The people who lived in the country just north of Israel were called Syrians. They were heathen people and had never been taught about the true God. They worshiped a god called Rimmon, and built temples for this god in their cities.
While Elisha was the prophet in Israel, the Syrians sometimes came down in small companies to steal from the Israelites. They would steal anything valuable that they could find and carry the stolen goods back to their own land to sell. They even stole children, and sold them for slaves to the rich people of Syria.
One time a robber hand of Syrians came into the land of Israel and stole a little girl away from her mother’s home. They stole other things, too, and then went back to sell them to their own people. They sold the little girl to the rich captain of the Syrian army, a man named Naaman, and Naaman brought the child to his wife to become her servant.
Naaman’s wife was kind to her little servant, and after a while the child began to like her new home. Of course she missed her dear […] Perhaps they thought he was sending for the prophet to come to the palace and cure Naaman there.
But the King of Israel was not preparing to do some great deed. He was greatly troubled when he read the letter that Naaman had brought. He said, “Does the King of Syria think I am God, that I can kill and make alive? Why has he sent this leprous man to me that I should make him well? Surely he is only trying to find an excuse to make war against my country.” Then he tore his clothes to show that he was in distress, for he did not know what to do. If he had been a good King, one who served the true God of Israel, then he might have thought at once of the good prophet, Elisha; but the King of Israel was worshiping idols and he did not love and serve God. He did not honor God’s prophet as he should have done.
And still Naaman and his servants were waiting for an answer from the King. They wondered why he was so slow. They did not know how greatly their letter had troubled him. And while they waited, Elisha sent to the King and asked, “Why have you torn your clothes? Send the leprous man to me, that he may know there is a prophet in Israel.”
The King of Israel was glad for this way out of his trouble, and he hurriedly sent Naaman and his servants to Elisha’s house. And Elisha sent his servant down to speak to Naaman, to tell him that if he wished to be cured of his disease he should go down to the muddy waters of the Jordan River and dip himself seven times.
Naaman was a proud man, and he was much offended when Elisha would not come out to speak with him. He turned angrily away from Elisha’s gate and started back toward Syria. “Why should I go down to that muddy river and bathe?” he stormed. “If bathing can make me well of this disease, then I will bathe in the clear waters of our rivers at home.’
But Naaman’s servants knew that bathing alone would never cure their master of the leprosy. They knew he should obey the prophet’s words if he wished to be cured. And they felt sad to see him turn away in anger from Elisha’s gate. One of them came to Naaman and said, “If this prophet of Israel had come out and told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? Then why not do this simple act and be cured of your disease?”
Although Naaman was proud, yet he was sensible enough to listen to his servant. And he saw at once that he was acting foolishly by refusing to do as Elisha had commanded. So he told his driver to turn toward Jordan, and he went down into the river and dipped his body under the water seven times. And his leprosy disappeared so completely that not one sign of it remained.
Now Naaman was very happy. He was glad because he had obeyed Elisha’s words, and he hurried back to Elisha’s house. This time the prophet came out and spoke to him. And Naaman said: “Now I know there is no God in all the earth but in Israel. Let me give you a present to show how thankful I am because you have cured me of this disease.” But Elisha would take no present. He wanted to teach this stranger from a heathen land that God’s gifts can not be bought with money. Then Naaman asked if he might take some earth from the land of Israel and carry it back to Syria. With this he wanted to build an altar San Se hia OR where he could worship the true God in his own country. He thought God would not be pleased with an altar that had been built of soil from a heathen country. And he promised that hereafter he would no longer worship the idols, which can neither see nor hear nor help in times of need. Then he turned and started toward his homeland. Now Elisha’s servant had seen the gifts that Naaman wished to give to his master, and he was unhappy because Elisha had refused to take them. He thought of all the things which that money could buy, and the longer he thought about these things the more he wanted to get the money. After Naaman started away, and Elisha went back into his house again, this servant decided to try to get some of the money. So he ran quickly down the road to overtake Naaman, and when Naaman saw him following he stopped his chariot and turned to meet the servant. Gehazi, for this was the servant’s name, said, “After you left my master’s house two young men came who are in need, and my master has sent to ask you to give them some silver money and some new clothes.” Naaman believed the story, and was glad to give the money and the clothes to Gehazi. He gave even more than Gehazi asked for, and sent the gift back with two of his servants.
Gehazi was careful that Elisha should not see him. He left the gift in a secret place and sent the servants away. Then he came into the house where Elisha sat, and Elisha asked, “Where have you been?” Gehazi answered, “I have not been away.” But Elisha knew the words were not true. He knew about Gehazi’s sin, and he said, “My heart went with you when you followed Naaman and brought back that present.” Then he rebuked Gehazi for the great wrong that he had done, and he said, “Because you have desired riches more than to please God, the leprosy of Naaman shall come upon you.” And from that hour Gehazi was always a leper.