Commentary - 2 Kings 5:15-27

Bird's-eye view

This passage presents one of the sharpest contrasts in all of Scripture. We have two men standing before the grace of God. One is Naaman, a recently converted pagan general, whose heart is overflowing with genuine, albeit theologically unrefined, gratitude. The other is Gehazi, the long-time associate of the prophet Elisha, an insider who has seen countless miracles, yet whose heart is eaten through with covetousness. The story is a powerful illustration that the gospel is a free gift, not a commodity to be sold. Elisha understands this and refuses payment to make the point clear. Gehazi, on the other hand, sees the free gift as a wasted business opportunity and moves to correct his master’s “mistake.” The result is a terrifying and swift judgment, a kind of spiritual leprosy that manifests itself physically. What Naaman was cleansed of by grace, Gehazi is covered in by greed.

The central lesson is a severe warning against the sin of simony, of attempting to buy or sell the grace of God. It is a perennial temptation for those in ministry, and for all believers, to attach a price tag to that which God gives freely. The story forces us to examine our own hearts: are we like Naaman, humbled and grateful for a salvation we could never earn, or are we like Gehazi, looking for ways to leverage God’s grace for personal gain?

Outline

Context In 2 Kings

This incident occurs within the ministry of Elisha, the successor to Elijah. Elisha’s ministry is marked by numerous miracles that demonstrate the power of Yahweh, not just within Israel, but also to the surrounding pagan nations. The healing of Naaman, a Syrian commander, is a premier example of this outreach. It shows that Yahweh's grace is not confined to the borders of Israel. This narrative immediately follows the dramatic healing of Naaman in the Jordan River. Having been cleansed, Naaman returns, and his response sets the stage for the tragic fall of Elisha's servant, Gehazi. The story serves as a crucial hinge, showing both the glorious extent of God's mercy to the Gentiles and the terrible reality of corruption within the covenant community itself.

Key Issues

Verse by Verse Commentary

Naaman's Sincere Faith (vv. 15-19)

v. 15 Then he returned to the man of God with all his camp, and came and stood before him, and said, “Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel; so now please take a blessing from your servant.”

Naaman returns a new man, both physically and spiritually. His confession is absolute and exclusive: "there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel." This is not syncretism; this is a radical conversion. He has abandoned his pantheon for the one true God. His immediate response is gratitude. He wants to give a "blessing," a gift, to the prophet. This is not an attempt to pay for his healing, but rather the natural overflow of a thankful heart. True conversion always produces generosity.

v. 16 But he said, “As Yahweh lives, before whom I stand, I will take nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.

Elisha’s refusal is just as absolute as Naaman’s confession. He swears an oath, "As Yahweh lives," to show that this is a matter of divine principle, not personal preference. Why refuse? Because the grace of God must be seen to be absolutely free. Naaman came from a world where every deity had a price and every priest had an angle. Elisha had to make it clear that Yahweh is not like the gods of Syria. His gifts cannot be bought. To accept payment would be to cheapen the miracle and confuse this new believer. The gospel is not for sale.

v. 17 So Naaman said, “If not, please let your servant at least be given two mules’ load of earth; for your servant will no longer offer burnt offering nor will he sacrifice to other gods, but to Yahweh.”

Naaman’s request is peculiar to our ears, but it reveals the sincerity of his heart. He wants to take a piece of the Holy Land back with him so he can worship Yahweh on His own soil. It is a tangible, physical expression of his new allegiance. His theology might be a bit earthy, literally, but his devotion is genuine. He is resolved to worship Yahweh alone, and this is his plan for how to do it in a foreign land.

v. 18 “In this matter may Yahweh pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, Yahweh pardon your servant in this matter.”

Here we see the stirring of a new conscience. Naaman is already thinking through the practical difficulties of living out his new faith. His job requires him to escort his king into a pagan temple. When the king bows, Naaman, as his support, will be physically forced into a bowing posture. He is not asking for permission to worship Rimmon; he is asking for pardon for an unavoidable, external action that could be misconstrued as worship. His heart is troubled by it, which is a sure sign of true conversion.

v. 19 And he said to him, “Go in peace.” So he went from him some distance.

