16. Elisha said, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord whom I serve lives, I will not accept it.” Naaman urged him to take it, but he refused.
17. So Naaman said, “If you won’t take it, please have someone give me as much dirt as a pair of mules can carry. From now on I will sacrifice to the Lord alone. I will not offer any burnt offering or sacrifice to any other gods.
18. May the Lord forgive me when my master goes to the temple of Rimmon to worship, leans on my arm, and I have to bow down in the temple of Rimmon. When I do this, may the Lord forgive me for this one thing.”
19. Elisha told Naaman, “Go in peace.”After Elisha had left him and gone some distance,
20. Gehazi, the servant of Elisha (the man of God), thought, “My master let this Aramean Naaman go without accepting what he had brought. As sure as the Lord lives, I’ll run after Naaman and get something from him.”
21. So Gehazi went after Naaman. When Naaman saw Gehazi running after him, he got down from his chariot to speak to him. “Is something wrong?” he asked.
22. Gehazi answered, “No. My master has sent me. He says, ‘Just now two young men from the disciples of the prophets in the hills of Ephraim have arrived. Please give them 75 pounds of silver and two sets of clothing.’ ”
23. Naaman replied, “Please let me give you 150 pounds of silver.” Naaman urged him ⌊to take the silver⌋. Naaman tied up 150 pounds of silver in two bags with two sets of clothing. He gave them to a couple of his own servants to carry in front of Gehazi.
24. When Gehazi came to the Ophel in Samaria, he took these things and put them away in the house. Then he dismissed the men, and they left.
25. He went and stood in front of his master.Elisha asked him, “Where were you, Gehazi?”“I didn’t go anywhere,” he answered.
26. Then Elisha said to him, “I went with you in spirit when the man turned around in his chariot to speak to you. How could you accept silver, clothes, olive orchards, vineyards, sheep, cattle, or slaves?
27. Naaman’s skin disease will cling to you and your descendants permanently!”When he left Elisha, Gehazi had a disease that made his skin as flaky as snow.