2 Kings 5:22 kjv
And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.
2 Kings 5:22 nkjv
And he said, "All is well. My master has sent me, saying, 'Indeed, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the mountains of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of garments.' "
2 Kings 5:22 niv
"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 of silver and two sets of clothing.'?"
2 Kings 5:22 esv
And he said, "All is well. My master has sent me to say, 'There have just now come to me from the hill country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.'"
2 Kings 5:22 nlt
"Yes," Gehazi said, "but my master has sent me to tell you that two young prophets from the hill country of Ephraim have just arrived. He would like 75 pounds of silver and two sets of clothing to give to them."
2 Kings 5 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 5:3-4 | Then Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit... You have not lied to men but to God." | Warning against lying, especially concerning sacred matters. |
| Prov 6:16-19 | These six things the LORD hates... A lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood... | God's hatred for deceit. |
| Ps 52:3 | You love evil more than good, Lying rather than speaking righteousness. | The nature of loving deceit. |
| Jn 8:44 | You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. | The source and nature of lying. |
| Ex 20:17 | "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's." | The Tenth Commandment against covetousness. |
| Lk 12:15 | And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses." | Jesus' warning against greed. |
| 1 Tim 6:10 | For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. | The danger of loving money. |
| Heb 13:5 | Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." | Command to avoid covetousness and live content. |
| 2 Pet 2:3 | By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. | Warning against those who exploit through deceit. |
| 2 Cor 2:17 | For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ. | Paul's commitment not to commercialize ministry, unlike others. |
| Titus 1:11 | whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. | Warning against false teachers motivated by gain. |
| Jer 14:14 | And the LORD said to me, "The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart." | Warning against prophets speaking falsely in God's name. |
| Prov 11:3 | The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them. | The importance of integrity. |
| Prov 20:7 | The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him. | The blessings of walking in integrity. |
| 2 Ki 5:16 | But he said, "As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none." And he urged him to take it, but he refused. | Elisha's refusal of Naaman's gifts, in direct contrast to Gehazi. |
| 2 Ki 5:27 | Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever." And he went out from his presence leprous, as white as snow. | The immediate consequence of Gehazi's sin. |
| Gen 3:4-5 | Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." | The origin of deception and temptation leading to gain. |
| Judg 17:10 | And Micah said to him, "Dwell with me, and be a father and a priest to me, and I will give you ten shekels of silver a year, a suit of clothes, and your provisions." | A specific instance of valuing material provision for priestly service, showing Gehazi's similar aim. |
| Jos 7:20-21 | So Achan answered Joshua and said, "Indeed, I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I have done: When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold..." | Achan's covetousness and hidden appropriation leading to severe consequences. |
| Acts 20:33 | "I have coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel." | Paul's exemplary conduct contrasting Gehazi's. |
| Jn 12:6 | This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. | Judas Iscariot's underlying greed despite his position. |
| Jer 9:5 | Every man will deceive his neighbor, And will not speak the truth; They have taught their tongue to speak lies; They weary themselves to commit iniquity. | Prophetic warning about widespread deceit. |
2 Kings 5 verses
2 Kings 5 22 Meaning
2 Kings 5:22 records the deceptive words of Gehazi, servant of Elisha, spoken to Naaman. Gehazi fabricates a message from Elisha, claiming that two young men, identified as sons of the prophets, have unexpectedly arrived, requiring a talent of silver and two changes of garments. This verse encapsulates Gehazi's sin of greed and deceit, setting in motion the unfolding of his covetous scheme to gain personal wealth by exploiting the divine power displayed through his master.
2 Kings 5 22 Context
Chapter 5 of 2 Kings focuses on the healing of Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army, from leprosy by the prophet Elisha. Naaman, upon being cleansed, offered Elisha lavish gifts as a token of gratitude, which Elisha firmly refused, declaring that God's power and healing were not for sale. Elisha's refusal emphasized the freely given nature of divine grace and protected the integrity of prophetic ministry from being seen as a commercial enterprise.
Gehazi, Elisha's servant, witnessed this entire exchange. Immediately after Elisha's refusal, Gehazi's heart succumbed to covetousness. Without his master's knowledge or permission, Gehazi secretly pursued Naaman, intent on obtaining a portion of the rejected gifts for himself. Verse 22 records the cunning lie Gehazi devised to achieve this, using Elisha's name and creating a fabricated scenario involving "sons of the prophets" to make his request sound legitimate and even philanthropic. This verse is the pivot point where Gehazi's personal moral failure diverts from Elisha's exemplary conduct, leading directly to Gehazi's downfall and punishment.