Elisha’s response is filled with pastoral wisdom. He doesn't give Naaman a complex set of rules. He doesn't bind his conscience with intricate regulations. He sees the man's heart, trusts that God is at work in him, and sends him off with a blessing: "Go in peace." This is grace. Elisha trusts that the God who cleansed his leprosy can also guide his conscience.

Gehazi's Sinister Greed (vv. 20-27)

v. 20 Then Gehazi, the young man of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Aramean, by not receiving from his hands what he brought. As Yahweh lives, I will run after him and take something from him.”

The contrast is immediate and jarring. While Naaman departs in peace, Gehazi’s heart is in turmoil. He sees Elisha's refusal not as a principled stand for the gospel, but as a foolish act of leniency. "My master has spared this Naaman." Spared him the bill. Gehazi’s heart is filled with covetousness, the root of all kinds of evil. Notice the blasphemy: he mimics Elisha's oath, "As Yahweh lives," but uses it to sanctify his own greed. He is about to prostitute the name of God for cash.

v. 21-23 So Gehazi pursued Naaman... “All is at peace. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me... Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothes.’ ”... Naaman said, “Be pleased to take two talents.”

The lie is crafty. It is plausible, pious-sounding, and uses his master's authority. He presents a need that appeals to Naaman's generous spirit. And Naaman, in his grace-induced joy, is more than happy to oblige. He gives double what was asked. The generosity of the new convert once again shames the avarice of the corrupt insider. Naaman's heart is open; Gehazi's is a clenched fist.

v. 24-25 So he came to the hill, and he took them from their hand and deposited them in the house... But he came in and stood before his master. And Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant went nowhere.”

Sin multiplies. Covetousness led to a lie, and now the lie leads to concealment and another lie. He hides the treasure and then attempts to hide himself behind a blatant falsehood. He stands before Elisha, feigning innocence. This is the picture of hypocrisy. He thinks his sin is secret, but he is standing before a man whose heart goes where his eyes cannot.

v. 26 Then he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money and to receive clothes and olive groves and vineyards and sheep and oxen and male and female slaves?”

The confrontation is terrifying. Elisha had supernatural knowledge of the entire event. God saw. The question "Is it a time to receive money?" is the heart of the rebuke. This was a sacred moment, a time for the free grace of God to be magnified. It was not a time for personal enrichment. Elisha's expanded list, olive groves, vineyards, sheep, reveals that he sees the seed of covetousness in Gehazi's heart. The silver was just the beginning; Gehazi was dreaming of a lifestyle built on merchandising the miracles of God.

v. 27 “Thus the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your seed forever.” So he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

The judgment is swift, severe, and perfectly just. It is a righteous reversal. Gehazi lusted after Naaman's wealth, so he will receive Naaman's disease. The very leprosy that God's grace had just removed from a penitent pagan is now plastered onto a greedy Israelite. The outward sign of corruption now matches the inward reality. The curse extends to his descendants, a solemn reminder that our sins have generational consequences. He leaves Elisha's presence a walking billboard for the wages of sin.

Application

This story is a bucket of ice water for the church in any age, but particularly in ours. We live in a time when a significant portion of the visible church has embraced the spirit of Gehazi. The health and wealth gospel is nothing more than Gehazi's sin writ large, institutionalized, and broadcast on television. It teaches people that God's blessings can be manipulated through financial transactions, and it turns ministers of the gospel into fundraisers.

Elisha's refusal to take Naaman's gift is the standard for all ministry. The gospel is free. Salvation is a gift. We must be zealous to maintain this distinction, lest we give anyone the impression that the favor of God can be bought. When we are tempted by greed, when we begin to see people as resources to be exploited rather than souls to be served, we are walking down Gehazi's road.

The judgment on Gehazi is a stark reminder that God sees the heart. We can fool men, but we cannot fool God. Hypocrisy and covetousness within the church are not minor foibles; they are a spiritual leprosy that corrupts from the inside out. The call for us is to cultivate the heart of Naaman, a heart of simple, overflowing gratitude for the free gift of grace, and to flee from the heart of Gehazi, which asks, "What's in it for me?"