadad (to Hazael): 8 Greet him with a gift and with kindness. Ask the man of God to speak with the Eternal One and find out, “Am I going to get well?”
9 Hazael greeted Elisha with a gift and with kindness. He did as instructed and offered him many excellent items from Damascus—40 camel loads of gifts.
Hazael (standing before Elisha): Ben-hadad, the king of Aram, who honors you like a father, has asked me to come to you and ask you, “Am I going to get well?”
Elisha: 10 Yes, he will get well, but the Eternal has revealed to me that Ben-hadad will certainly die.
11 Elisha held his gaze on Hazael until the prophet was ashamed, but then the man of God broke down and cried.
Hazael: 12 Why are you crying, my lord?
Elisha: Because I am aware of all the wicked things you will do to the Israelites. You will set their strongholds on fire, slaughter their young men with swords, dismember their children, and tear open the bodies of pregnant women.
Hazael: 13 But I have no such will or power. Am I, your servant, as low as a dog? Why do you think that I will do such a terrible thing?
Elisha: The Eternal has revealed to me that you will reign over Aram as king.
14 Hazael went away from Elisha and went back to his king.
Ben-hadad: What did Elisha tell you?
Hazael: He said that it is certain that you will get well.
15 The next day, Hazael grabbed the cover off Ben-hadad’s bed, soaked it in water, and put it over the king’s face until he died. Hazael then inherited the throne and reigned over Aram.
16 During the 5th year of the reign of Joram (Ahab’s son) of Israel, and when Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, Jehoram (Jehoshaphat’s son) became Judah’s king. 17 When he inherited the throne, he was 32 years old, and his time as king lasted 8 years in Jerusalem. 18 He lived his life as if he were a king in Israel, in the same wicked manner as Ahab’s family. In fact, he married Ahab’s daughter, and he committed countless deeds which the Eternal deemed wicked. 19 But the Eternal refused to bring Judah to its end, because He had made a promise to David, His loyal servant, that David’s progeny would always carry the lamp of his presence.
20 During Jehoram’s reign, Edom rebelled against Judah’s rule and appointed its own king. 21 Joram then traveled to Zair with all of his chariots. During the night, he awoke to find that the Edomites had surrounded his camp and chariot officers, so he fought them and broke out. After the attack, Joram and his people ran quickly back to their tents. 22 Edom has been in rebellion against Judah ever since, even to this very day; at the same time, Libnah also rebelled. 23 Is not the rest of Joram’s story—his actions and lasting legacy—documented in the book of the chronicles of Judah’s kings? 24 Joram left this world to sleep with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David; Joram’s son, Ahaziah, then inherited the throne of Judah.
25 During the 12th year of the reign of Joram (Ahab’s son), Ahaziah (Jehoram’s son), Judah’s king, inherited the throne. 26 Ahaziah was 22 years old when he inherited the throne in Jerusalem, but his reign was short-lived: only one year. Ahaziah’s mother was Athaliah (granddaughter of Omri, king of Israel). 27 He lived in the same wicked way as Ahab’s family, committing evil in the eyes of the Eternal because he was a son-in-law to Ahab’s house.
28 Ahaziah joined forces with Joram (Ahab’s son and Ahaziah’s own uncle) in battle against Hazael (Aram’s king) at Ramoth-gilead. There Joram was injured by the Arameans. 29 King Joram went to Jezreel to be healed of his injuries, which he had received from the Arameans. He would have plenty of scars by which to remember the battle at Ramah where he fought against Aram’s king, Hazael. Ahaziah (son of Jehoram, king of Judah) then received word that Joram (Ahab’s son) was ill, so he went to visit him in Jezreel.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.