Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man, for by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. But he had leprosy. A little girl taken captive from Israel served his wife. She said she wished her master were with the prophet in Samaria, for he would heal him. The king of Syria sent Naaman with a letter and rich gifts to the king of Israel, who tore his clothes in fear.

Elisha sent word to send Naaman to him, so he would know there is a prophet in Israel. Naaman stood at Elisha's door, but Elisha only sent a messenger: Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall come again to you, and you shall be clean. Naaman went away in a rage. He had expected the prophet to come out and call on God, and he thought the rivers of Damascus were better. His servants reasoned with him. If the prophet had asked something great, would he not have done it? He went down, dipped seven times, and his flesh was restored like a little child's.

Naaman returned and confessed that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel. Elisha refused any gift. Naaman asked for two mule loads of earth to worship the Lord at home. But Gehazi, Elisha's servant, chased Naaman, lied that Elisha wanted silver and clothing, and hid what he received. When Elisha asked where he had been, Gehazi lied again. Elisha said Naaman's leprosy would cling to him, and Gehazi left white as snow.

Naaman had everything except health. He was a successful commander and honored by his king, and the text says the Lord had given Syria victory through him. God was at work even in a foreign general's career. The turning point came through the least likely person, a captive Israelite girl who wished her master well instead of nursing bitterness.

Naaman expected healing to come with ceremony and payment. Instead, Elisha did not even come to the door. The command to wash seven times in the muddy Jordan humbled the great man. Naaman's anger showed his pride, and his servants' wise counsel showed that grace is received, not earned. When he obeyed, his flesh became like a little child's, a picture of new birth. He confessed the Lord as the only God.

Elisha refused payment, showing that God's grace cannot be bought. Gehazi's greed undid that witness. He ran after Naaman, lied, and hid silver and garments. His sin brought Naaman's leprosy on himself. The outsider was cleansed, and the insider was struck. In the New Testament, Jesus pointed to this story, saying there were many lepers in Israel in Elisha's time, but none was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian (Luke 4:27).