19 Then he said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him a short distance.

Gehazi’s Greed

20 But (A)Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Look, my master has spared Naaman this Syrian, while not receiving from his hands what he brought; but as the Lord lives, I will run after him and take something from him.” 21 So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw him running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him, and said, “Is all well?”

22 And he said, “All is (B)well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Indeed, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the mountains of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of garments.’ ”

23 So Naaman said, “Please, take two talents.” And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and handed them to two of his servants; and they carried them on ahead of him. 24 When he came to [a]the citadel, he took them from their hand, and stored them away in the house; then he let the men go, and they departed. 25 Now he went in and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, “Where did you go, Gehazi?”

And he said, “Your servant did not go anywhere.”

26 Then he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it (C)time to receive money and to receive clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants? 27 Therefore the leprosy of Naaman (D)shall cling to you and your descendants forever.” And he went out from his presence (E)leprous, as white as snow.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 5:24 Lit. the hill

19 He said to him, “Go in peace,” so he went from him a short distance.[a]

20 But Gehazi the servant of Elisha, the man of God, thought, “Look, my master has refrained from taking what this Aramean Naaman brought from his hand. As Yahweh lives,[b] I will certainly run after him, and I will accept something from him.” 21 So Gehazi pursued after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he jumped off his chariot to meet him and asked him, “Is it peace?” 22 He said, “Peace. My master has sent me saying, ‘Look, just now[c] two servants from the hill country of Ephraim came to me, from the sons of the prophets. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.’” 23 Then Naaman said, “Be prepared to accept two talents.” So he urged him and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, with two sets of clothing and gave it to two of his servants and they carried it before him. 24 When he came to the citadel, he took them from their hand and put them in the house, then sent away the men so that they went. 25 When he went and stood by his master, Elisha asked him, “From where have you come, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant has not gone anywhere.”[d]

26 Then he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you as the man turned from on his chariot to meet you? Is it time to take silver, clothes, olive orchards, vineyards, sheep, oxen, male slaves, and female slaves? 27 The skin disease of Naaman shall cling to you and to your offspring forever.” Then he went out from before him having a skin disease like the snow.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 5:19 Literally “a stretch of land”
  2. 2 Kings 5:20 Literally “The life of Yahweh”
  3. 2 Kings 5:22 Literally “now this”
  4. 2 Kings 5:25 Literally “where to where”