Naaman Is Healed
A powerful Syrian general with leprosy humbles himself to follow Elisha's strange instructions—and is completely healed in the Jordan River.
2 Kings 5:1-19
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The Story
Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.
Now bands from Aram had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman's wife. She said to her mistress, 'If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.'
Naaman went to his king, who sent him to Israel with gifts of silver, gold, and fine clothing. But when the king of Israel read the letter from Aram's king, he tore his robes. 'Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of leprosy?'
When Elisha heard that the king had torn his robes, he sent this message: 'Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.'
So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha's house. Elisha sent a messenger to say, 'Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.'
But Naaman went away angry. 'I thought he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn't I wash in them and be cleansed?'
Naaman's servants approached him. 'My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, "Wash and be cleansed"!'
So Naaman went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him. And his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.
Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, 'Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.'
The great general had to humble himself, follow strange instructions, and dip in a muddy river. Pride nearly kept him from healing. But when he obeyed, the leprosy vanished, and he found not just cleansing but the true God.
The General Who Got Clean
Kids Version
Naaman was a VERY important man. He was the leader of a whole army! Everyone respected him.
But Naaman had a big problem. He had a bad skin disease called leprosy. Nothing could fix it.
A little girl who worked in his house said, 'There's a prophet in Israel named Elisha. God could heal you through him!'
So Naaman traveled to Israel with lots of gifts. He went to Elisha's house with his horses and fancy chariots.
But Elisha didn't even come outside! He just sent a message: 'Go dip yourself in the Jordan River seven times, and you'll be healed.'
Naaman was MAD! 'That's it? Just go swim in a river? The rivers back home are WAY nicer than this muddy Jordan River! Why should I do this?'
He started to leave. But his servants said, 'Sir, if Elisha had told you to do something hard, you would have done it. Why not try something easy?'
Naaman thought about it. Then he went to the Jordan River.
Dip one. Nothing.
Dip two. Nothing.
Dip three, four, five. Still nothing.
Dip six. Nothing.
Dip SEVEN...
When Naaman came up from the water, his skin was PERFECT! Clean and healthy like a little kid's skin! The leprosy was completely gone!
Naaman rushed back to Elisha. 'Now I know—YOUR God is the only real God in the whole world!'
Naaman had to stop being proud and just obey. When he did, God healed him. Sometimes God asks us to do simple things. The important part is obeying!
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Scripture — 2 Kings 5:1-19 (KJV)
1Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper. with: Heb. before. honourable: or, gracious: Heb. lifted up, or, accepted in countenance. deliverance: or, victory
2And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife. waited: Heb. was before
3And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy. with: Heb. before recover: Heb. gather in
4And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.
5And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment. with: Heb. in his hand
6And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.
7And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.
8And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.
9So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
10And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
11But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. I thought: Heb. I said. or, I said with my self, He will surely come out, etc. strike: Heb. move up and down
12Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. Abana: or, Amana
13And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?
14Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
15And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.
16But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
17And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD.
18In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy servant in this thing.
19And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way. a little: Heb. a little piece of ground
Memory Verse
“Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper. with: Heb. before. honourable: or, gracious: Heb. lifted up, or, accepted in countenance. deliverance: or, victory”
— 2 Kings 5:1 (KJV)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the story of “Naaman Is Healed” in the Bible?
A powerful Syrian general with leprosy humbles himself to follow Elisha's strange instructions—and is completely healed in the Jordan River. This story is found in 2 Kings 5:1-19.
Where is “Naaman Is Healed” found in the Bible?
“Naaman Is Healed” is found in 2 Kings 5:1-19, in the book of 2 Kings.
What can children learn from “Naaman Is Healed”?
This story teaches children about Humility, Obedience, Healing, Faith, Pride. Naaman was an important army leader, but he had a terrible skin disease. When he followed Elisha's simple instructions and dipped in a river seven times, God healed him completely!