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.
Naamani Awonyezebwa Ebigenge
15:1 a Lub 10:22; 2Sa 10:19 b Kuv 4:6; Kbl 12:10; Luk 4:27Awo waaliwo omusajja erinnya lye nga ye Naamani eyali omuduumizi w’eggye lya kabaka w’e Busuuli5:1 Kabaka oyo ye yali Benikadadi II., nga musajja wa maanyi mu maaso ga mukama we, era ng’ayagalibwa nnyo, kubanga Mukama yali awadde Busuuli obuwanguzi ku lulwe. Yali muserikale muzira ddala; naye nga mugenge.
25:2 2Bk 6:23; 13:20; 24:2Awo mu biro ebyo Abasuuli ne balumba Isirayiri, ne bawamba omuwala omuto okuva mu Isirayiri, n’aweerezanga mukazi wa Naamani. 35:3 Lub 20:7Omuwala n’agamba mugole we nti, “Singa mukama wange Naamani agenda n’alaba nnabbi ali mu Samaliya, nnabbi oyo yandiyinzizza okumuwonya ebigenge bye.”
4Awo Naamani n’agenda n’ategeeza mukama we ebigambo by’omuwala eyava mu Isirayiri. 55:5 nny 22; Lub 24:53; Bal 14:12; 1Sa 9:7Kabaka wa Busuuli n’amuddamu nti, “Genda kaakano, era ogende n’ebbaluwa gye nnaawandiikira kabaka wa Isirayiri5:5 Kabaka wa Isirayiri ayogerwako wano ye Yolaamu..” Awo Naamani n’asitula, n’atwala kilo bisatu mu ana eza ffeeza, ne kilo nsanvu eza zaabu, n’ebika by’engoye eby’enjawulo kkumi. 6Era n’atwalira kabaka wa Isirayiri ebbaluwa, ng’egamba nti, “Nkuweerezza ebbaluwa eno n’omuweereza wange Naamani omuwonye ebigenge bye.” 75:7 a 2Bk 19:14 b Lub 30:2 c Ma 32:39; 1Sa 2:6 d 1Bk 20:7Kabaka wa Isirayiri olwasoma ebbaluwa, n’ayuza ebyambalo bye, n’ayogera nti, “Ndi Katonda, atta era awonya, omusajja ono alyoke ampeereze omusajja we mmuwonye ebigenge bye? Mulaba bw’ansosonkerezaako oluyombo?” 85:8 1Bk 22:7Erisa omusajja wa Katonda bwe yawulira nti kabaka wa Isirayiri ayuzizza ebyambalo bye, n’amutumira ng’agamba nti, “Lwaki oyuzizza ebyambalo byo? Nsindikira omusajja, alyoke ategeere nga mu Isirayiri mulimu nnabbi.”
9Awo Naamani n’asitula n’embalaasi ze n’amagaali ge n’ayimirira ku luggi lw’ennyumba ya Erisa. 105:10 a Yk 9:7 b Lub 33:3; Lv 14:7Erisa n’atuma omubaka okumugamba nti, “Genda, onaabe mu Yoludaani emirundi musanvu, onoowonyezebwa, omubiri gwo ne gudda buto.”
115:11 Kuv 7:19Naye Naamani n’anyiiga, n’agenda nga yeemulugunya nti, “Ndowoozezza nti anaavaayo n’ajja, n’ayimirira n’akoowoola erinnya lya Mukama Katonda we, n’awuba omukono gwe ku bitundu ebirina ebigenge, n’amponya. 125:12 a Is 8:6 b Nge 14:17, 29; 19:11; 29:11Abana ne Faafa, emigga gy’e Damasiko tegisinga amazzi gonna ag’omu Isirayiri? Lwaki sinaabira mu gyo ne mponyezebwa?” N’akyuka n’agenda ng’ajjudde obusungu bungi.
135:13 2Bk 6:21; 13:14Naye abaddu ba Naamani ne bamusemberera, ne bamugamba nti, “Kitaffe, singa nnabbi yakulagidde okukola ekyobuzira, tewandikikoze? Lwaki kikukaluubiridde bw’akugambye nti, ‘Nnaaba obe mulongoofu?’ ” 145:14 a Lub 33:3; Lv 14:7; Yos 6:15 b Kuv 4:7 c Yob 33:25; Luk 4:27N’aserengeta n’agenda ne yebbika mu Yoludaani emirundi musanvu, ng’omusajja wa Katonda bwe yamulagira, n’aba mulongoofu, omubiri gwe ne guba ng’ogw’omwana omuto.
Erisa Agaana Ekirabo ky’Aweereddwa
155:15 a Yos 2:11 b Yos 4:24; 1Sa 17:46; Dan 2:47 c 1Sa 9:7; 25:27Awo Naamani n’ekibinja kye ne baddayo eri omusajja wa Katonda. N’agenda n’ayimirira mu maaso ge, n’ayogera nti, “Kaakano ntegeeredde ddala nga teri Katonda mu nsi endala zonna wabula mu Isirayiri. Noolwekyo kkiriza ekirabo okuva eri omuddu wo.” 165:16 nny 20, 26; Lub 14:23; Dan 5:17Nnabbi n’amuddamu nti, “Mazima ddala, nga Mukama gwe mpeereza bw’ali omulamu, siitwale kintu na kimu.” Naamani n’agezaako okumuwaliriza, naye ye n’agaana. 175:17 Kuv 20:24Naamani n’amugamba nti, “Bwe kitaabe bwe kityo, nkwegayiridde omuddu wo aweebwe ettaka eriyinza okusitulibwa ennyumbu bbiri, kubanga omuddu wo taliddayo nate okuwaayo ebiweebwayo ebyokebwa wadde ssaddaaka eri katonda omulala yenna wabula eri Mukama. 185:18 2Bk 7:2Era ne mu nsonga eno Mukama asaasire omuddu wo; mukama wange bw’anayingira mu ssabo lya Limoni okusinza, ne yeesigama omukono gwange, ne nvuunamira eyo mu ssabo lya Limoni, Mukama asonyiwe omuddu we olw’ensonga eyo.” 195:19 1Sa 1:17; Bik 15:33Erisa n’amuddamu nti, “Genda mirembe.”
Omululu gwa Gekazi n’Ekibonerezo kye
Naye Naamani bwe yali yakagendako ebbanga ttono, 205:20 Kuv 20:7Gekazi omuweereza wa Erisa omusajja wa Katonda, n’alowooza mu mutima gwe nti, “Laba mukama wange bw’asaasidde Naamani ono Omusuuli, n’atakkiriza kirabo kimuweerebbwa. Mazima ddala, nga Mukama bw’ali omulamu nzija kumugoberera, mbeeko kye muggyako.”
21Amangwago, Gekazi n’agoberera Naamani. Naamani bwe yamulengera ng’ajja adduka, n’ava mu gaali lye okumusisinkana, n’amubuuza nti, “Byonna biri bulungi?” 225:22 nny 5; Lub 45:22N’amuddamu nti, “Byonna biri bulungi, naye mukama wange antumye okukutegeeza nti, ‘Wabaddewo bannabbi abavubuka babiri abazze gy’ali okuva mu nsi ey’ensozi eya Efulayimu, era akusabye obaweeko kilo amakumi asatu mu nnya eza ffeeza n’ebika by’engoye bya mirundi ebiri.’ ”
23Naamani n’amugamba nti, “Tewali kikugaana kutwala kilo nkaaga munaana.” N’awaliriza Gekazi, n’amusibirako kilo bbiri eza ffeeza mu nsawo bbiri, n’ebika by’engoye bya mirundi ebiri, Naamani n’abitikka abaddu be babiri, abaabyetikka nga bakulembeddemu Gekazi. 24Gekazi bwe yatuuka ku lusozi, n’abibaggyako, n’abiteeka mu nnyumba ye, n’abasindika bagende. 25N’ayingira n’ayimirira mu maaso ga Erisa mukama we. Erisa n’amubuuza nti, “Ova wa Gekazi?” Gekazi n’addamu nti, “Omuddu wo taliiko gy’agenze.” 265:26 a nny 16 b Yer 45:5Naye Erisa n’amugamba nti, “Ssaagenze naawe mu mwoyo, omusajja bwe yavudde mu ggaali lye okukusisinkana? Kino ky’ekiseera eky’okutwala ensimbi, oba engoye, oba ennimiro ez’emizeeyituuni, oba ez’emizabbibu, oba endiga, oba ente, oba abaddu, oba abaweereza abawala? 275:27 a Kbl 12:10; 2Bk 15:5 b Bak 3:5 c Kuv 4:65:27 2Bk 24:12; Yer 52:31-34Noolwekyo ebigenge bya Naamani binaakuberangako gwe ne bazzukulu bo emirembe gyonna.” Awo Gekazi n’ava mu maaso ga Erisa nga mugenge, atukula ng’omuzira.
