Naaman Is Healed

Context

Israel and Aram were neighboring kingdoms with a history of conflict. Elisha served as God’s prophet in Israel, but the person seeking his help in this story came from across the border. The situation raised a question that military power, royal authority, and great wealth could not answer: where could a powerful commander find cleansing from a disease no status could remove?

Story

Naaman commanded the army of Aram. He was brave and highly honored by his king, and the Lord had given Aram victory through him. Yet Naaman suffered from a serious skin disease.

During an Aramean raid, a young Israelite girl had been taken from her homeland and made to serve Naaman’s wife. She told her mistress that the prophet in Samaria could cure Naaman. Her words were reported to Naaman and then to the king of Aram.

The king sent Naaman to Israel with a letter, a great amount of silver and gold, and ten sets of clothing. The letter asked Israel’s king to cure Naaman. When the king of Israel read it, he tore his robes. He knew he had no power to heal and feared that the king of Aram was looking for an excuse to start a conflict.

When Elisha heard about the king’s distress, he sent word telling him to send Naaman to the prophet. Then Naaman would know that there was a prophet in Israel.

Naaman arrived at Elisha’s house with his horses and chariot. Elisha did not come outside to greet the famous commander. Instead, he sent a messenger instructing Naaman to wash in the Jordan River seven times. Then his skin would be restored, and he would be clean.

Naaman became furious. He had expected Elisha to come out, call upon the Lord, and wave his hand over the diseased place. He protested that the rivers of Damascus were better than any river in Israel. Could he not wash in them? He turned away in a rage.

His servants approached him respectfully. If the prophet had asked him to do some great thing, they reasoned, would he not have done it? How much more should he follow the simple instruction to wash and be clean?

Naaman listened. He went down into the Jordan and dipped himself seven times, just as the man of God had directed. His skin was restored like that of a young child, and he was clean.

Naaman returned to Elisha with his entire company. Standing before the prophet, he confessed that now he knew there was no God in all the world except in Israel. He urged Elisha to accept a gift, but Elisha declared that, as surely as the Lord lived, he would take nothing. Naaman continued to urge him, but the prophet refused.

Naaman then asked for as much Israelite soil as two mules could carry. He said that from then on he would offer sacrifices to no other god, but only to the Lord. He also raised a difficult matter concerning his service to the king. When his master entered the temple of Rimmon and leaned on Naaman’s arm, Naaman’s duty would involve bowing with him. He asked the Lord’s pardon for that situation.

Elisha answered, “Go in peace.”

After Naaman had traveled a short distance, Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, decided to get something from him. Gehazi ran after the commander. Naaman stepped down from his chariot to meet him and asked whether everything was all right.

Gehazi lied. He claimed that Elisha had sent him because two young men from the company of prophets had just arrived. He asked for silver and two sets of clothing for them. Naaman gladly gave him twice the amount of silver he requested and sent two servants to carry it.

When they reached the hill, Gehazi took the goods, hid them in the house, and dismissed the men. He then returned to Elisha. When the prophet asked where he had been, Gehazi answered that he had gone nowhere.

But Elisha knew what had happened. He asked whether this was a time to receive money, clothing, fields, livestock, and servants. Then he announced that Naaman’s disease would cling to Gehazi and his descendants from then on. Gehazi left Elisha’s presence with the disease, his skin white as snow.

What We Learned

• The captive Israelite girl had little control over her circumstances, yet her truthful witness set Naaman’s journey in motion.
• Naaman’s rank, wealth, and preferred ceremony could not secure his healing. He received God’s gift when pride gave way to humble obedience.
• Elisha’s refusal of payment showed that God’s power was not a service Naaman could purchase.
• Naaman’s confession marked a change in his worship, even as he faced a difficult responsibility in the house of Rimmon.
• Gehazi’s greed led him to deceive both Naaman and Elisha, bringing a specific and severe judgment upon him and his descendants.