Naamani Aponywa Ukoma
15:1 Mwa 10:22; Lk 4:27Wakati huu, Naamani alikuwa jemadari wa jeshi la mfalme wa Aramu. Alikuwa mtu mkuu mbele ya bwana wake na aliyeheshimiwa sana, kwa sababu kupitia kwake, Bwana alikuwa amewapa Aramu ushindi. Alikuwa askari shujaa, lakini alikuwa na ukoma.5:1 Ukoma ni neno lililotumika kwa Kiebrania kueleza magonjwa mbalimbali ya ngozi ambayo si lazima yawe ni ukoma halisi.
25:2 2Fal 6:23Siku hizo vikosi kutoka Aramu vilikuwa vimekwenda na vikawa vimemteka msichana kutoka Israeli, naye akamtumikia mkewe Naamani. 35:3 Mwa 20:7Akamwambia bibi yake, “Kama bwana wangu angelimwona nabii aliyeko Samaria! Angemponya ukoma wake.”
4Naamani akaenda kwa bwana wake na kumwambia alichosema yule msichana kutoka Israeli. 55:5 Mwa 24:53; 1Sam 9:7Mfalme wa Aramu5:5 Yaani mfalme wa Shamu. akamjibu, “Hakika, nenda. Nitatuma barua kwa mfalme wa Israeli.” Kwa hiyo Naamani akaondoka, akiwa amechukua talanta kumi5:5 Talanta 10 za fedha ni sawa na kilo 340. za fedha, shekeli 6,000 za dhahabu,5:5 Shekeli 6,000 za dhahabu ni sawa na kilo 70. na mivao kumi ya mavazi. 6Barua aliyopelekea mfalme wa Israeli iliandikwa hivi: “Pamoja na barua hii ninamtuma mtumishi wangu, Naamani, kwako ili uweze kumponya ukoma wake.”
75:7 Mwa 30:2; Kum 32:39; 1Fal 20:7Mara mfalme wa Israeli alipomaliza kuisoma ile barua, akararua mavazi yake na kusema, “Je, mimi ni Mungu? Je, mimi naweza kuua na kufufua tena? Kwa nini huyu mtu anamtuma mtu ili mimi nipate kumponya ukoma wake? Tazama jinsi anavyotafuta kuanzisha ugomvi nami!”
85:8 1Fal 22:7Elisha mtu wa Mungu aliposikia kwamba mfalme wa Israeli alikuwa amerarua mavazi yake, akamtumia ujumbe huu: “Kwa nini umerarua mavazi yako? Mwamuru mtu huyo aje kwangu, naye atajua ya kuwa yuko nabii katika Israeli.” 9Kwa hiyo Naamani akaenda, akiwa na farasi zake na magari yake, na kusimama mlangoni mwa nyumba ya Elisha. 105:10 Yn 9:7; Law 14:7Elisha akamtuma mjumbe kumwambia, “Nenda uoge katika Yordani mara saba, na nyama ya mwili wako itapona, nawe utatakasika.”
115:11 Kut 7:19Lakini Naamani akaondoka akiwa amekasirika, akasema, “Hakika nilidhani kwamba angetoka nje, asimame na kuliitia jina la Bwana Mungu wake, na kuweka mkono wake juu ya mahali pagonjwa, aniponye ukoma wangu. 125:12 Mit 14:17, 29Je, Abana na Farpari, mito ya Dameski, si bora zaidi kuliko mito yoyote ya Israeli? Je, nisingeweza kuoga ndani ya hiyo mito na kutakasika?” Basi akageuka na kuondoka kwa hasira kuu.
135:13 2Fal 6:21Watumishi wa Naamani wakamwendea na kumwambia, “Baba yangu, kama huyo nabii angekuambia kufanya jambo lililo kubwa, je, usingelifanya? Je, si zaidi sana basi, anapokuambia, ‘Oga na utakasike!’ ” 145:14 Law 14:7; Ay 33:25Hivyo akashuka na kujizamisha ndani ya Yordani mara saba, kama vile huyo mtu wa Mungu alivyokuwa amemwambia, nayo nyama ya mwili wake ikapona na kutakasika kama ya mwili wa mvulana mdogo.
