MELAKIM 2-5

1 And Na’aman, commander of the army of the sovereign of Aram, was a great man in the eyes of his master, and highly respected, because by him 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 had given deliverance to Aram. And though a brave man, was leprous.

2 And the Arameans had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Yisra’ĕl, and she served the wife of Na’aman.

3 And she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the naḇi who is in Shomeron! Then he would recover him of his leprosy.”

4 And Na’aman went in and reported to his master, saying, “Thus and thus spoke the girl who is from the land of Yisra’ĕl.”

5 And the sovereign of Aram said, “Go, enter, and let me send a letter to the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl.” And he went and took with him ten kiḵars of silver, and six thousand gold, and ten changes of garments.

6 And he brought the letter to the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl, which said, “And now, when this letter comes to you, see I have sent Na’aman my servant to you, so that you shall recover him of his leprosy.”

7 And it came to be, when the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl read the letter, that he tore his garments and said, “Am I Elohim, to kill and keep alive, that this man sends a man to me to recover him of his leprosy? For consider now, and see how he is seeking an occasion with me!”

8 And it came to be, when Elisha the man of Elohim heard that the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl had torn his garments, that he sent to sovereign, saying, “Why have you torn your garments? Please let him come to me, so that he knows that there is a naḇi in Yisra’ĕl.”

9 So Na’aman came with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the entrance of the house of Elisha.

10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go, and you shall wash seven times in the Yardĕn, that your flesh might be restored to you, and be clean.”

11 But Na’aman became wroth, and went away and said, “See, I said to myself, ‘He would certainly come out to me, and stand and call on the Name of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 his Elohim, and wave his hand over the place, and recover, the leprosy.’

12 “Are not the Aḇanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Dammeseq, better than all the waters of Yisra’ĕl? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” And he turned and went away in a rage.

13 And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the naḇi had spoken to you a great matter, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”

14 Then he went down and dipped seven times in the Yardĕn, according to the word of the man of Elohim. And his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

15 And he returned to the man of Elohim, he and all his company, and came and stood before him and said, “See, now I know that there is no Elohim in all the earth, except in Yisra’ĕl. And now, please take a gift from your servant.”

16 But he said, “As 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 lives, before whom I stand, I do not accept it.” And he pressed on him to accept it, but he refused.

17 Then Na’aman said, “If not, please let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth, for no longer is your servant going to make a burnt offering and slaughtering to other mighty ones, but to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.

18 “𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 grant forgiveness to your servant in this matter: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow down in the house of Rimmon; when I bow down in the house of Rimmon, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, please grant forgiveness to your servant in this matter.”

19 Then he said to him, “Go in peace.” And he walked from him some distance.

20 But Gĕḥazi, the servant of Elisha the man of Elohim, said, “Look, my master has spared Na’aman this Aramean, while not receiving from his hands what he brought. But as 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 lives, I shall run after him and take whatever from him.”

21 And Gĕḥazi pursued Na’aman. And when Na’aman saw him running after him, he came down from the chariot to meet him, and said, “Is there peace?”

22 And he said, “Peace. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Look, even now two young men of the sons of the neḇi’im have come to me from the mountains of Ephrayim. Please give them a kikar of silver and two changes of garments.’ ”

23 And Na’aman said, “Please accept two kiḵars.” And he urged him, and bound two kiḵars of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and handed them to two of his servants. And they bore them ahead of him.

24 And when he came to the high place, he took them from their hand, and stored them away in the house, and let the men go, and they went.

25 And he went in and stood before his master, and Elisha said to him, “Where did you go, Gĕḥazi?” And he said, “Your servant did not go anywhere.”

26 But he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it time to accept silver and to accept garments, and olive trees and vineyards, and sheep and cattle, and male and female servants?

27 “So let the leprosy of Na’aman cling to you and your descendants forever.” And he went out from him as leprous as snow.