2 Kings

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.

1Naaman led the army of the king of Syria. His king thought very highly of him. The LORD had used Naaman to win victories for Syria. He was brave and strong. But he had a skin disease called leprosy.

NoteLeprosy was a serious skin disease. People who had it usually had to stay away from everyone else.

2And 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.

2Syrian raiders had gone into Israel and taken a young girl away. Now she worked for Naaman's wife.

3And 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.

3The girl said to Naaman's wife, "I wish my master could see the prophet in Samaria. A prophet tells people what God says. He would heal my master's skin disease."

4And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.

4Naaman went to his king. He told him what the girl from Israel had said.

5And 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.

5The king of Syria said, "Go ahead. I will send a letter to the king of Israel." So Naaman left. He took ten talents of silver, six thousand pieces of gold, and ten sets of clothes.

NoteA talent was a large weight of silver, about 75 pounds. Naaman was carrying a huge amount of treasure.

6And 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.

6Naaman brought the letter to the king of Israel. It said, "I am sending my servant Naaman to you. Please heal his skin disease."

7And 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.

7The king of Israel read the letter and tore his own clothes. He said, "Am I God? Can I kill and give life? This man asks me to heal leprosy. He is only looking for a fight with me."

NoteTearing your own clothes was how people back then showed they were shocked or very upset.

8And 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.

8Elisha was a man of God. He heard that the king had torn his clothes. He sent the king a message. "Why did you tear your clothes? Send the man to me. Then he will know there is a prophet in Israel."

9So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.

9So Naaman came with his horses and his chariot. He stopped at the door of Elisha's house.

10And 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.

10Elisha did not come out. He sent a messenger to say, "Go wash in the Jordan River seven times. Your skin will be well again. You will be clean."

11But 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.

11Naaman got angry and walked away. He said, "I thought Elisha would come out to me. I thought he would pray to the LORD his God. I thought he would wave his hand over my skin and heal it."

12Are 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.

12"Damascus has two rivers, Abana and Pharpar. Are they not better than any water in Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and left in a rage.

13And 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?

13Naaman's servants came close and spoke to him. "Father, if the prophet had asked you to do something hard, you would have done it. He only said, 'Wash and be clean.' That is even easier."

14Then 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.

14So Naaman went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times. He did just what the man of God said. His skin became soft like a little child's skin. He was clean.

15And 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.

15Naaman went back to Elisha with all his men. He stood in front of him and said, "Now I know there is no God in all the earth but in Israel. Please take a gift from me."

16But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.

16Elisha said, "As surely as the LORD lives, the one I serve, I will take nothing." Naaman kept asking him. But Elisha still said no.

17And 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.

17Naaman said, "Then please let me take home some soil from Israel. Give me as much as two mules can carry. From now on I will bring offerings to the LORD only, and to no other god."

18In 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.

18"But please ask the LORD to forgive me for one thing. My master goes into the temple of his god Rimmon to worship. He leans on my arm, and I bow down there with him. Please let the LORD forgive me for that."

19And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.

19Elisha said, "Go in peace." So Naaman started for home and went a short way.

20But 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.

20Gehazi was the servant of Elisha, the man of God. He thought, "My master let this Syrian go without taking a thing. As surely as the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something."

21So 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?

21So Gehazi ran after Naaman. Naaman saw him running and climbed down from his chariot to meet him. He asked, "Is everything all right?"

22And 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.

22Gehazi said, "Everything is fine. My master sent me. Two young men just came to him from the hills of Ephraim. They are training to be prophets. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothes."

23And 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.

23Naaman said, "Please take two talents." He kept asking until Gehazi agreed. He tied the silver in two bags with two sets of clothes. Two of his servants carried them ahead of Gehazi.

24And 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.

24When Gehazi reached the hill, he took the bags from the servants. He put them away inside the house. Then he sent the men away, and they left.

25But 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.

25Gehazi went in and stood before his master. Elisha asked, "Where have you been, Gehazi?" He said, "Your servant did not go anywhere."

26And 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?

26Elisha said, "My heart went with you. I saw the man climb down from his chariot to meet you. This is no time to take money and clothes. It is no time to take olive trees, vineyards, sheep, cattle, or servants."

27The 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.

27"So Naaman's skin disease will stick to you and to your children after you." Gehazi walked out from Elisha with leprosy. His skin was white as snow.