House of Naaman the Leper, Damascus
Outside the east gate of the city of Damascus, on the banks of Abana, is the leper hospital, which tradition tells us occupies the site of Naaman’s house. Naaman was commander-in-chief of the armies of Damascus. He was one of the greatest generals and greatest men of his age, but “he was a leper.” In some warlike expedition he carried away a little Jewish maid, who became his slave. Amid his sufferings the little maid exclaimed,
“Would God my lord were with the prophet [Elisha] that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.” Naaman went, but Elisha did not condescend to see him. He simply sent him a message saying,
“Go wash in the Jordan.” The proud Damascene was indignant. He expected that the prophet would come out
“and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean?” But Naaman obeyed and was cleansed. He washed in the river again and again—seven times, according to the divine command of the prophet—and, lo! healing came! The memory of Naaman clings to Damascus yet. Outside I have visited the lepers’ hospital on the site of the house of Naaman, and when looking on its miserable inmates, all disfigured and mutilated by their loathsome disease, I could not wonder that the heart of the little Jewish captive was moved by her master’s suffering. That child’s voice still rings through the ages, and the rich man and the poor, the great and the lowly, may find health and gladness in the rivers of salvation!
Comments