13 (A)Then his servants approached and spoke to him, [a]saying, “(B)My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, in accordance with the word of the man of God; and (C)his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and (D)he was clean.

Gehazi’s Greed

15 Then he returned to the man of God [b]with all his company, and came and stood before him. And he said, “Behold now, (E)I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; so please (F)accept a [c]gift from your servant now.” 16 But he said, “(G)As surely as the Lord lives, before whom I stand, (H)I will accept nothing.” And he urged him to accept it, but he refused. 17 Then Naaman said, “If not, please let your servant be given two mules’ load of (I)earth; for your servant will no longer offer a burnt offering nor a sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord. 18 Regarding this matter may the Lord forgive your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and (J)he leans on my hand and I bow down in the house of Rimmon, when I bow down in the house of Rimmon, may the Lord please forgive your servant in this matter.” 19 He said to him, “(K)Go in peace.” So he went some distance from him.

20 But (L)Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, [d]thought, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Aramean, [e]by not accepting from his hand what he brought. (M)As the Lord lives, I will run after him and take something from him.” 21 So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he came down from the chariot to meet him and said, “Is everything well?” 22 And he said, “(N)Everything is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from (O)the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and (P)two changes of clothes.’” 23 Naaman said, “(Q)Be sure to take two talents.” And he urged him, and tied up two talents of silver in two bags with two changes of clothes, and gave them to two of his servants; and they carried them before him. 24 When he came to the [f]hill, he took them from their hand and (R)deposited them in the house, and he sent the men away, and they departed. 25 But he went in and stood before his master. And Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” And he said, “(S)Your servant went nowhere.”

26 Then he said to him, “Did my heart not go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? (T)Is it a time to accept money and to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, sheep, oxen, and male and female slaves? 27 Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your [g]descendants forever.” So he went out from his presence (U)afflicted with leprosy, as white as snow.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 5:13 Lit and said
  2. 2 Kings 5:15 Lit he and
  3. 2 Kings 5:15 Lit blessing
  4. 2 Kings 5:20 Lit said
  5. 2 Kings 5:20 Lit from
  6. 2 Kings 5:24 Lit Ophel
  7. 2 Kings 5:27 Lit seed

13 Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father,(A) if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times,(B) as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored(C) and became clean like that of a young boy.(D)

15 Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God(E). He stood before him and said, “Now I know(F) that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift(G) from your servant.”

16 The prophet answered, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.” And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.(H)

17 “If you will not,” said Naaman, “please let me, your servant, be given as much earth(I) as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the Lord. 18 But may the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning(J) on my arm and I have to bow there also—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this.”

19 “Go in peace,”(K) Elisha said.

After Naaman had traveled some distance, 20 Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, “My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the Lord(L) lives, I will run after him and get something from him.”

21 So Gehazi hurried after Naaman. When Naaman saw him running toward him, he got down from the chariot to meet him. “Is everything all right?” he asked.

22 “Everything is all right,” Gehazi answered. “My master sent me to say, ‘Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent[a] of silver and two sets of clothing.’”(M)

23 “By all means, take two talents,” said Naaman. He urged Gehazi to accept them, and then tied up the two talents of silver in two bags, with two sets of clothing. He gave them to two of his servants, and they carried them ahead of Gehazi. 24 When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the things from the servants and put them away in the house. He sent the men away and they left.

25 When he went in and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?”

“Your servant didn’t go anywhere,” Gehazi answered.

26 But Elisha said to him, “Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time(N) to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves?(O) 27 Naaman’s leprosy(P) will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Then Gehazi(Q) went from Elisha’s presence and his skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow.(R)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 5:22 That is, about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms