Na’amon, the general of the king of Arom’s army, was a prominent man before his master, and was highly respected, for through him Adonoy has given victory to Arom. This man was a mighty warrior, but he was a metzora.

Bands of marauders from Arom went out and kidnaped a little girl from Yisroel, and she become [a servant] to Na’amon’s wife.

She said to her mistress, “My master should plead [for curing his illness] before the prophet who is in Shomron; and then he will cure him of his tzora’as.”

He [Na’amon] came and told his master, saying, “Such and such spoke the girl who is from the land of Yisroel.”

And the king of Arom said, “Come, go and I will send a letter to the king of Yisroel.” He went and took in his hand ten kikar of silver, six thousand gold [pieces] and ten changes of clothes.

He brought the letter to the king of Yisroel, saying, “Now when this letter reaches you, I will have sent to you my servant, Na’amon; arrange to cure him of his tzora’as.”

When the king of Yisroel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, Who causes death and life, that this one sends to me to cure a man of his tzora’as? I want it to be known and seen that he is looking for an excuse [to start a war] against me.”

When Elisha, the man of God heard that the king of Yisroel had torn his clothes, he sent [a message] to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me now and he will know that there is a prophet in Yisroel.”

And Na’amon came with his horses and chariot and stood at the doorway of Elisha’s house.

And Elisha sent a messenger to him saying, “Go and wash seven times in the Yardein, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be pure.”

Na’amon was enraged and left. He said, “Behold, I thought he would come out to me and stand and call in the name, Adonoy, his God, and wave his hand toward the spot and the tzora’as would be cured.

Are they not better — Amanah and Parpar, the rivers of Damesek — than all the waters of Yisroel? Behold, I will wash in them and become pure.” He turned and went away in anger.

His servants approached and spoke to him, and said, “My father [master], has the prophet proposed a difficult thing would you not do it? Certainly since [all] he said to you was ‘Wash and become pure.’”

So he went down and immersed himself in the Yardein seven times like the man of God had spoken; and flesh was restored [and became] like the flesh of a small boy, and he became pure.

He returned to the man of God, he and his entire camp. He came and stood before him; and said, “Behold, now I know that there is no God in the entire earth except in Yisroel; and now, please accept a blessing [a gift] from your servant.”

And he said, “As Adonoy, before Whom I have stood, lives, I will not accept.” And he [Na’amon] urged him to accept but he refused.

Na’amon said, “Please may there be given to your servant a load of earth, the burden of two mules; for your servant will no longer offer a burnt-offering or sacrifice to other gods, but only to Adonoy.

Only for this [one] thing may Adonoy forgive your servant — when my master [the king of Arom] comes to the house of Rimon to bow down there, and he leans on my hand, and I too bow down at the house of Rimon; when I bow down at the house of Rimon, may Adonoy forgive your servant for this thing.”

And he [Elisha] said to him, “go in peace,” and he went a distance away from him.

Then said [to himself] — Geichazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God — “Behold, my master, has spared Na’amon, this Arami, by not taking from his hand that what he brought. As Adonoy lives, I will run after him and take something from him.”

And Geichazi rushed after Na’amon, and Na’amon saw someone running after him, and he jumped off the chariot to meet him, and he said, “is everything well?”

And he said, “all is well. My master sent me, saying, ‘Behold, just now there came to me two boys from Mount Ephrayim, who are disciples of the prophets. Please give them a measure of silver and two changes of clothes.’”

And Na’amon said, “Please take two measures.” He urged him and he tied two measures of silver in two bags and two changes of clothes. He gave them to his two servants and they carried them before him.

And he came to a concealed place, and took [the things] from their hands and secured [them] in the house. He then dismissed the men and they left.

And he came and stood before his master, and Elisha said to him, “From where have you come, Geichazi?” He said, “Your servant did not go anyplace.”

And [Elisha] said to him, “Didn’t my heart go there when a man turned back from his chariot to greet you? Was that the time to take silver and to take clothing [in order to buy] olive [trees] and vineyards, sheep and cattle, and slaves and maidservants?

The tzora’as of Na’amon shall therefore cling to you and to your offspring forever.” And he departed from him stricken with tzora’as [white] as snow.