155:15 Yos 4:24; 1Sam 17:46Kisha Naamani na wahudumu wake wote wakarudi kwa yule mtu wa Mungu. Akasimama mbele yake na kusema, “Sasa najua kwamba hakuna Mungu katika ulimwengu wote isipokuwa katika Israeli. Tafadhali sasa upokee zawadi kutoka kwa mtumishi wako.”
165:16 Mwa 14:23; Dan 5:17Nabii akajibu, “Hakika kama Bwana aishivyo, ambaye ninamtumikia, sitapokea kitu hata kimoja.” Ingawa Naamani alimsihi sana, yeye alikataa.
175:17 Kut 20:24Naamani akasema, “Ikiwa hutapokea, tafadhali mtumishi wako na apewe udongo kiasi cha mzigo wa kuweza kubebwa na punda wawili, kwa sababu mtumishi wako hatatoa tena sadaka ya kuteketezwa na dhabihu kwa mungu mwingine isipokuwa Bwana. 185:18 2Fal 7:2Lakini Bwana na amsamehe mtumishi wake kwa kitu hiki kimoja: Wakati bwana wangu atakapoingia kwenye hekalu la Rimoni ili kusujudu, naye akiwa anauegemea mkono wangu, nami nikasujudu huko pia, wakati nitakaposujudu ndani ya hekalu la Rimoni, Bwana na amsamehe mtumishi wako kwa ajili ya jambo hili.”
195:19 1Sam 1:17; Mdo 15:33Elisha akamwambia, “Nenda kwa amani.”
Baada ya Naamani kusafiri umbali fulani, 205:20 Kut 20:7Gehazi, mtumishi wa Elisha mtu wa Mungu, akajiambia mwenyewe, “Bwana wangu amemwachia kirahisi sana Naamani, huyu Mwaramu, kwa kutokupokea kutoka kwake vile alivyovileta. Hakika kama Bwana aishivyo, nitamkimbilia na kupata kitu kutoka kwake.”
21Hivyo Gehazi akaharakisha kumfuatilia Naamani. Naamani alipomwona akikimbia kumwelekea, akashuka chini kutoka kwenye gari lake na kwenda kumlaki. Akauliza, “Je, mambo yote ni sawa?”
225:22 2Fal 5:5; Mwa 45:22Gehazi akajibu, “Mambo yote ni sawa. Bwana wangu amenituma nikuambie, ‘Vijana wawili kutoka kwa wana wa manabii wamenijia kutoka nchi ya vilima ya Efraimu. Tafadhali wape talanta ya fedha5:22 Talanta ya fedha ni sawa na kilo 34. na mivao miwili ya mavazi.’ ”
23Naamani akasema, “Hakika, chukua talanta mbili za fedha.” Akamsihi Gehazi azipokee, kisha akafunga talanta mbili za fedha katika mifuko miwili pamoja na mivao miwili ya mavazi. Akawapa watumishi wake wawili mizigo hiyo, nao wakaibeba wakitangulia mbele ya Gehazi. 24Gehazi alipofika kwenye kilima, akavichukua vile vitu kutoka kwa wale watumishi na kuvificha ndani ya nyumba. Akawaaga wale watu, nao wakaondoka. 25Kisha akaingia ndani na kusimama mbele ya Elisha bwana wake.
Elisha akamuuliza, “Gehazi, ulikuwa wapi?”
Gehazi akajibu, “Mtumishi wako hakwenda popote.”
265:26 2Fal 5:16; Yer 45:5Lakini Elisha akamwambia, “Je, roho yangu haikuwa pamoja nawe wakati yule mtu aliposhuka kutoka kwenye gari lake ili kukulaki? Je, huu ni wakati wa kupokea fedha au kupokea nguo, mashamba ya mizeituni, mashamba ya mizabibu, makundi ya kondoo na mbuzi, makundi ya ngʼombe, au watumishi wa kiume na wa kike? 275:27 Hes 12:10; Kut 4:6Ukoma wa Naamani utakushika wewe na wazao wako milele.” Kisha Gehazi akaondoka mbele ya Elisha, mwenye ukoma, mweupe kama theluji.
Naaman Is Healed of a Skin Disease
1Naaman was army commander of the king of Aram. He was very important to his master and was highly respected. That’s because the Lord had helped him win the battle over Aram’s enemies. He was a brave soldier. But he had a skin disease.
2Groups of soldiers from Aram had marched out. They had captured a young girl from Israel. She became a servant of Naaman’s wife. 3The young girl spoke to the woman she was serving. She said, “I wish my master would go and see the prophet who is in Samaria. He would heal my master of his skin disease.”
