Book 11 : NEVIIM - II KINGS - Chapter 005
05:001
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
05:002
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
05:003
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.
05:004
And he went in, and told his lord, saying: `Thus and thus
said the maid that is of the land of Israel.
05:005
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
05:006
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.
05:007
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.
05:008
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.
05:009
So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariots, and
stood at the door of the house of Elisha
05:010
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.
05:011
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
05:012
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
05:013
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?
05:014
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
05:015
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.
05:016
But he said: 'As HaShem liveth, before whom I stand, I
will receive none.' And he urged him to take it; but he refused
05:017
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
05:018
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.
05:019
And he said unto him: 'Go in peace.' So he departed from
him some way
05:020
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.
05:021
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?
05:022
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.
05:023
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
05:024
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
05:025
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.
05:026
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
05:027
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
Book 11 : NEVIIM - II KINGS - Chapter 005
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