From Splendor to Shadow

A Captive Girl Encourages Naaman to Seek Healing

Naaman heard of the words that the maid had spoken to her mistress, and, obtaining permission from the king, went forth to seek healing, taking “ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.” He also carried a letter from the king of Syria to the king of Israel: “I have ... sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.” SS 133.2

When the king of Israel read the letter, “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.” SS 133.3

Tidings of the matter reached Elisha, and he sent word to the king: “Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” SS 133.4

“So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.” Through a messenger the prophet told him, “Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.” SS 133.5

Naaman had expected to see some wonderful manifestation of power from heaven. “I thought,” he said, “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.” When told to wash in the Jordan, his pride was touched: “Are 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.” SS 133.6

The rivers mentioned by Naaman were beautified by surrounding groves, and many flocked to the banks of these pleasant streams to worship their idol gods. It would have cost Naaman no humiliation of soul to descend into one of those streams. But only through following the specific directions of the prophet could he find healing. SS 134.1

Naaman's servants urged him to carry out Elisha's directions: “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?” The haughty Syrian yielded his pride and seven times dipped himself in Jordan, “according to the saying of the man of God.” And his faith was honored: “His flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.” SS 134.2

Gratefully “he returned to the man of God, he and all his company,” with the acknowledgment, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel.” SS 134.3

In accordance with custom, Naaman asked Elisha to accept a costly present. But the prophet refused. It was not for him to take payment for a blessing that God had bestowed. “So he departed from him.” SS 134.4