136 – Naaman
II Kings 5:1-14
Naaman was the commander of the Syrian army. He was a brave warrior and led his men to win many victories. His king considered him a great man. During one of their wars with Israel, he captured a young girl and brought her back to be a servant for his wife.
In time, Naaman realized he had leprosy, a crippling disease of the skin. The young slave girl said, “I wish my master could go to Israel. They have a prophet who’s able to heal people, even those with leprosy.”
Naaman told this to the king. Immediately, the king made preparations to send Naaman to the king of Israel. He sent gifts of gold, silver, and fine clothes along with a letter saying, “I’m sending my servant Naaman so you can cure him of leprosy.”
The king of Israel was shocked when he read the letter. He ripped his clothes and yelled, “Who does he think I am? I’m not God. I can’t cure people of leprosy! He’s trying to start a war with me.”
Elisha heard about this and sent a message to the king. “Why are you ripping your clothes? Send the man to me so he’ll know there’s a prophet in Israel.”
So Naaman and his men rode to the prophet’s house and stood outside. Elisha sent his servant Gehazi out with this message. “Go down to the Jordan River and wash seven times. After you’re done, you’ll be healed of leprosy.”
Naaman couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He became furious and stormed away. He said, “A true prophet would come out and stand in front of me. He’d pray to the Lord and wave his hand over my skin. If I thought washing in a river would help, I’d bathe in one of the beautiful rivers of Syria—not a dirty river like the Jordan.”
His servants said to him, “My father, if the prophet had asked you to do something hard, you would’ve done it. But he told you to do something easy—wash and be clean.”
So Naaman went to the Jordan River and dipped into it seven times. Suddenly his skin was healed just as the prophet said it would be. In fact, it was like the skin of a young boy.
Continued in the next story
