JPS - II Kings - 5

5:1  Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Aram, was a great man with his master, and held in esteem, because by him HaShem had given victory unto Aram; he was also a mighty man of valour, but he was a leper.

5:2  And the Arameans had gone out in bands, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife.

5:3  And she said unto her mistress: 'Would that my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! then would he recover him of his leprosy.'

5:4  And he went in, and told his lord, saying: `Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.'

5:5  And the king of Aram said: 'Go now, 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.

5:6  And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying: 'And now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.'

5:7  And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said: 'Am I G-d, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? but consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh an occasion against me.'

5:8  And it was so, when Elisha the man of G-d 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.'

5:9  So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariots, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.

5:10  And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying: 'Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come back to thee, and thou shalt be clean.'

5:11  But 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 HaShem his G-d, and wave his hand over the place, and recover the leper.

5:12  Are not Amanah and Pharpar, the 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.

5:13  And his servants came near, and spoke 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?'

5:14  Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of G-d; and his flesh came back like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

5:15  And he returned to the man of G-d, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him; and he said: 'Behold now, I know that there is no G-d in all the earth, but in Israel; now therefore, I pray thee, take a present of thy servant.'

5:16  But he said: 'As HaShem liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none.' And he urged him to take it; but he refused.

5:17  And Naaman said: 'If not, yet I pray thee let there 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 HaShem.

5:18  In this thing HaShem pardon thy servant: when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I prostrate myself in the house of Rimmon, when I prostrate myself in the house of Rimmon, HaShem pardon thy servant in this thing.'

5:19  And he said unto him: 'Go in peace.' So he departed from him some way.

5:20  But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of G-d, said: 'Behold, my master hath spared this Naaman the Aramean, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought; as HaShem liveth, I will surely run after him, and take somewhat of him.'

5:21  So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw one running after him, he alighted from the chariot to meet him, and said: 'Is all well?'

5:22  And he said: 'All is well. My master hath sent me, saying: Behold, even now there are come to me from the hill-country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets; give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of raiment.'

5:23  And Naaman said: 'Be content, take two talents.' And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of raiment, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bore them before him.

5:24  And when he came to the hill, he took them from their hand, and deposited them in the house; and he let the men go, and they departed.

5:25  But 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.'

5:26  And he said unto him: 'Went not my heart with thee, when the man turned back 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 men-servants and maid-servants?

5:27  The 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.