"One of the great lessons on obedience is taught in the story of Naaman," said Elder Victor L. Brown of the First Quorum of the Seventy in his April 1985 general conference address.

"Naaman was `captain of the host of the king of Syria, . . . and a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.' (2 Kings 5:1.)"One of his wife's maidens, an Israelite who had great faith and concern for Naaman's condition, said unto her mistress, `Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.' (2 Kings 5:3.)

"When the king learned of this, he sent Naaman to the king of Israel with a letter and with gifts, requesting that the king of Israel cure Naaman of his leprosy. He had misunderstood the maiden's comment and thought that the king of Israel was the one who could cure his ailment. The Israelite king was very upset with this request because he had no power to do such a thing. Yet, he knew if he did not do it, it could mean war with the Syrians. Elisha, the prophet, heard of the king's distress and suggested, `Let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.

" `So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.

" `And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.' " (2 Kings 5:8-10.)

Elder Brown said that Naaman, being a man of high position, was insulted that Elisha would send a messenger and not show him the respect of coming himself. In addition, the simple nature of the message offended him.

The scriptural account in 2 Kings relates that Naaman "was wroth . . . and went away in a rage." But his servants came near, " . . . and spake unto him, and said, `My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he said to thee, Wash, and be clean?

"Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean." (2 Kings 5:11-14.)

Elder Brown said, "Naaman needed to have the faith of a child to be obedient as a child before his flesh became clean as a little child's."

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(ADDITIONAL INFORMATION)

Articles on this page may be used in conjunction with the Gospel Doctrine course of study.

Information compiled by Gerry Avant

Sources: April 1984 and April 1985 general conference reports and the Church Educational System's Old Testament Student Manual.