15. 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?”
16. “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.
17. 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.
18. 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.”
19. “Go home, and don't worry about that,” Elisha replied. Then Naaman left.After Naaman had gone only a short distance,
20. Gehazi said to himself, “Elisha let that Syrian off too easily. 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.”
21. 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?”
22. “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 three thousand pieces of silver and some new clothes?”
23. “Certainly,” 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.
24. 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,