2 Kings 5:21-27

21 And Gehazi followed after the back of Naaman; and when Naaman had seen Gehazi running to him, he skipped down off the chariot into the meeting of Gehazi; and said, Whether all things be rightful? (Is everything all right?)
22 And he said, Rightfully; my lord sent me to thee, and said, Two young men of the hill of Ephraim, of the sons of (the) prophets, came now to me; give thou to them a talent of silver, and double changing (of) clothes. (And he said, All is well; but my lord hath sent me to thee, and said, Two young men, of the sons of the prophets, have now come to me, from the hill country of Ephraim; give thou to them a talent of silver, and two changes of clothing.)
23 And Naaman said, It is better that thou take two talents. And Naaman constrained him; and Naaman bound the two talents of silver in two bags, and the double clothes (with the two changes of clothing), and he put those upon his two servants, the which also bare it before Gehazi.
24 And when Gehazi had come (back) then in the eventide, he took it from the hand of them, and laid it up in the house; and he delivered the men, and they went forth. (And when Gehazi had come back in the evening, he took the bundles out of their hands, and laid them up in the house; and he let the men go, and they went away.)
25 And then Gehazi entered, and stood before his lord. And Elisha said, Gehazi, from whence comest thou? Which answered, Thy servant went not to any place.
26 And Elisha said, Whether mine heart was not present there, when the man turned again from his chariot into the meeting of thee? Now therefore thou hast taken silver, and thou hast taken clothes, (so) that thou (can) buy places of olives, and vineries, and sheep, and oxen, and servants, and handmaids;
27 but also the leprosy of Naaman shall cleave to thee, and to thy seed without end. And Gehazi went out from him leprous as snow. (but now Naaman's leprosy shall cleave to thee, and to thy descendants, forevermore. And so Gehazi went away from him leprous, as white as snow.)

2 Kings 5:21-27 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.