Now Naaman, captain
of the host
of the king
of Syria
, was a great
man
with
his master
, and honourable
, because by him the LORD
had given
deliverance
unto Syria
: he was also a mighty
man
in valour
, but he was a leper
.
And the Syrians had gone out
by companies
, and had brought away captive
out of the land
of Israel
a little
maid
; and she waited on
Naaman's
wife
.
And she said unto her mistress
, Would
God my lord
were with
the prophet
that is in Samaria
! for
he would recover
him of his leprosy
.
And one went in, and told
his lord
, saying
, Thus and thus said
the maid
that is of the land
of Israel
.
And the king of Syria
said
, Go to
, go
, 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
.
And he brought the letter
to the king
of Israel
, saying
, Now when this letter
is come
unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent
Naaman
my servant
to thee, that thou mayest recover
him of his leprosy
.
And 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
? wherefore
consider
, I pray you, and see
how he seeketh a quarrel
against me.
And it was so , when Elisha the man
of God
had 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
.
So Naaman came
with his horses
and with his chariot
, and stood
at the door
of the house
of Elisha
.
And Elisha sent
a messenger
unto him, saying
, Go
and wash
in Jordan
seven
times
, and thy flesh
shall come again
to thee, and thou shalt be clean
.
But 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 the LORD
his God
, and strike
his hand
over the place
, and recover
the leper
.
Are not Abana and Pharpar
, 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
.
And 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
?
Then went he down, and dipped
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
.
And 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 blessing
of thy servant
.
But he said, As the LORD
liveth
, before
whom I stand
, I will receive
none. And he urged
him to take
it ; but he refused
.
And Naaman said
, Shall there not then, I pray thee, 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 the LORD
.
In this thing the LORD
pardon
thy servant
, that 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 down
myself in the house
of Rimmon
, the LORD
pardon
thy servant
in this thing
.
And he said unto him, Go
in peace
. So he departed
from him a little
way
.
But Gehazi, the servant
of Elisha
the man
of God
, said
, Behold, my master
hath spared
Naaman
this Syrian
, in not receiving
at his hands
that which he brought
: but, as the LORD
liveth
, I will run
after
him, and take
somewhat
of him.
So Gehazi followed
after
Naaman
. And when Naaman
saw
him running
after
him, he lighted down
from the chariot
to meet
him, and said
, Is all well
?
And he said, All is well
. My master
hath sent
me, saying
, Behold, even now there be come
to me from mount
Ephraim
two
young men
of the sons
of the prophets
: give
them, I pray thee, a talent
of silver
, and two
changes
of garments
.
And Naaman said
, Be content
, take
two talents
. And he urged
him, and bound
two
talents
of silver
in two
bags
, with two
changes
of garments
, and laid
them upon two
of his servants
; and they bare
them before
him.
And when he came to the tower
, he took
them from their hand
, and bestowed
them in the house
: and he let the men
go
, and they departed
.
But 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
.
And he said unto him, Went
not mine heart
with thee , when the man
turned
again 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 menservants
, and maidservants
?
The 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
.