out to me and standing would have invoked the name of the Lord his God, and touched with his hand the place of the leprosy and healed me. Are not the rivers of Damascus better than all the waters of Israel?”
As he was thus turning angrily away, his servants[1] said to him: “Father, if the prophet had bidden thee to do some great thing, surely thou wouldst have done it; how much more what he now hath said to thee: ‘Wash, and thou shalt be clean’.” And Naaman, seeing that what they said was just, alighted from his chariot, bathed seven times in the Jordan and was made clean. He returned to the man of God and told him that now he knew for certain that there was no God but the God of Israel[2]; and he offered him presents, but Eliseus refused to receive anything.
Hardly had Naaman gone a little way when Giezi, the servant of Eliseus, went after him and said: “My master hath sent me to thee saying: ‘Just now there are come to me from Mount Ephraim two young men, sons of the prophets[3]; give them a talent of silver and two changes of garments’.” [4]
Naaman gladly gave him two talents of silver and two changes of garments. Giezi returned with the presents, and having hidden them, he stood before Eliseus. The prophet asked him where he had been, and Giezi answered that he had been nowhere.
Eliseus being angry said: “Was not my heart present[5] when the man turned back from his chariot? Now thou hast money to buy oliveyards and vineyards and sheep and oxen and menservants and maid-servants; but the leprosy of Naaman shall stick
- ↑ His servants. They called Naaman ‘Father’, which shows that he was good to them. On their side they were very loyal to him and affectionately counselled him to obey the prophet.
- ↑ The God of Israel. Naaman was converted to faith in the true God by his wonderful cure. He had become so humble that he called himself the servant of the prophet.
- ↑ Sons of the prophets. The disciples of the prophets led a retired community life of poverty, prayer and contemplation. They were, so to speak, the monks of the Old Testament.
- ↑ Garments. Fine clothes, such as would be worn on great days and festivals.
- ↑ Present. God had enabled the prophet to know in the spirit exactly what had occurred.
