Elisha Heals Naaman
1 Naaman was the commander of the Syrian army. The Lord had helped him and his troops defeat their enemies, so the king of Syria respected Naaman very much. Naaman was a brave soldier, but he had leprosy.
2 One day while the Syrian troops were raiding Israel, they captured a girl, and she became a servant of Naaman's wife. 3 Some time later the girl said, “If your husband Naaman would go to the prophet in Samaria, he would be cured of his leprosy.”
4 When Naaman told the king what the girl had said, 5 the king replied, “Go ahead! I will give you a letter to take to the king of Israel.”
Naaman left and took along 30,000 pieces of silver, 6,000 pieces of gold, and 10 new outfits. 6 He also carried the letter to the king of Israel. It said, “I am sending my servant Naaman to you. Would you cure him of his leprosy?”
7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes in fear and shouted, “That Syrian king believes I can cure this man of leprosy! Does he think I'm God with power over life and death? He must be trying to pick a fight with me.”
8 As soon as Elisha the prophet heard what had happened, he sent the Israelite king this message: “Why are you so afraid? Send the man to me, so that he will know there is a prophet in Israel.”
9 Naaman left with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha's house. 10 Elisha sent someone outside to say to him, “Go wash seven times in the Jordan River. Then you'll be completely cured.”
11 But Naaman stormed off, grumbling, “Why couldn't he come out and talk to me? I thought for sure he would stand in front of me and pray to the Lord his God, then wave his hand over my skin and cure me. 12 What about the Abana River or the Pharpar River? Those rivers in Damascus are just as good as any river in Israel. I could have washed in them and been cured.”
13 His servants went over to him and said, “Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something difficult, you would have done it. So why don't you do what he said? Go wash and be cured.”
14 Naaman walked down to the Jordan; he waded out into the water and stooped down in it seven times, just as Elisha had told him. At once, he was cured, and his skin became as smooth as a child's.
15 Naaman and his officials went back to Elisha. Naaman stood in front of him and announced, “Now I know that the God of Israel is the only God in the whole world. Sir, would you please accept a gift from me?”
16 “I am a servant of the living Lord,” Elisha answered, “and I swear that I will not take anything from you.”
Naaman kept begging, but Elisha kept refusing. 17 Finally Naaman said, “If you won't accept a gift, then please let me take home as much soil as two mules can pull in a wagon. Sir, from now on I will offer sacrifices only to the Lord. 18 But I pray that the Lord will forgive me when I go into the temple of the god Rimmon and bow down there with the king of Syria.”
19 “Go on home, and don't worry about that,” Elisha replied. Then Naaman left.
Elisha Places a Curse on Gehazi
After Naaman had gone only a short distance, 20 Gehazi said to himself, “Elisha let that Syrian off too easy. He should have taken Naaman's gift. I swear by the living Lord that I will talk to Naaman myself and get something from him.” 21 So he hurried after Naaman.
When Naaman saw Gehazi running after him, he got out of his chariot to meet him. Naaman asked, “Is everything all right?”
22 “Yes,” Gehazi answered. “But my master has sent me to tell you about two young prophets from the hills of Ephraim. They came asking for help, and now Elisha wants to know if you would give them 3,000 pieces of silver and some new clothes?”
23 “Sure,” Naaman replied. “But why don't you take twice that amount of silver?” He convinced Gehazi to take it all, then put the silver in two bags. He handed the bags and the clothes to his two servants, and they carried them for Gehazi.
24 When they reached the hill where Gehazi lived, he took the bags from the servants and placed them in his house, then sent the men away. After they had gone, 25 Gehazi went in and stood in front of Elisha, who asked, “Gehazi, where have you been?”
“Nowhere, sir,” Gehazi answered.
26 Elisha asked, “Don't you know that my spirit was there when Naaman got out of his chariot to talk with you? Gehazi, you have no right to accept money or clothes, olive orchards or vineyards, sheep or cattle, or servants. 27 Because of what you've done, Naaman's leprosy will now be on you and your descendants forever!”
Suddenly, Gehazi's skin became white with leprosy, and he left.
Naamāna dziedināšana
1 Arāmas ķēniņa karaspēka virspavēlnieks Naamāns bija godājams vīrs savam kungam un baudīja tā labvēlību, jo caur viņu Kungs bija devis Arāmam uzvaru. Viņš bija varonīgs vīrs, taču sirga ar spitālību. 2 Aramieši bija gājuši sirot un sagūstījuši jaunu meiteni no Israēla zemes. Viņa kļuva par Naamāna sievas kalponi. 3 Un viņa teica savai kundzei: “Ak, ja mans kungs tiktu pie pravieša, kurš ir Samarijā, tad tas viņam noņemtu spitālību.” 4 Naamāns gāja un teica savam kungam: “Meitene no Israēla zemes sacīja tā un tā.” 5 Arāmas ķēniņš sacīja: “Dodies ceļā, un es sūtīšu Israēla ķēniņam vēstuli.” Tas ņēma desmit talantus sudraba, sešus tūkstošus zelta naudas, desmit kārtas tērpu un devās ceļā. 6 Viņš aiznesa Israēla ķēniņam vēstuli, kurā bija teikts: “Tagad, kad tu saņem šo vēstuli, redzi, es esmu tev sūtījis savu kalpu Naamānu, lai tu viņam noņem spitālību.” 7 Kad Israēla ķēniņš izlasīja vēstuli, viņš saplēsa drānas un sacīja: “Vai es esmu Dievs, kas nonāvē un dara dzīvu, ka viņš pie manis sūta šo vīru, lai noņemu tam spitālību, – jūs taču zināt un redzat, ka viņš meklē strīdu!”
