There was a man whose name was Naaman who lived in a country near Israel, called Syria.

 

 

He was the top man over the army of the king of Syria.

 

 

 

 

He got a bad disease called leprosy that was going to eat him all up. And no one knew what to do to help him.

 

 

 

 

Naaman’s wife had a little servant girl from Israel who said, I wish that Naaman were with the prophet in Israel. He would cure the leprosy and make it be all gone forever.

When the king over Syria heard what the little girl had said, He sent Naaman to the king of Israel with a letter and 10 bags of silver, 6,000 pieces of gold, and 10 new suits of clothes to get cured from the leprosy.

Naaman came to the king if Israel with the letter and the king was upset and tore his clothes. He couldn’t cure from leprosy. He said, Am I God to kill and make alive?

When Elisha, the man who spoke for God in Israel, heard that the king tore his clothes, he sent a message to the king that said, Why have you torn your clothes? Send the man to me. He will know there is a man in Israel with God’s power.

 

 

 

So the king sent Naaman to Elisha’s house. Naaman stood outside Elisha’s house with his horses and chariot. Elisha sent a message outside telling Naaman to go wash in the Jordan River seven times.

Naaman got angry that Elisha didn’t come out to see him and speak words over the leprosy. He rode away really mad, saying, Don’t we have better rivers at home in Damascus?

Then his servants came to him and asked, If the man of God had told you to do a hard thing wouldn’t you have done it? This is so easy, wash and be clean.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So Naaman went and dipped in the Jordan River seven times

 

 

 

and his leprosy disappeared and his skin was new like a little child.

Then Naaman went back to the house of the man of God and told him, Now I know that there is no God in all the earth but your God, the God in Israel.

 

 

 

 

 

Naaman said to Elisha, Please take a blessing from the gold and silver and clothing that I have brought.

 

 

 

 

Elisha said, As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will not take anything. God’s gift of healing to you is free.

 

 

 

 

 

Naaman tried to get Elisha to take a gift, but Elisha refused.

 

Then Naaman said, Please let me take 2 mule loads of dirt to make an altar at my house to worship. From now on I will only worship the Lord.

And please ask the Lord to pardon me when I go with my master into the house of his god to worship because he leans on my arm to bow down. Please ask the Lord to forgive this thing.

 

 

Elisha told Naaman, Go in peace. You now have forgiveness and peace with God.

 

 

 

 

 

Then Naaman left and went back to his homeland, Syria.

 

 

But Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, kept thinking about all that gold and silver and clothing that Naaman brought.

 

He thought of how he could buy a vineyard and sheep and cows and servants with it.

So he chased after Naaman and lied to him, saying, Elisha sent me to say, Two men have come to us who need some money and clothes. Will you give us a bag of silver and two changes of clothes for them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Naaman gave Gehazi two bags of silver and two changes of clothes. Gehazi took them and hid them in the house.

When he came to Elisha, Elisha asked him, Where have you been? Gehazi said, No place. Then Elisha said, Did not my heart go out when Naaman the Syrian turned his chariot around to meet you?


 

 

 

 

Is it the time to buy vineyards and sheep and cows and servants?

Because you have loved money more than God, the leprosy of Naaman will stick to you and your family from now on. When Gehazi left Elisha he had the white spots of leprosy all over his skin.