Elisha sent a messenger out to him. The messenger said,“ Go! Wash yourself in the Jordan River seven times. Then your skin will be healed. You will be pure and‘ clean’ again.”But Naaman went away angry. He said,“ I was sure Elisha would come out to me. I thought he would stand there and pray to the Lord his God. I thought he would wave his hand over my skin. Then I would be healed.And what about the Abana and Pharpar rivers of Damascus? Aren’t they better than all the rivers of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in the rivers of Damascus and be made pure and‘ clean’?” So he turned and went away. He was very angry.Naaman’s servants went over to him. They said,“ You are like a father to us. What if Elisha the prophet had told you to do some great thing? Wouldn’t you have done it? But he only said,‘ Wash yourself. Then you will be pure and“ clean.” ’ You should be even more willing to do that!”So Naaman went down to the Jordan River. He dipped himself in it seven times. He did exactly what the man of God had told him to do. Then his skin was made pure again. It became“ clean” like the skin of a young boy.
