2 Kings 5

The King's Confusion and Elisha's Intervention 2 Kings 5:4–8

⁴Verse 4. Someone went in, and told his lord, saying, “The maiden who is from the land of Israel said this.” ⁵Verse 5. The king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” He departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of clothing. ⁶Verse 6. He brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, “Now when this letter has come to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy.” ⁷Verse 7. When the king of Israel had read the letter, he tore his clothes, and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends to me to heal a man of his leprosy? But please consider and see how he seeks a quarrel against me.”

⁸Verse 8. It was so, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”

Elisha's Instructions and Naaman's Initial Rejection 2 Kings 5:9–14

⁹Verse 9. So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariots, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. ¹⁰Verse 10. Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall come again to you, and you shall be clean.” ¹¹Verse 11. But Naaman was angry, and went away, and said, “Behold, I thought, ‘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 heal the leper.’ ¹²Verse 12. Aren’t Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of 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.

¹³Verse 13. His servants came near, and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had asked you do some great thing, wouldn’t you have done it? How much rather then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean?’” ¹⁴Verse 14. Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

Naaman's Healing and Recognition of God 2 Kings 5:15–19

¹⁵Verse 15. He returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him; and he said, “See now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel. Now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.” ¹⁶Verse 16. But he said, “As Yahweh lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.” He urged him to take it; but he refused. ¹⁷Verse 17. Naaman said, “If not, then, please let two mules’ burden of earth be given to your servant; for your servant will from now on offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice to other gods, but to Yahweh.

¹⁸Verse 18. In this thing may Yahweh pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon. When I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, may Yahweh pardon your servant in this thing.” ¹⁹Verse 19. He said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him a little way.

Gehazi's Greed and Deception 2 Kings 5:20–24

²⁰Verse 20. But Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought. As Yahweh lives, I will run after him, and take something from him.” ²¹Verse 21. So Gehazi followed after Naaman. When Naaman saw one running after him, he came down from the chariot to meet him, and said, “Is all well?” ²²Verse 22. He said, “All is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, even now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.’”

²³Verse 23. Naaman said, “Be pleased to take two talents.” He urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and laid them on two of his servants; and they carried them before him. ²⁴Verse 24. When he came to the hill, he took them from their hand, and stored them in the house. Then he let the men go, and they departed.

Elisha Discovers Gehazi's Wrongdoing 2 Kings 5:25–27

²⁵Verse 25. But he went in, and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, “Where did you come from, Gehazi?”He said, “Your servant went nowhere.”²⁶Verse 26. He said to him, “Didn’t my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and olive groves and vineyards, and sheep and cattle, and male servants and female servants?²⁷Verse 27. Therefore the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and to your offspring forever.”He went out from his presence a leper, as white as snow.