2 Kings 5 22 Word analysis
- He said: Refers to Gehazi, Elisha's servant. This immediate address to Naaman marks the commencement of his premeditated deceit, capitalizing on Naaman's high regard for Elisha.
- 'All is well.': Hebrew: Shalom. A common greeting, implying peace, health, and completeness. Here, it is used deceptively. While technically a true statement about Elisha's condition (he was well), it functions as a disarming opening to a grave lie, masking Gehazi's malicious intent. Its usage here contrasts the outward appearance of peace with the internal corruption of the speaker.
- 'My master has sent me,': Gehazi falsely asserts divine authority by claiming Elisha, his respected and spiritually powerful master, has dispatched him. This manipulates Naaman's reverence for Elisha and seeks to give the lie legitimacy, leveraging his master's credibility for personal gain. This directly contradicts Elisha's explicit refusal.
- saying,: Introduces the detailed fabrication. Gehazi presents the lie as Elisha's direct instruction, demonstrating audacity in his deceit.
- 'Indeed, two young men': Hebrew: šənē ne‘ārîm. "Two young men" are presented as specific, identifiable individuals. The number "two" adds credibility, implying a legitimate visit. "Young men" are plausible as students or disciples.
- 'of the sons of the prophets': Identifies them as members of prophetic guilds, a known association of prophets and their students (e.g., 1 Sam 10:5-6, 2 Ki 2:3, 2 Ki 4:38). This connection would typically inspire respect and a desire to provide for their needs. This detail grounds the lie in a relatable social context.
- 'have come to me': Implies a direct, recent, and somewhat unexpected visit to Elisha. This justifies the urgent and slightly unusual request being made after Naaman's departure.
- 'from the mountains of Ephraim.': A specific geographical detail, lending further authenticity to Gehazi's narrative. Ephraim was known as a region with prophetic schools, providing a convincing backdrop for the "sons of the prophets" to originate.
- 'Please give them': A seemingly polite request, yet cloaked in impudence as it's for undeserved gain. The "please" masks Gehazi's true, greedy motives.
- 'a talent of silver': A significant weight of silver, equivalent to approximately 75 pounds (about 34 kilograms) or 3,000 shekels. This was an immense sum, indicating Gehazi's deep-seated covetousness and ambition for great wealth, far beyond mere necessity for two individuals. It signifies his extravagant demand and misuse of the situation for personal luxury.
- 'and two changes of garments.': Garments were valuable commodities in the ancient Near East, often serving as currency or indicators of wealth. Two changes would be sufficient for the two individuals and add further tangible value to Gehazi's illicit request.
2 Kings 5 22 Bonus section
The contrast between Naaman's overflowing gratitude leading to sincere offerings and Elisha's steadfast commitment to accepting nothing, thereby preserving the sanctity and freeness of divine healing, serves as a powerful backdrop for Gehazi's action. Gehazi's sin is not merely a lie or covetousness; it is a profound betrayal of the prophetic office and the holy purpose it served. He transformed an act of divine grace into an opportunity for personal exploitation. The very specific nature of his request – a large sum of money (a talent of silver) and luxury items (changes of garments) – indicates a deeply ingrained desire for wealth rather than simple provision, which starkly distinguishes his motive from any true need. This episode implicitly highlights a polemic against practices common in some ancient religions where divine services were directly transactional, emphasizing that YHWH's power and healing are not commodified.
2 Kings 5 22 Commentary
2 Kings 5:22 marks a pivotal moment in the narrative, revealing Gehazi's dramatic moral failing after witnessing Naaman's miraculous healing and Elisha's principled refusal of gifts. Gehazi's act is a calculated deception, demonstrating his covetous heart, which saw an opportunity for material gain where Elisha saw divine generosity and integrity. By falsely invoking his master's name and inventing a plausible story involving the "sons of the prophets," Gehazi undermined Elisha's established precedent of selflessness and sought to commercialize God's freely given blessings. This single act highlights the dangerous potential for spiritual authority to be misused for personal profit and foreshadows Gehazi's immediate judgment, serving as a solemn warning against greed and deceit within the proximity of divine power.
Examples of similar pitfalls:
- Using spiritual gifts or positions for personal enrichment instead of service.
- Manipulating trust by fabricating needs for selfish gain.
- Disregarding the integrity and teachings of a mentor for quick profit.