The Healing River

(The Story of Naman)

by Kimberly A. Rideout

As Naman began to submerge his dry body into the icy cold river, he doubted Elisha’s words. It was hard for him to believe that the prophet could really know what he was talking about--how absurd! What a fool he must be to make this journey on the whim of a little servant girl . . .

Naman’s wife waited by the window while her little Israelite girl poured water for her dusty feet. She watched as this little servant carefully emptied the pitcher with gentle hands. Her hands, although rough in appearance, revealed a servant’s heart through the scars of hard work. Despite the less than pleasant circumstance that this little girl had endured in being taken captive as a slave by the Syrians, she did not stop believing in the God of her people. More than once Naman’s wife had wondered why this child had so much faith in Israel's God when He had not protected her from the Syrian army. The little girl interrupted her mistress' thoughts with the childlike words, "If only my master were with Elisha in Samaria. Elisha is a prophet of God, and I know that he would cure my master of his leprosy!"

Naman felt the water clinging to his many sores. As he dipped into the water again, he was painfully aware that his leprosy was still very real. He wondered why he had even let the thought cross his mind that he could be cured. Who was this Elisha anyway? Israel seemed to believe that he was a messenger from God, a prophet. Naman was not so sure. After all, if he really was a prophet of the one true God, why didn't he come out to see Naman in person? He, Naman, was the captain of the Syrian army--didn't he deserve some respect?

The chariots halted at the door of Elisha. Naman’s stomach flip-flopped at the thought of the prophet coming out to cure him of his leprosy. He was beginning to adopt the faith of his wife’s little Israelite girl—she seemed to really believe that Naman could be healed if only he saw the prophet Elisha. His shoulders tensed as he saw Elisha’s door open. Naman’s hope slowly faded as he watched a messenger of Elisha stride toward him. “I have a message from Elisha for you, Naman,” the man said.

Naman felt anger burn in his chest again as he remembered the humiliation he felt when Elisha had disgraced him. Imagine refusing to see one of the most important men of Syria! Why had Elisha refused to cure him of his leprosy with a few words or a touch? Naman had expected him to proclaim the Name of the Lord God of Israel. Why hadn’t Elisha taken this chance to make his God look good? Naman fumed inside as he lowered himself into the water another time.

The messenger instructed, “Go and wash in the Jordan River seven times, and your flesh will become whole again. You will be cured of your leprosy.” Naman, instead of following these instructions from the prophet, was again angered. “What is so special about the Jordan River?!” he shouted. “I did not make this long journey to bathe in the Jordan when I could just as easily wash in the rivers at home!” Naman began to storm off when one of her servants stopped him. “Master,” he pleaded, “if Elisha had told you to do some miraculous or great and special task in order to cure your leprosy, you would have done it. Why is it that when he asks you to do something simple, you cannot believe that it will work? Why not just give it a try?”

Naman had been convinced to go down to the Jordan River. He still did not understand these bizarre instructions, but he didn’t know what he could loose. Why was he washing himself in the Jordan River, of all places? The water splashing over his shoulders was the only sound that was heard as Naman emerged from his seventh and final dip in the Jordan River.

Elisha smiled as Naman stood before him, a clean and cured man. Naman, captain of the Syrian army, praised the God of Israel before all that stood with him and the prophet. "It is God that has healed me of my leprosy. Now I know that the God of Israel is the one, true God!"

This story is a true account of Naman's healing from the Old Testament of the Bible. The details and thoughts of the characters in the story have been inferred by the author as they are not recorded in 2 Kings chapter five.

Questions:

1. What was Naman's position in the Syrian army?

2. What nation was Naman's wife's servant girl from?

3. What was the name of the prophet?

4. Why did Naman believe in the God of Israel at the end of the story?

5. What did the little servant girl have to do with Naman being healed?

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