Naaman was general of the army under the king
of Aram. He was important to his master, who held
him in the highest esteem because it was by him that
God had given victory to Aram: a truly great man, but
afflicted with a grievous skin disease. It so happened
that Aram, on one of its raiding expeditions against
Israel, captured a young girl who became a maid to
Naaman's wife.
One day she said to her mistress, "Oh, if only my master
could meet the prophet of Samaria, he would be healed of
his skin disease." Naaman went straight to his master and
reported what the girl from Israel had said. "Well then, go,"
said the king of Aram. "And I'll send a letter of introduction
to the king of Israel." So he went off, taking with him about
750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothes.
Naaman delivered the letter to the king of Israel.
The letter read, "When you get this letter, you'll
know that I've personally sent my servant Naaman
to you; heal him of his skin disease."
When the king of Israel read the letter, he was terribly
upset, ripping his robe to pieces. He said, "Am I a god
with the power to bring death or life that I get orders to
heal this man from his disease? What's going on here?
That king's trying to pick a fight, that's what!" Elisha
the man of God heard what had happened, that the king
of Israel was so distressed that he'd ripped his robe to
shreds. He sent word to the king, "Why are you so upset,
ripping your robe like this? Send him to me so he'll learn
that there's a prophet in Israel."
So Naaman with his horses and chariots arrived in style
and stopped at Elisha's door. Elisha sent out a servant to
meet him with this message: "Go to the River Jordan and
immerse yourself seven times. Your skin will be healed and
you'll be as good as new." Naaman lost his temper. He turned
on his heel saying, "I thought he'd personally come out and
meet me, call on the name of God, wave his hand over the
diseased spot, and get rid of the disease. The Damascus rivers,
Abana and Pharpar, are cleaner by far than any of the rivers
in Israel. Why not bathe in them? I'd at least get clean."
He stomped off, mad as a hornet.
But his servants caught up with him and said, "Father,
if the prophet had asked you to do something hard and
heroic, wouldn't you have done it? So why not this simple
'wash and be clean'?" So he did it. He went down and
immersed himself in the Jordan seven times, following
the orders of the Holy Man. His skin was healed; it was
like the skin of a little baby. He was as good as new.
stood before him, and said, "I now know beyond a shadow
of a doubt that there is no God anywhere on earth other
than the God of Israel. In gratitude let me give you a gift."
