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Naamani, komandant i ushtrisë së mbretit të Sirisë, ishte një njeri i madh dhe shumë i çmuar në sytë e zotit të tij, sepse nëpërmjet tij Zoti i kishte dhënë fitoren Sirisë; por ky njeri i madh dhe trim ishte lebroz.

Disa banda të Sirisë gjatë një sulmi për plaçkitje kishin marrë me vete nga vendi i Izraelit, si robinjë, një vajzë të vogël që kishte përfunduar si shërbëtore e gruas së Naamanit.

Ajo i tha zonjës së saj: "Po të mundte të shkonte zoti im te profeti që është në Samari, me siguri ky do ta shëronte nga lebra".

Kështu Naamani shkoi tek zoti e tij dhe ia tregoi çështjen, duke thënë: Vajza nga vendi i Izraelit ka thënë kështu e kështuu".

Atëherë mbreti i Sirisë tha: "Shko, pra, unë do t’i dërgoj një letër mbretit të Izraelit". Ai, pra, u nis duke marrë me vete dhjetë talente argjendi, gjashtë mijë sikla ari dhe dhjetë palë ndërresash.

I çoi mbretit të Izraelit gjithashtu letrën, në të cilën thuhej: "Kur të të arrijë kjo letër, dije që po të dërgoj shërbëtorin tim Naaman, që ta shërosh nga lebra".

Mbasi lexoi letrën, mbreti i Izraelit grisi rrobat e tij dhe tha: "A jam unë Perëndia, i pajisur me fuqinë të të shkaktojë vdekjen dhe ngjalljen, që ai më dërgon një njeri për ta shëruar nga lebra? Prandaj shikoni, që ai tani kërkon pretekse kundër meje".

Kur Eliseu, njeriu i Perëndisë, mësoi që mbreti i Izraelit kishte grisur rrobat e tij, dërgoi t’i thotë mbretit: "Pse i grise rrobat? Le të vijë ai njeri tek unë dhe do të mësojë që ka një profet në Izrael".

Kështu Naamani erdhi me kuajt dhe me qerret e tij dhe u ndal te porta e shtëpisë së Eliseut.

10 Atëherë Eliseu i dërgoi një lajmëtar për t’i thënë: "Shko të lahesh shtatë herë në Jordan dhe mishi yt do të kthehet si më parë dhe do të jesh i pastër".

11 Por Naamani u zemërua dhe iku, duke thënë: "Ja, unë mendoja: "Ai ka për të dalë me siguri përballë meje, do të ndalet, do të përmëndë emrin e Zotit, Perëndisë së tij, do të lëvizë dorën mbi pjesët e sëmura dhe do të më shërojë nga lebra".

12 Lumenjtë e Damaskut, Abanahu dhe Farpari, a nuk janë më të mirë se tërë ujërat e Izraelit? Nuk mund të lahesha në to dhe të bëhem i pastër?". Kështu u kthye dhe iku tërë inat.

13 Por shërbëtorët e tij iu afruan dhe i folën, duke i thënë: "Ati ynë, në qoftë se profeti do të kishte urdhëruar një gjë të madhe, ti a do ta kishe bërë? Aq më tepër tani që të ka thënë: "Lahu dhe do të pastrohesh"?".

14 Atëherë ai zbriti dhe u zhyt shtatë herë në Jordan, sipas fjalës së njeriut të Perëndisë, mishi i tij u bë si mishi i një fëmije të vogël dhe ai pastrua.

15 Pastaj u kthye me gjithë suitën e tij te njeriu i Perëndisë, shkoi e u paraqit para tij dhe tha: "Tani e pranoj që nuk ka asnjë Perëndi në gjithë dheun, përveç se në Izrael. Prandaj tani prano një dhuratë, të lutem, nga shërbëtori yt".

16 Por ai u përgjigj: "Ashtu siç është e vërtetë që rron Zoti, në prani të të cilit ndodhem, nuk kam për të pranuar asgjë". Naamani ngulte këmbë që të pranonte, por ai refuzonte.

17 Atëherë Naamani tha: "Me qenë se ti nuk do, lejo që t’i jepet shërbëtorit tënd aq tokë sa mund të mbajnë dy mushka, sepse shërbëtori yt nuk do t’u ofrojë më olokauste as flijime perëndive të tjera, por vetëm Zotit.

18 Megjithatë Zoti ta falë shërbëtorin e tij për këtë gjë: kur zoti im shkon në tempullin e Rimonit për të adhuruar dhe mbështetet në krahun tim, edhe do të bie përmbys në tempullin e Rimonit; Zoti ta falë shërbëtorin e tij për këtë gjë, kur unë do të bie përmbys në tempullin e Rimonit".