4Naaman went to see his own master. He told him what the girl from Israel had said. 5“I think you should go,” the king of Aram replied. “I’ll give you a letter to take to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left. He took 750 pounds of silver with him. He also took 150 pounds of gold. And he took ten sets of clothes. 6He carried the letter to the king of Israel. It said, “I’m sending my servant Naaman to you with this letter. I want you to heal him of his skin disease.”
7The king of Israel read the letter. As soon as he did, he tore his royal robes. He said, “Am I God? Can I kill people and bring them back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be healed of his skin disease? He must be trying to pick a fight with me!”
8Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes. So he sent the king a message. Elisha said, “Why have you torn your robes? Tell the man to come to me. Then he will know there is a prophet in Israel.” 9So Naaman went to see Elisha. He took his horses and chariots with him. He stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 10Elisha sent a messenger out to him. The messenger said, “Go! Wash yourself in the Jordan River seven times. Then your skin will be healed. You will be pure and ‘clean’ again.”
11But Naaman went away angry. He said, “I was sure Elisha would come out to me. I thought he would stand there and pray to the Lord his God. I thought he would wave his hand over my skin. Then I would be healed. 12And what about the Abana and Pharpar rivers of Damascus? Aren’t they better than all the rivers of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in the rivers of Damascus and be made pure and ‘clean’?” So he turned and went away. He was very angry.
13Naaman’s servants went over to him. They said, “You are like a father to us. What if Elisha the prophet had told you to do some great thing? Wouldn’t you have done it? But he only said, ‘Wash yourself. Then you will be pure and “clean.” ’ You should be even more willing to do that!” 14So Naaman went down to the Jordan River. He dipped himself in it seven times. He did exactly what the man of God had told him to do. Then his skin was made pure again. It became “clean” like the skin of a young boy.
15Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. Naaman stood in front of Elisha. Naaman said, “Now I know that there is no God anywhere in the whole world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from me.”
16The prophet answered, “I serve the Lord. You can be sure that he lives. And you can be just as sure that I won’t accept a gift from you.” Even though Naaman begged him to take it, Elisha wouldn’t.
17“I can see that you won’t accept a gift from me,” said Naaman. “But please let me have some soil from your land. Give me as much as a pair of mules can carry. Here’s why I want it. I won’t ever bring burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god again. I’ll bring them only to the Lord. I’ll worship him on his own soil. 18But there is one thing I hope the Lord will forgive me for. From time to time my master will enter the temple to bow down to his god Rimmon. When he does, he’ll lean on my arm. Then I’ll have to bow down there also. I hope the Lord will forgive me for that.”
19“Go in peace,” Elisha said.
Naaman started out on his way. 20Gehazi was the servant of Elisha, the man of God. Gehazi said to himself, “My master was too easy on Naaman from Aram. He should have accepted the gift Naaman brought. I’m going to run after him. I’m going to get something from him. And that’s just as sure as the Lord is alive.”
21Gehazi hurried after Naaman. Naaman saw him running toward him. So he got down from the chariot to greet him. “Is everything all right?” he asked.
22“Everything is all right,” Gehazi answered. “My master sent me to say, ‘Two young men from the group of the prophets have just come to me. They’ve come from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them 75 pounds of silver and two sets of clothes.’ ”
23“I wish you would take twice as much silver,” said Naaman. He begged Gehazi to accept it. Then Naaman tied up 150 pounds of silver in two bags. He also gave Gehazi two sets of clothes. He gave all of it to two of his own servants. They carried it ahead of Gehazi. 24Gehazi came to the hill where Elisha lived. Then the servants handed the things over to Gehazi. He put them away in Elisha’s house. He sent the men away, and they left. 25Then he went back inside the house. He stood in front of his master Elisha.
“Gehazi, where have you been?” Elisha asked.
“I didn’t go anywhere,” Gehazi answered.
26But Elisha said to him, “Didn’t my spirit go with you? I know that the man got down from his chariot to greet you. Is this the time for you to accept money or clothes? Is it the time to take olive groves, vineyards, flocks or herds? Is it the time to accept male and female slaves? 27You and your children after you will have Naaman’s skin disease forever.” Then Gehazi left Elisha. And he had Naaman’s skin disease. His skin had become as white as snow.
