II Kings Chapter 5

Exposé | Moral

Arrogance and Greed Exposed

Another chapter that will prick if not rip your heart out!

Unless you are too arrogant or proud, this chapter will not teach you a lesson at all.

Melachim | Kings

Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram, was an eminent man before his master and well honored, for through him Hashem had granted victory to Aram. The man was a great warrior — a leper!
5:1
She said to her mistress, “My master’s prayers [should be brought] before the prophet who is in Samaria; for then he will heal him from his leprosy.”
5:3
He brought brought to the king of Israel the letter which said, “… and now, when this letter reaches you, behold I have sent my servant Naaman to you, that you should heal him from his leprosy.”
:6
When the king of Israel read the letter, he rent his garments and said, “Am I God that I can take an give life, that this person sends me [instructions] to heal a man of his leprosy? Understand and realize that he seeks a pretext against me!”
:7
When Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel rent his garments, he sent word to the king, saying, “Why did you rend your garments? Let him come to me now, and he will realize that there is a prophet in Israel!”
:8
Naaman came with his horses and chariot and stood at the entrance of Elisha’s house.
:9
Elisha sent him a messenger, saying, “Go and bathe seven times in the Jordan, your flesh will become normal again and you will be cleansed.”
:10
Naaman was enraged and left. He said, “Behold, I said [to myself] that he would surely come out to me, and stand and call in the Name of Hashem, his God, and wave his hand over the [diseased] area — and the leper would be healed!
:11
But his servants approached and spoke to him, and said, “My father, had the prophet told you to do a difficult thing, would you not have done it? How much more so [now] that he has told you ‘bathe and become cleansed.’”
:13
So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, in accordance with the word of the man of God, and his flesh became like the flesh of a young boy, and he became cleansed.
:14
He returned to the man of God, he and his entire retinue. He arrived and stood before him and said. “Behold, now I know that there is no God in the whole world except in Israel! And now, please accept a tribute from your servant.”
:15
But [Elisha] answered, “As Hashem before Whom I stood lives, [I swear that] I will not accept.” He urged him to accept, but he refused.
:16
… for your servant will never again offer a burnt-offering or any sacrifice to other gods, but only to Hashem. May Hashem forgive your servant for this [one] thing, … may Hashem forgive your servant for this [one] thing.”
:17-18
Gehazi, the attendant of Elisha, the man of God, said to himself, “Behold, my master has spared this Aramean Naaman by not accepting from his hand what he had brought. As Hashem lives, [I swear] that I shall run after him and take something from him.”
:20
He then came and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, “Where are you coming from, Gehazi?” He said, “Your servant did not go here or there.”
:25
[Elisha] then said to him, “Did my heart not go along, when a man turned aside from upon his chariot to greet you! Is this a [proper] time to accept money [with which] to buy clothing, olive trees, vineyards, sheep, cattle, slaves and maidservants?
:26
Naaman’s leprosy shall therefore cleave to you and to your children forever!” When [Gehazi] left his presence, he was [white] as snow with leprosy.
:27

Daily Holy Bible Reading

1 Now Naaman, the general of the king of Aram, was a prominent man before his lord and respected, for through him had the Lord given victory to Aram; and the man was a great warrior, and he was a mezora.
2 Now the Arameans went out in bands and captured from the land of Israel a young girl, who ministered to Naaman’s wife.
3 And she said to her mistress, “The supplications for my master should be that he go before the prophet who is in Samaria; then he would cure him of his zaraath.
4 And he came and told his master, saying, “In the following manner has the girl from the land of Israel spoken.”
5 And the king of Aram said, “Come, go and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” He went and took in his possession ten talents of silver and six thousand gold pieces, and ten suits of clothes.
6 And the letter came to the king of Israel, saying, “And now, when this letter comes to you, behold I have sent Naaman my servant to you, and you shall cure him of his zaraath.
7 And it was when the king of Israel read the letter, that he rent his garments, and said, “Do I have power from God to put to death and to bring to life, that this one sends to me to cure a man of his zaraath? Just know now and see that he is looking for a pretext against me.”
8 And it was when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had rent his garments, that he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you rent your garments? Let him come to me now, and let him know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
9 And Naaman came with his horses and with his chariots, and he stood at the doorway of Elisha’s house.
10 And Elisha dispatched a messenger to him, saying, “Go and immerse yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored to you, and you will become clean.”
11 Now Naaman became incensed, and he went away, and he said, “Here I thought that he would come out to see me, and he would stand and call in the name of YHVH his God, and he would raise his hand toward the spot and cure the mezora.”
12 Are not Amanah and Parpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Will I not immerse myself in them and become clean?” And he turned and went away in anger.
13 And his servants approached and spoke to him and said, “Master, if the prophet spoke to you to do a difficult thing, would you not do it? And surely since he said to you, ‘Immerse yourself and become clean.’ “
14 And he went down and immersed himself in the Jordan seven times according to the word of the man of God: and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young lad, and he became clean.
15 And he returned to the man of God, he and his entire camp; and he came and stood before him: and he said, “Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. And now, accept a gift from your servant.”
16 And he said, “As the Lord before Whom I have stood, lives, I will not accept.” And he urged him to accept, but he refused.
17 And Naaman said, “Now, if only your servant be given a load of earth as carried by a team of mules, for your servant will no longer offer up a burnt-offering or a sacrifice to other deities, but to the Lord.
18 For this thing may the Lord forgive your servant; when my master comes to Beth-Rimmon to prostrate himself there, and he leans on my hand, and I will prostrate myself in Beth-Rimmon; when I bow in Beth-Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this thing.”
19 And he said to him, “Go in peace”; and he went some distance away from him.
20 And Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, “Here my master has stopped Naaman, this Aramean, from giving, by not taking from his hand what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and take something from him.”
21 And Gehazi chased after Naaman; and Naaman saw him running after him, and he leaned over off the chariot toward him, and said, “Is all well?”
22 And he said, “All is well. My master sent me, saying, “Here, just now two youths have come to me from Mt. Ephraim, of the disciples of the prophets. Please give them a talent of silver and two suits of clothing.
23 And Naaman said, “Please take two talents. And he urged him and he tied two talents of silver in two pockets, and two suits of clothing. And he gave his two servants, and they carried them before him.
24 And he came to a secret place, and he took [them] from their hands, and he deposited them in the house. And he dismissed the men, and they went away.
25 And he came and stood before his master, and Elisha said to him, “Where are you coming from, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant has gone neither here nor there.”
26 And he said to him, “Did my heart not go when a man turned around off his chariot toward you? Is it time to take the silver, and to buy clothing and olive trees and vineyards and sheep and cattle and slaves and maidservants?
27 Now Naaman’s zaraath shall cling to you and to your children forever.” And he went away from before him, stricken with zaraath, [white] as snow.