Naaman Learns to Obey

By Gayle E. Walker

Parts: 1. Narrator, 2. Naaman, 3. Israelite girl, 4. King of Syria, 5. King of Israel, 6. Elisha, 7. Elisha’s messenger, 8. Naaman’s servant

Costumes: Make a simple costume for each part, such as paper crowns for the two kings. Naaman will need spots made of stickers or tape that are easy to remove.

Props: 1. Two letters and two chairs decorated like thrones, 2. A long piece of blue fabric for the River Jordan

Scene 1 (Naaman’s house)

Narrator: Long ago in Syria there lived a man named Naaman [enter Naaman, his side to the audience]. He was so valiant that the king made him the captain of his army. But Naaman had one problem. He had leprosy [Naaman faces the audience]. The sore spots on his skin kept getting worse and worse. He might even die. But a young girl from the land of Israel [enter girl] was a helper to Naaman’s wife. The girl knew something very important.

Girl: In Israel there is a prophet. If Captain Naaman goes there, the prophet will heal him.

Naaman: Could this be true?

Scene 2 (The two kings’ throne rooms)

Narrator: When the king of Syria heard about what the young girl had said, he wrote a letter to the king of Israel.

King of Syria: [writing a letter] Dear king of Israel, the captain of my army is coming to your land. He is sick. Please cure him [exit king].

King of Israel: [holding a letter] I don’t know how to heal people. I am just a king. I am not a prophet.

Narrator: [enter Elisha] Elisha the prophet heard about the letter.

Elisha: Don’t worry, King. Send Naaman to me. I will help him get better. Then he will know that God lives and that there is a prophet in Israel.

King of Israel: That is what I will do [exit king and Elisha].

Scene 3 (Elisha’s house)

Narrator: Naaman came to the house of the prophet Elisha [Naaman enters and knocks on the door]. Elisha’s messenger came to the door to tell Naaman what to do to get better.

Messenger: The prophet Elisha says you should go to the River Jordan and wash yourself in the river seven times. Then your skin will be all better [exits].

Narrator: But Naaman did not like this idea.

Naaman: I am angry! I want the prophet to come out of his house and pray out loud so my sores will go away. I do not want to wash in the River Jordan. I like the rivers in my land better. Why can’t I wash myself in one of them? I think I’ll just go home.

Narrator: Then Naaman’s servant said a really smart thing.

Servant: Sir, why don’t you go to the River Jordan and do what the prophet said? If the prophet told you to do something very great and important, you would do it. But he only told you to do a simple thing. It isn’t hard. Why not try?

Naaman: Hmm.

Scene 4 (The River Jordan)

Narrator: Naaman went to the River Jordan [Naaman steps into the water]. He dipped himself in the water [Naaman dips down and then stands back up]. But the sores were still there. He dipped himself again.

Naaman: Two.

Narrator: But the sores were still there. He dipped again and again and again.

Naaman: Three, four, five.

Narrator: Still he saw the sores. He dipped himself again.

Naaman: That makes six.

Narrator: [asking the audience] How many times did the prophet say Naaman should go into the water? [pausing for the audience’s answer] Finally, Naaman went down into the water one last time.

Naaman: [back to the audience, dipping slowly while removing spots] Seven!

Narrator: Naaman had done exactly what the prophet said to do. He looked at his skin. His leprosy sores were completely gone! [Naaman turns around] His skin was as soft and clean as when he was first born. Now he knew that God had a prophet in Israel. He went all the way back to the prophet’s house to tell the prophet what he had learned.

Scene 5 (Elisha’s house)

Naaman: Now I know there really is a God of all the earth, so I will follow Him.

Elisha: That is good.

Narrator: And because Naaman was valiant, that is just what he did.

Come to our play this Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Crowthers’ garage!

Illustrations by Bryan Beach