2 Kings 5
Wash Seven Times in a River He Despised
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Naaman the Syrian
5:1Naaman, commander of Syria’s army, was a great man before his master and admired in his presence, for through him the Lord had given deliverance to Syria. The man was powerful in strength, but afflicted with leprosy.
5:2Lightly equipped Syrians had gone out and taken captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She attended Naaman’s wife.
5:3She said to her mistress, ‘If only my master were before the prophet of God who is in Samaria! Then he would free him from his leprosy.’
5:4She went in and reported to her own master, saying, ‘Thus and thus the girl from the land of Israel has spoken.’
5:5The king of Syria said to Naaman, ‘Come, go in, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.’ He went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand gold coins, and ten changes of robes.
5:6He brought the letter to the king of Israel. It said, ‘Now, when this letter reaches you, look, I have sent you Naaman my slave, and you shall free him from his leprosy.’
5:7When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his garments and said, ‘Am I God, to put to death and bring to life, that this man sends to me to free a man from his leprosy? Please understand and see: this man is looking for a pretext against me.’
5:8When Elisha heard that the king of Israel had torn his garments, he sent word to the king of Israel, saying, ‘Why have you torn your garments? Please let Naaman come to me, and let him know that there is a prophet in Israel.’
Wash Seven Times in the Jordan
5:9Naaman came with a horse and chariot and stood at the doors of Elisha’s house.
5:10Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, ‘Go and bathe seven times in the Jordan. Your flesh will be restored to you, and you will be cleansed.’
5:11Naaman became angry and went away, saying, ‘Look, I thought that he would come out to me, stand, call on the name of his God, place his hand on the place, and remove the leprous condition.’
5:12‘Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than the Jordan and all the waters of Israel? Could I not go and bathe in them and be cleansed?’ He turned aside and went away in anger.
5:13His attendants approached and spoke to him: ‘The prophet has told you a great thing; will you not do it? And he has said to you, Bathe and be cleansed.’
5:14Naaman went down and immersed himself in the Jordan seven times, according to Elisha’s word. His flesh was restored like the flesh of a small child, and he was cleansed.
Naaman’s Confession and Elisha’s Refusal
5:15He returned to Elisha, he and all his company. He came and stood and said, ‘Look, now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. Now accept the blessing from your slave.’
5:16Elisha said, ‘As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will not accept it.’ He pressed him to accept, but he would not comply.
5:17Naaman said, ‘If not, please let your slave be given a pair of mules’ load, and you shall give me some of the red earth, for your slave will no longer offer whole burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord alone.’
5:18‘The Lord will be propitious to your slave when my master enters the house of Remman to bow to him and leans on my arm, and I bow in the house of Remman when he bows in the house of Remman. The Lord will indeed be propitious to your slave in this matter.’
5:19Elisha said to Naaman, ‘Go in peace.’ He went away from him a debratha of the land.
The Greed of Gehazi
5:20Gehazi, Elisha’s attendant, said, ‘Look, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian by not taking from his hand what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and take something from him.’
5:21Gehazi pursued Naaman. Naaman saw him running after him and turned back from the chariot to meet him.
5:22He said, ‘Peace. My master sent me, saying: Look, two young men from the sons of the prophets have now come to me from Mount Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of robes.’
5:23Naaman said, ‘Take two talents of silver.’ He took them in two bags, with two changes of robes, and placed them on two of his attendants, who carried them ahead of him.
5:24They came to the dark place. He took the goods from their hands and set them in a house, then sent the men away.
5:25He went in and stood beside his master. Elisha said to him, ‘From where, Gehazi?’ Gehazi said, ‘Your slave has not gone here or there.’
5:26Elisha said to him, ‘Did not my heart go with you when the man turned from the chariot to meet you? Now you have taken the silver and now you have taken the garments, and with it you will acquire gardens and olive groves and vineyards and sheep and cattle and male servants and female servants.’
5:27‘Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your offspring forever.’ He went out from his presence afflicted with leprosy, like snow.
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.