וַיִּגְּשׁ֣וּ עֲבָדָיו֮ וַיְדַבְּר֣וּ אֵלָיו֒ וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ אָבִי֙ דָּבָ֣ר גָּד֗וֹל הַנָּבִ֛יא דִּבֶּ֥ר אֵלֶ֖יךָ הֲל֣וֹא תַעֲשֶׂ֑ה וְאַ֛ף כִּֽי־אָמַ֥ר אֵלֶ֖יךָ רְחַ֥ץ וּטְהָֽר׃
And his servants came near, and spoke unto him, and said: ‘My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee: Wash, and be clean?’
Rashi on II Kings
“My father [master].” אָבִי [lit., my father, means] the same as אֲדוֹנִי [=my master].8We find instances where אָב is a title that is used for prominent people. See Bereishis 45:8.
Rashi on II Kings
Would you not do it? Wouldn’t you do it, even if he told you to do something requiring exertion?
Rashi on II Kings
Certainly since. By a fortiori conclusion, for he said to you [to do] an easy thing, “immerse yourself and become clean.”