1
Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Aram, was a greatman with his master, and highly respected*, because by him the LORD had givenvictory to Aram. The man was also a valiantwarrior, but he was a leper.
5
Then the king of Aramsaid, "Gonow, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel." He departed and took with him tentalents of silver and sixthousand shekels of gold and tenchanges of clothes.
6
He brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, "And now as thislettercomes to you, behold, I have sentNaaman my servant to you, that you may cure him of his leprosy."
7
When the king of Israelread the letter, he tore his clothes and said, "Am I God, to kill and to makealive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? But considernow, and seehow he is seeking a quarrel against me."
8
It happened when Elisha the man of Godheard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent word to the king, saying, "Why have you torn your clothes? Now let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel."
11
But Naaman was furious and went away and said, "Behold, I thought, 'He will surelycome out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his handover the place and cure the leper.'
12
"Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, betterthanall the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage.
13
Then his servantscamenear and spoke to him and said, "My father, had the prophettold you to do some greatthing, would you not have done it? Howmuch*more* then, when he says to you, 'Wash, and be clean '?"
14
So he wentdown and dipped himself seventimes in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a littlechild and he was clean.
15
When he returned to the man of God with all his company, and came and stoodbefore him, he said, "Beholdnow, I know that there is noGod in all the earth, but in Israel; so pleasetake a present from your servantnow."
17
Naamansaid, "If not, please let your servant at least be giventwomules'load of earth; for your servant will nolongerofferburntofferingnor will he sacrifice to othergods, but to the LORD.
18
"In thismatter may the LORDpardon your servant: when my mastergoes into the house of Rimmon to worshipthere, and he leans on my hand and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORDpardon your servant in thismatter."
20
But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, "Behold, my master has sparedthisNaaman the Aramean, by not receiving from his handswhat he brought. As the LORDlives, I will runafter him and takesomething from him."
22
He said, "All is well. My master has sent me, saying, 'Behold, justnowtwoyoungmen of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hillcountry of Ephraim. Pleasegive them a talent of silver and twochanges of clothes.' "
23
Naamansaid, "Be pleased to take two talents." And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in twobags with twochanges of clothes and gave them to two of his servants; and they carried them before him.
26
Then he said to him, "Did not my heartgo with you, when the manturned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receivemoney and to receiveclothes and olivegroves and vineyards and sheep and oxen and male and femaleservants*?