8 Dieva vīrs Elīša dzirdēja, ka Israēla ķēniņš ir saplēsis drānas, un sūtīja pie viņa, lai teiktu: “Kāpēc tu plēs savas drānas? Lai taču viņš nāk pie manis un zina, ka Israēlā ir pravietis!” 9 Un Naamāns nāca ar saviem zirgiem un ratiem un apstājās pie Elīšas nama durvīm. 10 Tad Elīša izsūtīja pie viņa ziņnesi un lika teikt: “Ej mazgājies Jardānā septiņas reizes, tad tava miesa būs šķīsta!” 11 Bet Naamāns sadusmojās un aizgāja, sacīdams: “Redzi, es domāju – viņš iznāks ārā pie manis, nostāsies, piesauks Kunga, sava Dieva, vārdu, braucīs to vietu ar roku un tā noņems spitālību! 12 Vai tad Damaskas upes Abāna un Parpara nav labākas par visiem Israēla ūdeņiem! Vai es nevarēju mazgāties tajās un kļūt šķīsts?” Un viņš aizgāja dusmīgs. 13 Bet viņa kalpi nāca pie tā un runāja: “Ak, mūsu tēvs, ja pravietis būtu licis tev darīt kādu grūtu lietu, vai tu to nedarītu? Tad klausi jo vairāk, kad viņš tev saka: mazgājies, un tu kļūsi šķīsts!” 14 Tad viņš nokāpa pie upes un iegremdējās Jardānā septiņas reizes, kā Dieva vīrs bija teicis, – un viņa miesa kļuva kā jaunam zēnam, un viņš bija šķīsts.
15 Tad viņš kopā ar pavadoņiem atgriezās pie Dieva vīra. Viņš nāca, nostājās tā priekšā un sacīja: “Ak, tagad es zinu, ka citur visā zemē nav Dieva, kā tikai Israēlā! Un nu, lūdzams, pieņem kādu dāvanu no sava kalpa!” 16 Bet viņš atbildēja: “Dzīvs Kungs, kura priekšā es stāvu! Es neņemšu.” Tas viņu mudināja ņemt, bet viņš atteicās. 17 Naamāns sacīja: “Ja ne, tad lai tavam kalpam dod zemi, cik pāris mūļu var panest, jo tavs kalps vairs nenesīs citiem dieviem sadedzināmos upurus, vienīgi Kungam. 18 Bet lai Kungs piedod tavam kalpam tikai šo – kad mans kungs ieies Rimmona namā, lai tur zemotos, viņš atbalstīsies uz manas rokas, un tad arī es zemošos Rimmona namā. Lai jel Kungs piedod tavam kalpam, ka es zemošos Rimmona namā!” 19 Elīša sacīja: “Ej ar mieru!” Un tas aizgāja no viņa kādu ceļa gabalu.
Gēhazī mantkārība
20 Tad Gēhazī, Dieva vīra Elīšas puisis, nodomāja: “Redzi, mans kungs ir saudzējis Naamānu, šo aramieti, neņemdams neko no tā, ko viņš bija atnesis. Dzīvs Kungs! Es skriešu tam pakaļ un kaut ko no viņa dabūšu.” 21 Gēhazī steidzās pakaļ Naamānam. Kad Naamāns ieraudzīja kādu skrienam pakaļ, viņš izkāpa no ratiem, nāca tam pretī un jautāja: “Vai viss ir kārtībā?” 22 Tas sacīja: “Viss kārtībā! Mans kungs sūta pateikt: redzi, no Efraima kalniem tikko pie manis atnāca divi jaunekļi, praviešu dēli, dod tiem talantu sudraba un divas kārtas tērpu!” 23 Naamāns sacīja: “Ņem jel divus sudraba talantus!” Un viņš spieda viņu tos ņemt un iesēja divus sudraba talantus divos maisos kopā ar divām kārtām tērpu, lika diviem puišiem tos nest tam pa priekšu. 24 Kad viņi sasniedza pakalnu, tas visu no viņiem paņēma un ienesa namā. Viņš atlaida vīrus, un tie aizgāja. 25 Tad viņš nāca un stājās sava kunga priekšā, bet Elīša viņam jautāja: “No kurienes tu nāc, Gēhazī?” Viņš atbildēja: “Nekur tavs kalps nav gājis!”
26 Elīša viņam teica: “Vai es garā negāju tev līdzi, kad tas vīrs nāca no saviem ratiem tev pretī? Vai šis ir laiks ņemt sudrabu un tērpus, olīvkokus un vīnadārzus, avis un vēršus, kalpus un kalpones? 27 Naamāna spitālība pielips tev un taviem pēcnācējiem uz mūžiem!” Un Gēhazī aizgāja no viņa spitālīgs, balts kā sniegs.
