Naaman Cured of Leprosy
Naaman is introduced as a great Aramean commander whose honor cannot remove his leprosy. Help enters the story through an Israelite servant girl, whose quiet word sets him on the road to the prophet.
N1ow Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man in his master’s sight and highly regarded, for through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. And he was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. 2At this time the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken a young girl from the land of Israel, and she was serving Naaman’s wife. 3She said to her mistress, “If only my master would go to the prophet who is in Samaria, he would cure him of his leprosy.” 4And Naaman went and told his master what the girl from the land of Israel had said.
The king of Aram sends Naaman to Israel's king with a letter, but the king of Israel reads it as a threat and tears his clothes. Elisha intervenes and calls Naaman to come, so he may know there is a prophet in Israel.
5“Go now,” said the king of Aram, “and I will send you with a letter to the king of Israel.” 6And the letter that he took to the king of Israel stated: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman, so that you may cure him of his leprosy.” 7When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and asked, “Am I God, killing and giving life, that this man expects me to cure a leper? Surely you can see that he is seeking a quarrel with me!” 8Now when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king: “Why have you torn your clothes? Please let the man come to me, and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
Naaman arrives with visible greatness, but Elisha answers with only a messenger and a command to wash in the Jordan. Offended by the simplicity, Naaman resists until his servants persuade him, and when he obeys, he is made clean.
9So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house. 10Then Elisha sent him a messenger, who said, “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored, and you will be clean.” 11But Naaman went away angry, saying, “I thought that he would surely come out, stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the spot to cure my leprosy. 12Are not the Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not have washed in them and been cleansed?” So he turned and went away in a rage. 13Naaman’s servants, however, approached him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’?” 14So Naaman went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored and became like that of a little child, and he was clean.