It  took  just  fifty-two  days  to  finish  the  wall,  and
to  repair  the  gates,  and  Nehemiah  said,  “When  our
enemies  heard  that  the  walls  of  the  city  had  been
rebuilt  all  the  surrounding  nations  were  afraid,  for
they  knew  that  this  work  had  been  done  with  the
help  of  our  God.”

And  when  the  work  was  finished,  the  Jews  held
a  great  feast  and  all  the  people  rejoiced  that  their
homes  were  once  more  safe.  They  gave  thanks  to
Jehovah,  their  God  who  had  helped  them,  and  had
sent  unto  them  Nehemiah,  to  be  their  leader.
XXI


ELISHA  AND  A  GREAT  GENERAL

Naaman,  captain  of  the  hosts  of  Syria’s  army,
was  a  great  man  and  much  honored  because  he  had
won  many  victories  for  his  master.  But  Naaman
was  very  sorrowful;  for  he  had  become  a  leper,  and
for  his  dreadful  disease  the  doctors  could  find  no
cure.
Now  there  had  been  brought  captive  by  the
Syrians,  from  the  land  of  Israel,  a  little  Hebrew
maid  who  waited  on  Naaman’s  wife.
This  maid  was  much  distressed  when  she  saw  how
sorrowful  were  Naaman  and  all  his  friends,  because
he  had  a  disease  which  could  not  be  cured.  She  told
her  mistress  that  there  lived  a  prophet  in  Samaria
who  would  be  able  to  cure  her  master  of  his  leprosy.
When  the  King  of  Syria  heard  of  this  he  said,  “I
will  send  a  letter  unto  the  King  of  Israel.  I  will
have  Naaman  bring  to  him  rich  presents  of  gold
and  silver  and  changes  of  raiment.  I  will  ask  him
to  cure  Naaman  of  his  leprosy.”

So  Naaman  departed  to  journey  to  the  King  of
Israel,  and  he  took  with  him  ten  talents  of  silver
and  six  thousand  pieces  of  gold,  and  ten  changes
of  raiment.
