Elisha and Naaman
Wash and Be Clean
2 Kings 5:1-15about 2 minutes to read aloud
Naaman was a great general in the army of Aram. He was a brave man, but his skin had a terrible disease. No doctor could cure him.
A young Israelite girl, taken from her homeland, served Naaman's wife. "If only my master would go to the prophet in Samaria. He would heal him."
Naaman came to Israel with silver and fine robes. He stood at the prophet Elisha's door. Elisha did not come out. He sent a servant. "Go, wash seven times in the Jordan, and your skin will be clean."
Naaman was angry. "I thought the prophet would come out and call on his God. The rivers of Damascus are better than the muddy Jordan." He turned to leave.
His servants reasoned with him. "If the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? Why not this small thing?" So Naaman went down to the Jordan and dipped himself seven times.
He came up from the water, and his skin was like the skin of a young child — clean. "Now I know," he said, "there is no God in all the earth but the God of Israel."
Questions to talk about
What was the matter with Naaman?
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Naaman was a great general, but his skin was covered with a terrible disease.
What did Elisha tell Naaman to do?
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Elisha's message was simple — wash seven times in the Jordan and be clean.
What did Naaman say after he was healed?
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Naaman saw the Lord's power and said, 'There is no God in all the earth but in Israel.'
The lesson
The Lord heals through simple obedience. The proud bow low, and they go home clean.
