2 Kings 5

1Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him Jehovah had given victory unto Syria: he was also a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper.

1Naaman was the commander of the Syrian king’s army. He was a great man and highly respected by his master because the LORD had used him to give Syria victory. He was a brave warrior, but he had leprosy.

2And the Syrians had gone out in bands, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maiden; and she waited on Naaman’s wife.

2Syrian raiding parties had gone out and captured a young girl from the land of Israel. She became a servant to Naaman’s wife.

3And she said unto her mistress, Would that my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! then would he recover him of his leprosy.

3She said to her mistress, 'I wish my master could see the prophet who lives in Samaria! He would heal him of his leprosy.'

4And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maiden that is of the land of Israel.

4Naaman went and told his master what the girl from Israel had said.

5And the king of Syria said, Go now, 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.

5The king of Syria said, 'Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.' So Naaman left, taking about 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothing.

6And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, And now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.

6He delivered the letter to the king of Israel. It said: 'When you receive this letter, you will see that I have sent my servant Naaman to you so that you may heal him of his leprosy.'

7And 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? but consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.

7When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes in distress and said, 'Am I God? Can I kill people and bring them back to life? Why does this man send someone to me to be healed of leprosy? You can see he is just trying to start a fight with me!'

8And it was so, when Elisha the man of God 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.

8When 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 the man come to me, and he will find out that there is a prophet in Israel.'

9So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariots, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.

9So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house.

10And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.

10Elisha sent a messenger out to him to say, 'Go and wash seven times in the Jordan River. Your skin will be restored, and you will be healed.'

11But 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 Jehovah his God, and wave his hand over the place, and recover the leper.

11But Naaman got angry and left, saying, 'I thought he would surely come out to meet me, stand there, call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot, and heal the leprosy.

12Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the 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.

12Aren’t the Abana and Pharpar rivers in Damascus better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn't I wash in them and be clean?' So he turned and went away in a rage.

13And 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?

13But his servants went to him and said, 'My father, if the prophet had told you to do something difficult, wouldn't you have done it? How much more should you obey when he simply says, "Wash and be clean"?'

14Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in the 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.

14So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan River seven times, just as the man of God had told him. His skin became healthy again, like the skin of a young child, and he was clean.

15And 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 present of thy servant.

15Then Naaman and all his officials went back to the man of God. He stood before Elisha and said, 'Now I know for sure that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. Please accept a gift from me.'

16But he said, As Jehovah liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.

16But Elisha answered, 'As surely as the LORD lives, whom I serve, I will not take anything.' Even though Naaman urged him, Elisha refused.

17And Naaman said, If not, yet, I pray thee, let there 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 Jehovah.

17Naaman said, 'If you won't take a gift, please let me have as much dirt as two mules can carry. From now on, I will never offer burnt offerings or sacrifices to any other god but the LORD.

18In this thing Jehovah pardon thy servant: 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 myself in the house of Rimmon, Jehovah pardon thy servant in this thing.

18But may the LORD forgive me for this one thing: When my master goes into the temple of the god Rimmon to worship, and he leans on my arm, I have to bow down in the temple of Rimmon too. May the LORD forgive me when I bow there.'

19And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.

19Elisha said to him, 'Go in peace.' After Naaman had traveled a short distance,

20But Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: as Jehovah liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.

20Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought to himself, 'My master was too easy on this Syrian, Naaman, by not accepting what he brought. As surely as the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something from him.'

21So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw one running after him, he alighted from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?

21So Gehazi hurried after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from his chariot to meet him and asked, 'Is everything all right?'

22And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there are come to me from the hill-country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets; give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of raiment.

22Gehazi answered, 'Everything is fine. My master sent me to say, "Two young men from the group of prophets in the hill country of Ephraim have just arrived. Please give them seventy-five pounds of silver and two sets of clothing."'

23And Naaman said, Be pleased to take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of raiment, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.

23Naaman said, 'Please, take twice that much silver.' He urged Gehazi to take it and tied up 150 pounds 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.

24And when he came to the hill, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house; and he let the men go, and they departed.

24When he reached the hill, Gehazi took the gifts from the servants and hid them in the house. Then he sent the men away, and they left.

25But 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.

25When he went in and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, 'Where have you been, Gehazi?' 'I haven't gone anywhere,' Gehazi replied.

26And he said unto him, Went not my heart with thee, when the man turned 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 men-servants and maid-servants?

26But Elisha said to him, 'Don't you realize that my spirit was there when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this a time to accept money and clothes, or olive groves and vineyards, or sheep and cattle, or male and female servants?

27The 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.

27Because of what you did, the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and your descendants forever.' Then Gehazi left Elisha’s presence, and his skin was white with leprosy, like snow.