NAAMAN IS HEALED

Naaman was a commander in the army of the king of Aram, and he was highly regarded by the king. However, Naaman suffered from leprosy, which was a serious skin disease that made him unclean and isolated him from society. Naaman’s wife had a servant girl from Israel who told her mistress that there was a prophet in Israel who could heal Naaman’s leprosy.

Naaman was desperate for a cure and decided to travel to Israel with a letter from the king of Aram, asking the king of Israel to heal Naaman. When the king of Israel received the letter, he was alarmed and thought that the king of Aram was trying to start a quarrel with him.

But the prophet Elisha heard about Naaman’s arrival and sent a message to the king, telling him not to worry and asking Naaman to come and see him. When Naaman arrived at Elisha’s house, Elisha sent a messenger to tell him to go and wash himself seven times in the Jordan River, and he would be cured of his leprosy.

At first, Naaman was angry and offended by this simple solution, expecting Elisha to come out and perform some elaborate healing ritual. Naaman argued that there were many better rivers in Aram that he could have washed in. However, his servants convinced him to try what Elisha had asked him to do, reasoning that if Elisha had asked him to do something difficult, he would have done it.

So Naaman went and washed himself seven times in the Jordan River, and when he came up the seventh time, his skin was completely healed, like that of a young boy. Naaman was overjoyed and returned to Elisha’s house to thank him. Naaman offered Elisha gifts, but Elisha refused, telling Naaman that the healing was a gift from God, not from him.

Naaman declared that he would no longer worship any other god except the God of Israel, and he asked for forgiveness in advance because his duties as commander would require him to accompany the king of Aram to the temple of the god Rimmon. Elisha told him to go in peace.

And so, Naaman returned to Aram, completely healed of his leprosy, and a believer in the God of Israel.