1Naaman was the captain of the army of the king of Aram. Naaman was very important to his king. Naaman was very important because the Lord used him to lead Aram to victory. Naaman was a great and powerful man, but he was also sick with leprosy. 2The Aramean army sent many groups of soldiers to fight in Israel. ˻The soldiers took people to be their slaves.˼ One time they took a little girl from the land of Israel. This little girl became a servant of Naaman’s wife. 3This girl said to Naaman’s wife, “I wish that my master ˻(Naaman)˼ would meet the prophet ˻(Elisha)˼ who lives in Samaria. That prophet could heal Naaman of his leprosy.” 4Naaman went to his master ˻(the king of Aram)˼. Naaman told ˻the king of Aram˼ the things that the Israelite girl said. 5Then the king of Aram said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman went to Israel. ˻Naaman took some gifts with him.˼ Naaman took 750 pounds of silver, 6,000 pieces of gold and ten changes of clothes. 6Naaman took the letter from the king of Aram to the king of Israel. The letter said: “ ... Now, this letter is to show that I am sending my servant Naaman to you. Cure his leprosy.” 7When the king of Israel had read the letter, he tore his clothes ˻to show he was sad and upset˼. The king of Israel said, “Am I God? No! I don’t have the power over life and death. So why did the king of Aram send a man sick with leprosy for me to heal? Think about it, and you will see ˻that it is a trick˼. The king of Aram is trying to start a fight!” 8Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes ˻to show that he was upset˼. So Elisha sent this message to the king: “Why did you tear your clothes? Let Naaman come to me. Then he will know there is a prophet in Israel!” 9So Naaman came with his horses and chariots to Elisha’s house and stood outside the door. 10Elisha sent a messenger to Naaman. ˻The messenger˼ said, “Go, and wash in the Jordan River seven times. Then your skin will be healed, and you will be pure and clean.” 11Naaman became angry and left. He said, “I thought Elisha would at least come out and stand in front of me and call on the name of the Lord his God. I thought he would wave his hand over my body and heal the leprosy! 12Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, are better than all the water in Israel! Why can’t I wash in those rivers in Damascus and become clean?” Naaman was very angry and turned to leave. 13But Naaman’s servants went to him and talked to him. They said, “Father, if the prophet told you to do some great thing, you would do it! Right? ˻So you should obey him even if he tells you something easy.˼ And he said, 'Wash, and you will be pure and clean.’” 14So Naaman did what the man of God ˻(Elisha)˼ said. Naaman went down and dipped himself in the Jordan River seven times. And Naaman became pure and clean! Naaman’s skin became soft like the skin of a baby. 15Naaman and all his group came back to the man of God ˻(Elisha)˼. He stood before Elisha and said, “Look, I now know there is no God in all the earth except in Israel! Now please accept a gift from me!” 16But Elisha said, “I serve the Lord. And I promise, as the Lord lives, I will not accept any gift.” Naaman tried hard to make Elisha take the gift, but Elisha refused. 17Then Naaman said, “If you won’t accept this gift, then at least do this for me. Let me have enough dirt from Israel to fill the baskets on two of my mules. Why? Because I will never again offer any burnt offering or sacrifice to any other gods. I will offer sacrifices only to the Lord! 18And I now pray the Lord will forgive me for this thing: In the future, my master ˻(the king of Aram)˼ will go into the temple of Rimmon to worship ˻that false god˼. The king will want to lean on me for support, so I must bow down in the temple of Rimmon. I now ask the Lord to forgive me when that happens.” 19Then Elisha said to Naaman, “Go in peace.” So Naaman left Elisha and went a short way. 20But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Look, my master ˻(Elisha)˼ has let Naaman the Aramean go without accepting the gift that he brought! As the Lord lives, I will run after Naaman and get something from him!” 21So Gehazi ran to Naaman. Naaman saw someone running after him. He stepped down from the chariot to meet Gehazi. Naaman said, “Is everything all right?” 22Gehazi said, “Yes, everything is all right. My master ˻(Elisha)˼ has sent me. He said, 'Look, two young men came to me. They were from the group of prophets in the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them 75 pounds of silver and two changes of clothes!” 23Naaman said, “Please, take 150 pounds!” Naaman persuaded Gehazi ˻to take the silver˼. Naaman put 150 pounds of silver in two bags and took two changes of clothes. Then Naaman gave these things to two of his servants. The servants carried these things for Gehazi. 24When Gehazi came to the hill, he took these things from the servants. Gehazi sent the servants away, and they left. Then Gehazi hid those things in the house. 25Gehazi came in and stood before his master ˻Elisha˼. Elisha said to Gehazi, “Where have you been Gehazi?” Gehazi said, “I didn’t go anywhere.” 26Elisha said to Gehazi, “That is not true! My heart was with you when the man ˻Naaman˼ turned from his chariot to meet you. This is not the time to take money, clothes, olives, grapes, sheep, cows, or men and women servants. 27Now, you and your children will catch Naaman’s disease. You will have leprosy forever!” When Gehazi left Elisha, Gehazi’s skin was as white as snow! Gehazi was sick with leprosy.