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 mighty man of [courage,] but he was a leper. The Syrians had gone out by companies & had brought away [captives] out of the land of Israel & a [short maid, who] waited on Namaan's wife. |
She said to her mistress, [I wish that] God would [have] my lord, [Naaman,] were with the prophet that is in Samaria! For [Elisha] would [heal Naaman] of his leprosy. |
And [Naaman] went in & told his lord, saying, [This is what] the maid [from] the land of Israel said. The king of Syria said, Go & I will send a letter to the king of Israel. And [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, with this,] I have sent Naaman, my servant, to you, [so] that you may [heal] him of leprosy. |
And it [happened,] when [Israel's] king had read the letter, he [tore] his clothes & said, Am I God, to kill & to make alive, that this man [sends] to me to [heal] a man of his leprosy? [For this reason,] I pray [that] you consider how he [is looking for an argument] with me. |
And it [happened,] when Elisha, the man of God, heard [Israel's] king had [torn] his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, [For what reason] have you [torn] your clothes? Let [Naaman] come to men now & he shall know there is a prophet in Israel. |
So, Naaman came with his horses & chariot & stood at the door of [Elisha's] house. And Elisha sent a messenger to [Naaman,] saying, Go & wash in [the] Jordan [River] 7 times & your flesh shall [return] & you shall be clean. |
But 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. And 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 down & dipped himself 7 times in [the] Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God. And his flesh [returned] again like the flesh of a little child & he was clean. |
And [Naaman] & all his company returned to the man of God & came & 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 now take a [gift from] your servant. But [Elisha] said, As the Lord lives, before Whom I stand, I won't receive [any gift.] And [Naaman] urged [Elisha] to take it, but he refused. |
And 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 [from now on,] but [only] to the Lord [God.] |
[I want] the Lord to pardon [me,] your servant, in this thing, that when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there & he leans on my hand & I bow myself down in the house of Rimmon, the Lord [God pardons] me, your servant, in this thing. |
And [Elisha] said, Go in peace, [Naaman 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. |
But as the Lord lives, I will run after [Naaman] & take [something from] him. So, Gehazi followed after 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,] even now there [are] 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.] |
And [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] came 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.] |
And Elisha said to him, [Where were you,] Gehazi? And he said, [I,] your servant, went no [where.] And [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. And [Gehazi] went out from [Elisha's] presence, a leper, white as snow. |