According to 2 Kings, Naaman had leprosy before being healed after washing in the Jordan River.
Naaman was a commander of the army of Aram, usually identified with the Aramean kingdom centered at Damascus. A captive Israelite girl tells Naaman’s wife that the prophet Elisha in Israel could help him. Naaman travels to Elisha’s house, but the prophet sends instructions through a messenger rather than meeting him directly.
Elisha tells Naaman to wash seven times in the Jordan. Naaman initially objects because he considers the rivers of Damascus better, but he eventually follows the instruction and is healed. The story emphasizes humility, obedience, and the power attributed to Israel’s God.
Modern medical terminology does not map perfectly onto ancient disease words. English Bibles commonly translate the condition as “leprosy,” while some translations use “skin disease.”