Naaman Cured of Leprosy
Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man before his lord, and highly regarded — for through him the LORD had given salvation to Aram. And the man was a mighty man of valor — with tzaraath.
And Aram had gone out in raiding bands, and had taken captive from the land of Israel a small girl; and she served the wife of Naaman.
And she said to her mistress, “If only my lord were before the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would take away his tzaraath.”
And he came and told his lord, saying, “Thus and so spoke the girl who is from the land of Israel.”
And the king of Aram said, “Go, come — and let me send a letter to the king of Israel.” And he went, and took in his hand ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of garments.
And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying: “And now, when this letter comes to you — look, I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may take away his tzaraath.”
And it was, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his garments and said: “Am I God, to put to death and to keep alive, that this one sends to me to take away a man’s tzaraath? Only know, please, and see — he is seeking a quarrel with me.”
And it was, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his garments, that he sent to the king, saying: “Why have you torn your garments? Let him come to me, please, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
And Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the doorway of the house of Elisha.
And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will return to you — and be clean.”
And Naaman was furious, and he went away and said: “Look — I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and take away the tzaraath.’
Are not Amanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” And he turned and went away in a rage.
And his servants approached and spoke to him, and said: “My father — had the prophet spoken a great thing to you, would you not do it? How much more when he has said to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”
And he went down and dipped in the Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh returned like the flesh of a small boy — and he was clean.
Gehazi’s Greed and Leprosy
And he returned to the man of God, he and all his camp; and he came and stood before him and said: “Look, please — I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. And now, take a blessing, please, from your servant.”
And he said, “As the LORD lives, before whom I stand — I will not take it.” And he pressed him to take it, but he refused.
And Naaman said: “If not, then let there be given to your servant, please, a load of earth for a pair of mules — for your servant will no longer make burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but only to the LORD.
For this thing may the LORD forgive your servant: when my lord goes into the house of Rimmon to prostrate himself there, and he leans on my hand, and I prostrate myself in the house of Rimmon — when I prostrate myself in the house of Rimmon, may the LORD forgive your servant in this thing.”
And he said to him, “Go in peace.” And he went from him some distance of land.
And Gehazi, the boy of Elisha the man of God, said: “Look — my lord has spared this Naaman the Aramean, by not taking from his hand what he brought. As the LORD lives, I will surely run after him and take something from him.”
And Gehazi pursued after Naaman. And Naaman saw someone running after him, and he dropped down from the chariot to meet him, and said, “Is it peace?”
And he said: “Peace. My lord has sent me, saying: ‘Look — just now two young men from the hill country of Ephraim, of the sons of the prophets, have come to me. Give them, please, a talent of silver and two changes of garments.’”
And Naaman said, “Be pleased to take two talents.” And he urged him, and bound up two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and gave them to his two boys; and they carried them ahead of him.
And he came to the hill, and took them from their hand, and stowed them in the house; and he sent the men away, and they went.
And he himself came and stood by his lord. And Elisha said to him, “Where from, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant has not gone anywhere at all.”
And he said to him: “Did not my heart go along when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take silver, and to take garments — and olive groves, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and male servants, and female servants?
The tzaraath of Naaman will cling to you, and to your seed, forever.” And he went out from before him, struck with tzaraath, white as snow.