Gehazi’s Covetousness

‎In Refusing Naaman’s gifts, Elisha had meant to teach him a further lesson of God’s power and of the little worth of the great general’s earthy pomp. He had hoped to make upon the man a permanent impress which should be of worth to Israel. This aim was brought to naught by the covetousness of the prophet’s servant Gehazi.

‎Gehazi was a man of shrewd, wordly wisdom, but of little heavenly insight. He served Elisha long, and in the main faithfully. Yet now as he saw this opportunity of enormous wealth passing away from their door, he could not resist its temptation. Hurrying after Naaman’s cavalcade, he pretended to come by his master’s order, and made excuse for receiving some portion of the rejected gifts. Naaman gave him gladly double all he asked, then went onward feeling that he had repaid his obligations to Israel. Elisha saw well what his servant had done, though Gehazi sought to deny it. “Went not mine heart with thee!” sighed the master in sorrowful rebuke; and “Is it a time to receive money?” In punishment, he condemned Gehazi to suffer thereafter the same leprosy from which Naaman had been cured.