Translation, 2 Kings 5
Now Na’aman chief of the host of the king of ‘Aram was a great man before the face of his master. And he lifted his faces for in him Yahweh gave salvation to ‘Aram. Now the man was a mighty-man of strength - struck-with-disease. Now ‘Aram, marauding-bands went out And they caused-to-return from the land of Yisrael a small maid/girl. And she was before the face of the woman of Na’aman. And she said to her mighty-mistress, “If only my master [were] before the face of the prophet Who [is] in Shomron. Then he would remove him from his stroke-disease.”
And he entered and reported to his master, saying, “According to this, according to this Spoke the maid which [is] from the land of Yisrael.” And said the king of ‘Aram, ?Go/walk, please, and I will send a scroll to the king of Yisrael.” And he went/walked and took in his hand 10 disks of silver And six thousand gold And 10 changes of garments.
And he caused-to-enter the scroll to the king of Yisrael, saying, “You yourself according to the entering of the this scroll ot you, Look! I send to you Na’aman, my servant. And you remove him from his stroke-disease.” And it was according to the calling of the king of Yisrael the scroll, And he tore his garments and he said, “Elohim [am] I? To cause-to-die and to cause-to-live? For this sent to me to remove a man from his stroke-disease. For surely know please, and see, for he himself is seeking an opportunity to me.?E And it was according to the hearing of ‘Eliysha’, man of the Elohim, that the king of Yisrael tore his garments And he sent to the king saying, “Why did you tear your garments? Cause [him] to enter, please, to me, and know that there is a prophet in Yisrael.”
And entered Na’aman in his horse and in his chariotry And he stood [at] the doorway of the house to ‘Eliysha’. And ‘Eliysha’ sent to him a messenger/angel, saying, “Walk/go and wash seven times in the Yarden. And your flesh shall return to you And be clean.?E
And Na’aman was furious and he went/walked and he said, “Look! I said to myself, ‘Coming out, he will come out And stand And call on the name of Yahweh his Elohim And wave his hand to the place And remove the stroke-disease.?E And not good ‘Avanah and Parpar, rivers of Dammaseq, From all the waters of Yisrael? Can I not wash in them and I will be clean?” And he turned away and went/walked in a hot-rage. And drew near his servant and spoke to him and he said, “My father. A great word/thing the prophet spoke to you, would you not do? Surely if he says to you, ‘Wash and be clean.’”
And he went down And he dipped in the Yarden seven times According to the word of man of the Elohim. And returned his flesh as the flesh of a little child And he was clean. And he returned to man of the Elohim, he and all his camp, And he entered and stood before his face. And he said, “Look, please! I know that there is not an Elohim in all the land except in Yisrael. But now, take, please, a blessing from your servant.”
And he said, “Life of Yahweh whom I stand before his face if I take.” And he urged on him. And he refused. And said Na’aman, “Now not. Let, please your servant be given from the burden of a pair of mules of earth. For he will not again, you servant, do ascension and slaughter To another Elohim except to Yahweh. To this word/thing may Yahweh forgive you servant: In the entering of my master the house of Pomegranate To prostrate himself there Now he himself leans on my hand And I prostrate myself in the house of Pomegranate. In prostrating myself in the house of Pomegranate, May Yahweh, please forgive to your servant in this thing/word.” And he said to him, “Go/walk to peace.” And he went/walked from him a kebarah of land.
And said Geychaziy, the boy of ‘Eliysha’ man of the Elohim, “Look! My master kept back Na’aman this ‘Aramiy from taking from his hand what he caused-to-enter (brought). Life of Yahweh! Unless I run after him And I take from him something.?E And pursued Geychasiy after Naaman And Na’aman saw [him] running after him. And he fell from on his chariot to call him. And he said, “Is it peace?” And he said, “Peace. My master sent me saying, ‘Look now this: They entered to me, two of the boys from Mount ‘Efrayim From the sons of the prophets. Give, please, to them a disk of silver and two changes of garments.’” And said Na’aman, “Be pleased to take a double-disk.” And he urged on him And he enclosed a double-disk of silver in two bags And two changes of garments. And he gave to two of his boys And they carried before his face. And they entered to the hill-fortress And took from their hand And took inventory in the house. And he sent the men And they went/walked.
Now he himself entered and stood to his master And ‘Eliysha’ said to him, “Where, Gechaziy?” And he said, “Your servant did not go/walk to where and to where.” And he said to him, “Did not my heart walk/go just as the man got down from on his chariot to call you? [Is it] the season/time to take silver And to take garments And olive trees And vineyards And flock-animals And herd-animals And manservants And maidservants? But the stroke-disease of Na’aman will cling on you and on your seed forever.” And he went out from before his faces stroke-diseased as snow.
Peter Leithart
Peter J. Leithart is President of Theopolis Institute. He is the author of numerous books on theology, literature, and culture, including Theopolitan, Defending Constantine, and Baptized Body.
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