2 Kings 5:15-25

15 Naaman and all his group returned to Elisha. He stood before Elisha and said, "Look, I now know there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. Now please accept a gift from me."

16 But Elisha said, "As surely as the Lord lives whom I serve, I won't accept anything." Naaman urged him to take the gift, but he refused.

17 Then Naaman said, "If you won't take the gift, then please give me some soil -- as much as two of my mules can carry. From now on I'll not offer any burnt offering or sacrifice to any other gods but the Lord.

18 But let the Lord pardon me for this: When my master goes into the temple of Rimmonn to worship, he leans on my arm. Then I must bow in that temple. May the Lord pardon me when I do that."

19 Elisha said to him, "Go in peace." Naaman left Elisha and went a short way.

20 Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, "My master has not accepted what Naaman the Aramean brought. As surely as the Lord lives, I'll run after him and get something from him."

21 So Gehazi went after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he got off the chariot to meet Gehazi. He asked, "Is everything all right?"

22 Gehazi said, "Everything is all right. My master has sent me. He said, 'Two young men from the groups of prophets in the mountains of Ephraim just came to me. Please give them seventy-five pounds of silver and two changes of clothes.'"

23 Naaman said, "Please take one hundred fifty pounds," and he urged Gehazi to take it. He tied one hundred fifty pounds of silver in two bags with two changes of clothes. Then he gave them to two of his servants to carry for Gehazi.

24 When they came to the hill, Gehazi took these things from Naaman's servants and put them in the house. Then he let Naaman's servants go, and they left.

25 When he came in and stood before his master, Elisha said to him, "Where have you been, Gehazi?" "I didn't go anywhere," he answered.

2 Kings 5:15-25 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 5

This chapter gives an account of the leprosy of Naaman the Syrian, and of the cure of it by Elisha; how he came to hear of him, and the recommendation he had from the king of Syria to the king of Israel, 2Ki 5:1-8, who, coming to Elisha's house, was ordered to dip himself seven times in Jordan, which made him depart in wrath; but one of his servants persuaded him to do it, and he did, and was cured, 2Ki 5:9-14, upon which he returned to Elisha, and offered him a present, which he refused, 2Ki 5:15-19 but Gehazi, his servant, ran after him with a lie in his mouth, and obtained it, and returned to his master with another, for which he was smitten with the leprosy of Naaman, 2Ki 5:20-27.