Naaman was a man who had leprosy, a dreaded and incurable disease in his day. Through his slave girl, he heard about the prophet of YHWH, so he inquired of the man whether God would heal him.
The prophet told him that he would be healed, that the means by which God would accomplish this miracle would be Naaman cleansing himself seven times in the River Jordan. And the prophet didn't go with him, only his servants to exhort him to heed the word of God's prophet, to believe it, to receive his healing.
At first Naaman was angry, because he wanted God to heal him on his terms, or at least to negotiate. But he relented, and went to the Jordan.
And can you imagine how it would be, to dip once, twice, three times - with no effect? To already think it is a fool's hope, and a silly, humiliating display to be washing in a river, hoping it will rinse away the disease? Seven times, God said; seven times Naaman persisted in obedient hope, and seven times it took. And then God's miracle was accomplished.
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