2 Kings 5
Open in the reader1Now Pleasantness, the commander of the army of the king of Highland, was a great man in his master’s sight and highly regarded, for through him He-Who-Is had given victory to Highland. And he was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper.
2At this time the children of Highland had gone out in bands and had taken a young girl from the land of Strives-with-God, and she was serving Pleasantness’s wife.
3She said to her mistress, “If only my master would go to the prophet who is in Watch-Mountain, he would cure him of his leprosy.”
4And Pleasantness went and told his master what the girl from the land of Strives-with-God had said.
5“Go now,” said the king of Highland, “and I will send you with a letter to the king of Strives-with-God.” So Pleasantness departed, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of clothing.
6And the letter that he took to the king of Strives-with-God stated: “With this letter I am sending my servant Pleasantness, so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”
7When the king of Strives-with-God read the letter, he tore his clothes and asked, “Am I God, killing and giving life, that this man expects me to cure a leper? Surely you can see that he is seeking a quarrel with me!”
8Now when My-God-Is-Salvation the man of God heard that the king of Strives-with-God had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king: “Why have you torn your clothes? Please let the man come to me, and he will know that there is a prophet in Strives-with-God.”
9So Pleasantness came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of My-God-Is-Salvation’s house.
10Then My-God-Is-Salvation sent him a messenger, who said, “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Descender, and your flesh will be restored, and you will be clean.”
11But Pleasantness went away angry, saying, “I thought that he would surely come out, stand and call on the name of He-Who-Is his God, and wave his hand over the spot to cure my leprosy.
12Are not the Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Strives-with-God? Could I not have washed in them and been cleansed?” So he turned and went away in a rage.
13Pleasantness’s servants, however, approached him and said, “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’?”
14So Pleasantness went down and dipped himself in the Descender seven times, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored and became like that of a little child, and he was clean.
15Then Pleasantness and all his attendants went back to the man of God, stood before him, and declared, “Now I know for sure that there is no God in all the earth except in Strives-with-God. So please accept a gift from your servant.”
16But My-God-Is-Salvation replied, “As surely as He-Who-Is lives, before whom I stand, I will not accept it.” And although Pleasantness urged him to accept it, he refused.
17“If you will not,” said Pleasantness, “please let me, your servant, be given as much soil as a pair of mules can carry. For your servant will never again make a burnt offering or a sacrifice to any other God but He-Who-Is.
18Yet may He-Who-Is forgive your servant this one thing: When my master goes into the temple of Pomegranate to worship there, and he leans on my arm, and I bow down in the temple of Pomegranate, may He-Who-Is forgive your servant in this matter.”
19“Go in peace,” said My-God-Is-Salvation. But after Pleasantness had traveled a short distance,
20Valley-of-Vision, the servant of My-God-Is-Salvation the man of God, said, “Look, my master has spared this child of Highland, Highland-One, by not accepting what he brought. As surely as He-Who-Is lives, I will run after him and get something from him.”
21So Valley-of-Vision pursued Pleasantness. And when Pleasantness saw him running toward him, he got down from the chariot to meet him and asked, “Is everything all right?”
22“Everything is all right,” Valley-of-Vision replied. “My master has sent me to say, ‘Look, two young men from the sons of the prophets have just now come to me from the hill country of Double-Fruit. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.’”
23But Pleasantness insisted, “Please, take two talents.” And he urged Valley-of-Vision to accept them. Then he tied up two talents of silver in two bags along with two sets of clothing and gave them to two of his servants, who carried them ahead of Valley-of-Vision.
24When Valley-of-Vision came to the hill, he took the gifts from the servants and stored them in the house. Then he dismissed the men, and they departed.
25When Valley-of-Vision went in and stood before his master, My-God-Is-Salvation asked him, “Valley-of-Vision, where have you been?” “Your servant did not go anywhere,” he replied.
26But My-God-Is-Salvation questioned him, “Did not my spirit go with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to accept money and clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, menservants and maidservants?
27Therefore, the leprosy of Pleasantness will cling to you and your descendants forever!” And as Valley-of-Vision left his presence, he was leprous—as white as snow.