God Allows Elisha to Heal a Leper |
2 Kings 5:1-27 2 Kings [in Smaller Chunks] |
Now, Naaman, the captain of the king of Syria's [army,] was an [important] man with his master. He was honorable, because through [Naaman,] the Lord had given deliverance to Syria. |
Also, [Naaman] was a man of [courage,] but he was a leper. The Syrians had gone out by companies & had brought away [captives] out of Israel & a [small maid who] waited on Namaan's wife. |
She said to her mistress, [I wish that my lord, Naaman, would go to the man of God, Elisha,] the prophet in Samaria! For [Elisha] will [heal Naaman] of his leprosy. |
[Naaman] went in & told his lord, [the king, what the Israelite maid said.] The king of Syria said, Go & I will send a letter to the king of Israel. [Naaman left] & took 10 talents of silver, 6,000 pieces of gold & 10 changes of [clothing] with him. |
[Naaman] brought the letter to [Israel's] king, [that said,] Now when this letter comes to you, [see,] I have sent Naaman, my servant to you, [so] that you may [heal] him of leprosy. |
When [Israel's] king read the letter, he [tore] his clothes & said, Am I God, to kill & to make alive & this man sends to me to [heal] a man of his leprosy? I pray that you consider how he [is looking for an argument] with me. |
When Elisha, the man of God, heard [Israel's] king [tore] his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, [Why] have you [torn] your clothes? Let [Naaman] come to me, [so] he knows there is a prophet in Israel. |
So, Naaman came with his horses & chariot & stood at the door of [Elisha's] house. Elisha sent a messenger to [Naaman,] saying, Go wash in [the] Jordan [River] 7 times & your flesh shall [return] & you shall be clean. |
Naaman was angry & went away & said, [Look,] I thought [Elisha] would surely come out to me & stand & call on the name of the Lord, his God & [wave] his hand over the place & [heal my leprosy]. |
[Aren't] the Abana & Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? [Can't] I wash in them & be clean? So, he went away in a rage. His servants came near & spoke to him & said, My father, [Naaman,] if the prophet had [asked] you to do some [big] thing, wouldn't you have done it? |
How much more then, [when] he says to you, Wash & be clean? Then [Naaman] went & dipped himself 7 times in [the] Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God. His flesh [returned] again like the flesh of a little child & he was clean. |
[Naaman] & all his country returned to the man of God & stood [in front of Elisha] & said, [Look,] now I know there is no [other] God in all the [world,] but [only] in Israel. |
Therefore, I pray that you take a [gift from] your servant. [Elisha] said, As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I won't receive [any gift]. [Naaman] urged [Elisha] to take it, but he refused. |
Naaman said, I pray that you give [me,] your servant [enough dirt from here] for 2 [mules] to carry? For your servant won't offer burnt [offerings or sacrifices to other gods [idols], [from now on,] but [only] to the Lord [God]. |
[I want] the Lord to pardon [me,] your servant, when my master goes into the house of Rimmon [a false god] to worship there & he leans on my hand & I bow down in the house of Rimmon & [want] the Lord [God] will pardon me this thing. |
[Elisha] said, Go in peace & he [left & had gone a little way]. But Gehazi, [Elisha's] servant, [thought, Look,] my master has spared this Syrian, Naaman & didn't receive [anything] he brought. |
I will run after [Naaman] & take [something from] him. Gehazi followed Naaman & when Naaman saw [Gehazi] running after him, he [got] down from his chariot to meet him. [Naaman] said, Is all well? [Gehazi] said, All is well. |
My master has sent me, saying, [Look,] 2 young men of the [prophet's] sons, from Mount Ephraim are [coming] to me now. I pray that you give them a talent of silver & 2 changes of [clothing]. Naaman said, Be [happy,] take 2 talents [of silver]. |
[Naaman] urged [Gehazi to take them & tied up] 2 talents of silver in 2 bags with 2 changes of [clothing] & laid them on 2 of his servants & they [carried them in front of Gehazi]. |
When [Gehazi] got to the tower, he took them from their [hands & stored them away] in the house & he let the men go & they [left]. But Gehazi went in & stood [in front of] his master, [Elisha]. |
Elisha said, [Where were you,] Gehazi? He said, [I,] your servant, [didn't go anywhere]. [Elisha] said to him, [Didn't my heart go with you,] when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? |
Is it time to receive money, [clothing,] olive [groves,] vineyards, sheep, oxen & male & female servants? Therefore, [Naaman's] leprosy shall [cling] to you & your [descendants] forever. [Gehazi] went out from [Elisha's] presence, a leper, white as snow. |