2 Kings 5:15-27.
2 Kings 5.15-27
"Naaman and his officials went back to Elisha. Naaman stood in front
of him and announced, "Now I know that the God of Israel is the only
God in the whole world. Sir, would you please accept a gift from me?"
"I am a servant of the living Lord," Elisha answered, "and I swear
that I will not take anything from you."
Naaman kept begging, but Elisha kept refusing. Finally Naaman said,
"If you won't accept a gift, then please let me take home as much soil
as two mules can pull in a wagon. Sir, from now on I will offer
sacrifices only to the Lord. But I pray that the Lord will forgive me
when I go into the temple of the god Rimmon and bow down there with
the king of Syria."
"Go on home, and don't worry about that," Elisha replied. Then Naaman left.
Elisha Places a Curse on Gehazi
After Naaman had gone only a short distance, Gehazi said to himself,
"Elisha let that Syrian off too easy. He should have taken Naaman's
gift. I swear by the living Lord that I will talk to Naaman myself and
get something from him." So he hurried after Naaman.
When Naaman saw Gehazi running after him, he got out of his chariot to
meet him. Naaman asked, "Is everything all right?"
"Yes," Gehazi answered. "But my master has sent me to tell you about
two young prophets from the hills of Ephraim. They came asking for
help, and now Elisha wants to know if you would give them about
seventy-five pounds of silver and some new clothes?"
"Sure," Naaman replied. "But why don't you take twice that amount of
silver?" He convinced Gehazi to take it all, then put the silver in
two bags. He handed the bags and the clothes to his two servants, and
they carried them for Gehazi.
When they reached the hill where Gehazi lived, he took the bags from
the servants and placed them in his house, then sent the men away.
After they had gone, Gehazi went in and stood in front of Elisha, who
asked, "Gehazi, where have you been?"
"Nowhere, sir," Gehazi answered.
Elisha asked, "Don't you know that my spirit was there when Naaman got
out of his chariot to talk with you? Gehazi, you have no right to
accept money or clothes, olive orchards or vineyards, sheep or cattle,
or servants. Because of what you've done, Naaman's leprosy will now
be on you and your descendants forever!"
Suddenly, Gehazi's skin became white with leprosy, and he left."
God bless you.
"Naaman and his officials went back to Elisha. Naaman stood in front
of him and announced, "Now I know that the God of Israel is the only
God in the whole world. Sir, would you please accept a gift from me?"
"I am a servant of the living Lord," Elisha answered, "and I swear
that I will not take anything from you."
Naaman kept begging, but Elisha kept refusing. Finally Naaman said,
"If you won't accept a gift, then please let me take home as much soil
as two mules can pull in a wagon. Sir, from now on I will offer
sacrifices only to the Lord. But I pray that the Lord will forgive me
when I go into the temple of the god Rimmon and bow down there with
the king of Syria."
"Go on home, and don't worry about that," Elisha replied. Then Naaman left.
Elisha Places a Curse on Gehazi
After Naaman had gone only a short distance, Gehazi said to himself,
"Elisha let that Syrian off too easy. He should have taken Naaman's
gift. I swear by the living Lord that I will talk to Naaman myself and
get something from him." So he hurried after Naaman.
When Naaman saw Gehazi running after him, he got out of his chariot to
meet him. Naaman asked, "Is everything all right?"
"Yes," Gehazi answered. "But my master has sent me to tell you about
two young prophets from the hills of Ephraim. They came asking for
help, and now Elisha wants to know if you would give them about
seventy-five pounds of silver and some new clothes?"
"Sure," Naaman replied. "But why don't you take twice that amount of
silver?" He convinced Gehazi to take it all, then put the silver in
two bags. He handed the bags and the clothes to his two servants, and
they carried them for Gehazi.
When they reached the hill where Gehazi lived, he took the bags from
the servants and placed them in his house, then sent the men away.
After they had gone, Gehazi went in and stood in front of Elisha, who
asked, "Gehazi, where have you been?"
"Nowhere, sir," Gehazi answered.
Elisha asked, "Don't you know that my spirit was there when Naaman got
out of his chariot to talk with you? Gehazi, you have no right to
accept money or clothes, olive orchards or vineyards, sheep or cattle,
or servants. Because of what you've done, Naaman's leprosy will now
be on you and your descendants forever!"
Suddenly, Gehazi's skin became white with leprosy, and he left."
God bless you.
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