References (11)
Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. [The king of Aram is Ben-Hadad II, who reigned from 860 to 841 BC in the area around Damascus in Syria.] Naaman had great influence with his master, for through him the Lord (Yahweh) had given the Arameans military victories. But this great warrior suffered from a severe skin disease (Hebr. ).
[The Hebr. word is a general term for various types of skin diseases that spread. It is a type of mold. Most Bible scholars believe that it is not the leprosy that exists today, also known as Hansen's disease, see also .]
Smaller military units of the Arameans had gone out on raids, and among the captives they took in Israel was a young girl (teenager – Hebr. naarah) who became a slave to Naaman's wife.
And he gave the letter to the king of Israel and said, "Now that this letter has come to you, behold, I have sent Naaman, my servant, to you, that you may heal him of his skin disease."
So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stopped at the gate of Elisha's house.
Naaman became angry and went away, saying, "I thought he would come out to me personally, call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and thus remove the skin disease. [It was a common belief that a king could heal by waving his hand over a wound.]
And Naaman said, "If not, I beg you to let your servant receive two mule loads of earth (the amount of earth that two mules can carry), for your servant shall henceforth offer neither burnt offerings nor any other sacrifices to other gods, but only to the Lord (Yahweh).
But Gehazi, the servant (Hebr. naar) of Elisha, the man of God, said, "Look, my master has refused to accept anything from the hand of Naaman, the Aramean. As the Lord (Yahweh) lives, I will run after him and take something from him."
And Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from his chariot to meet him and said, "Is everything all right?"
And Naaman said, "Please take two talents." And he persuaded him and tied up two talents of silver in two bags with two changes of clothing and put them on two of his servants, and they carried them before him.
Therefore, Naaman's disease shall cling to you and your seed forever." And he went out from his presence, white as snow from the disease.
[Example 2 – Elisha and Naaman the leper, see :]
There were many lepers in Israel in the days of Elisha the prophet, and yet none of them was cured, only Naaman the Syrian."
