2 Kings 5 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Naaman was the commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a powerful man, highly respected by his master, because through him Yahweh had given Aram a great military victory. He was a mighty warrior — but he had a skin disease.

Now Aramean raiding parties had gone out and captured a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman's wife.

She said to her mistress, "If only my master would go see the prophet in Samaria! He could heal him of his skin disease."

Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said.

"Go ahead," the king of Aram said. "I'll send a letter to the king of Israel." So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of clothing.

He brought the letter to the king of Israel. It read: "When this letter reaches you, know that I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may heal him of his skin disease."

When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, "Am I God, that I can kill and bring back to life? Why is this man sending someone to me to be healed of a skin disease? Look — he's clearly trying to pick a fight with me!"

When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent word to the king: "Why have you torn your clothes? Have the man come to me, and he'll know that there is a prophet in Israel."

So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha's house.

Elisha sent a messenger out to him, saying, "Go wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your skin will be restored and you'll be clean."

But Naaman stormed off in a rage. He said, "I thought he would at least come out himself, stand there, call on the name of Yahweh his God, wave his hand over the spot, and cure the skin disease!"

"Aren't the Abanah and the Pharpar — the rivers of Damascus — better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn't I wash in them and be clean?" And he turned and left in a fury.

But his servants came up to him and said, "Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something difficult, wouldn't you have done it? How much more when he simply says, 'Wash, and be clean'?"

So he went down and plunged himself into the Jordan seven times, just as the man of God had said. And his skin was restored like the skin of a young boy, and he was clean.

Then he and his whole entourage went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, "Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. Please, accept a gift from your servant."

But Elisha said, "As surely as Yahweh lives — the one I serve — I will not accept anything." Naaman urged him to take it, but he refused.

"If not," said Naaman, "then please let your servant be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry. Because your servant will never again make burnt offerings or sacrifices to any god except Yahweh."

"But may Yahweh forgive your servant for this one thing: when my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to bow down, and he leans on my arm so that I also bow down in the temple of Rimmon — when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may Yahweh forgive your servant for this."

Elisha said to him, "Go in peace." So Naaman left him and traveled some distance.

But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought to himself, "My master let this Aramean Naaman off too easy by not accepting what he brought. As surely as Yahweh lives, I'm going to run after him and get something from him."

So Gehazi chased after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from his chariot to meet him and asked, "Is everything all right?"

"Everything's fine," Gehazi answered. "My master sent me to say, 'Two young men from the guild of the prophets just arrived from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.'"

"Please, take two talents," Naaman insisted. He urged Gehazi and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, along with two sets of clothing, and gave them to two of his servants, who carried them ahead of Gehazi.

When Gehazi reached the hill, he took the items from the servants and stashed them inside the house. Then he sent the men away, and they left.

Then he went in and stood before his master. Elisha asked him, "Where have you been, Gehazi?" "Your servant didn't go anywhere," he answered.

But Elisha said to him, "Wasn't my spirit right there with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to accept silver, clothing, olive groves, vineyards, sheep, cattle, and male and female servants?"

"Naaman's skin disease will cling to you and your descendants forever." And Gehazi left Elisha's presence, his skin white as snow with disease.