19 Profeti i tha: "Shko i qetë!". Kështu u nda prej tij dhe bëri një copë rrugë të mirë.

20 Por Gehazi, shërbëtori i Eliseut, njeriut të Perëndisë, tha me veten e tij: "Ja, zoti im është sjellë tepër mirë me Naamanin, me këtë Sirian, duke mos pranuar nga dora e tij atë që ai kishte sjellë; siç është e vërtetë që Zoti rron, do ta ndjekë nga pas dhe do të marr diçka prej tij".

21 Kështu Gehazi ndoqi Naamanin; kur Naamani pa që ai vraponte prapa tij, u hodh nga qerrja për t’i dalë përballë dhe i tha: "A shkon çdo gjë mirë?".

22 Ai u përgjigj: "Çdo gjë mirë. Zoti im më dërgon të të them: "Ja, pikërisht tani kanë ardhur tek unë nga krahina malore e Efraimit dy të rinj nga dishepujt e profetëve; të lutem, jepu atyre një talent argjendi dhe dy palë rroba"".

23 Atëherë Naamani tha: "Të lutem, prano dy talenta!," dhe insistoi me të. Pastaj lidhi dy talenta prej argjendi, në dy thasët me dy palë rroba dhe ua dorëzoi dy prej shërbëtorëve të tij, që i bartën para tij.

24 Kur arriti në kodër, mori thasët nga duart e tyre, i rivendosi në shtëpi; pastaj i ktheu prapa njerëzit, që ikën.

25 Pastaj shkoi të paraqitet përpara zotit të tij, Eliseu i tha: "Ku ke vajtur, Gehazi?". Ai u përgjigj: "Shërbëtori yt nuk ka vajtur asgjëkundi".

26 Por Eliseu i tha: "Fryma ime, vallë a nuk të ka ndjekur, kur ai njeri u kthye prapa nga qerrja e tij që të të dalë përpara? Vallë, tani është çasti për të marrë para, për të marrë rroba, ullishte dhe vreshta, dele dhe lopë, skllevër dhe skllave?

27 Prandaj lebra e Naamanit do të të ngjitet ty dhe pasardhësve të tu përjetë". Kështu Gehazi doli nga prania e Eliseut lebroz i tëri, i bardhë si bora.

Naaman Healed of Leprosy

Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram.(A) He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.[a](B)

Now bands of raiders(C) from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet(D) who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”

Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents[b] of silver, six thousand shekels[c] of gold and ten sets of clothing.(E) The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”

As soon as the king of Israel read the letter,(F) he tore his robes and said, “Am I God?(G) Can I kill and bring back to life?(H) Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel(I) with me!”

When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet(J) in Israel.” So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash(K) yourself seven times(L) in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.”

11 But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand(M) over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters(N) of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage.(O)

13 Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father,(P) 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’!” 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times,(Q) as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored(R) and became clean like that of a young boy.(S)

15 Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God(T). He stood before him and said, “Now I know(U) that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift(V) from your servant.”

16 The prophet answered, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.” And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.(W)

17 “If you will not,” said Naaman, “please let me, your servant, be given as much earth(X) as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the Lord. 18 But may the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning(Y) on my arm and I have to bow there also—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this.”

19 “Go in peace,”(Z) Elisha said.

After Naaman had traveled some distance, 20 Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, “My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the Lord(AA) lives, I will run after him and get something from him.”

21 So Gehazi hurried after Naaman. When Naaman saw him running toward him, he got down from the chariot to meet him. “Is everything all right?” he asked.

22 “Everything is all right,” Gehazi answered. “My master sent me to say, ‘Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent[d] of silver and two sets of clothing.’”(AB)

23 “By all means, take two talents,” said Naaman. He urged Gehazi to accept them, and then tied up the two talents of silver in two bags, with two sets of clothing. He gave them to two of his servants, and they carried them ahead of Gehazi. 24 When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the things from the servants and put them away in the house. He sent the men away and they left.

25 When he went in and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?”

“Your servant didn’t go anywhere,” Gehazi answered.

26 But Elisha said to him, “Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time(AC) to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves?(AD) 27 Naaman’s leprosy(AE) will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Then Gehazi(AF) went from Elisha’s presence and his skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow.(AG)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 5:1 The Hebrew for leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin; also in verses 3, 6, 7, 11 and 27.
  2. 2 Kings 5:5 That is, about 750 pounds or about 340 kilograms
  3. 2 Kings 5:5 That is, about 150 pounds or about 69 kilograms
  4. 2 Kings 5:22 That is, about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms

Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.

And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife.

And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.

And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.

And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.

And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.

And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.

And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.

So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.

10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.

11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.

12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.

13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?

14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.

16 But he said, As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.

17 And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the Lord.

18 In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing.

19 And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.

20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.

21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?

22 And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.

23 And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.

24 And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.

25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.

26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?

27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.