2 Kings 5:27 kjv
The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
2 Kings 5:27 nkjv
Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever." And he went out from his presence leprous, as white as snow.
2 Kings 5:27 niv
Naaman's leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever." Then Gehazi went from Elisha's presence and his skin was leprous?it had become as white as snow.
2 Kings 5:27 esv
Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever." So he went out from his presence a leper, like snow.
2 Kings 5:27 nlt
Because you have done this, you and your descendants will suffer from Naaman's leprosy forever." When Gehazi left the room, he was covered with leprosy; his skin was white as snow.
2 Kings 5 27 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:3 | "I will bless those who bless you, and curse him who curses you..." | God's principle of blessing/cursing. |
| Exo 20:5 | "...visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children..." | Principle of generational consequences for sin. |
| Exo 34:7 | "...visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children..." | Reiteration of God's judgment and generational impact. |
| Num 12:9-10 | "And when the cloud departed from over the tent... Miriam was leprous..." | Divine judgment bringing leprosy (Miriam for speaking against Moses). |
| Deut 28:15 | "But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord..." | Curses for disobedience, including disease. |
| Prov 6:16-19 | "These six things the Lord hates... a lying tongue, a false witness..." | God's abhorrence of deceit and falsehood. |
| Prov 28:20 | "A faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished." | Danger of greedy haste to acquire wealth. |
| Ecc 5:10 | "He who loves money will not be satisfied with money..." | Insatiable nature and spiritual emptiness of covetousness. |
| Isa 55:11 | "...So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void..." | Fulfillment of God's spoken word/prophetic decree. |
| Lam 5:7 | "Our fathers sinned and are no more, But we bear their iniquities." | Acknowledgment of inherited consequences for ancestral sins. |
| Ez 18:20 | "The soul who sins shall die... The son shall not bear the guilt of the father..." | Later covenant clarification on individual responsibility versus inherited sin. |
| Mt 6:24 | "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other..." | Incompatibility of serving God and money (Mammon). |
| Mt 10:8 | "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers... Freely you have received, freely give." | Warning against profiting from divine gifts/ministry. |
| Lk 12:15 | "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses." | Direct command to guard against the very sin Gehazi committed. |
| Acts 5:1-11 | Ananias and Sapphira sell land, lie about it, die by divine judgment. | Parallels Gehazi's sin: deceit, covetousness, severe immediate judgment, lies to prophet. |
| Rom 6:23 | "For the wages of sin is death..." | The ultimate consequence of unrighteousness. |
| Gal 6:7 | "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap." | Principle of divine retribution and consequence for actions. |
| 1 Tim 6:9-10 | "...those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare... For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." | Direct warning about the dangers and corrupting power of money-love. |
| Heb 13:5 | "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have." | Admonition against covetousness and promoting contentment. |
| 2 Chron 26:19-21 | Uzziah became a leper for presumption in offering incense. | Leprosy as a divine judgment for affronting sacred office/authority. |
| Rev 22:15 | "But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie." | Exclusion of liars from God's presence, indicating the severe nature of this sin. |
2 Kings 5 verses
2 Kings 5 27 Meaning
This verse declares the immediate and lasting judgment on Gehazi, the servant of the prophet Elisha, for his deceit and greed. Because he lied and illicitly acquired gifts from Naaman, Naaman's leprosy, which had just been miraculously healed by God through Elisha, would now be transferred to Gehazi and remain upon his descendants permanently. The verse concludes by stating that Gehazi instantly left Elisha's presence afflicted with leprosy, as visible and unmistakable as "white as snow."
2 Kings 5 27 Context
This verse serves as the climax and tragic culmination of the story of Naaman's healing (2 Kings 5:1-27). Naaman, a high-ranking Syrian general, suffered from leprosy. Following a servant girl's advice, he sought healing from the prophet Elisha in Israel. Elisha, emphasizing that Yahweh alone heals, did not even meet Naaman personally but sent a messenger to tell him to dip seven times in the Jordan River. Naaman initially refused, but upon reflection, obeyed and was miraculously cleansed. In gratitude, Naaman offered Elisha lavish gifts, which Elisha firmly refused, desiring to demonstrate that God's power and healing are not for sale and should not be corrupted by worldly gain. However, Gehazi, Elisha's personal servant, coveted these gifts. Without Elisha's knowledge, Gehazi deceitfully pursued Naaman, fabricating a story about Elisha needing silver and garments for visiting prophets. He took the gifts, hid them, and then lied directly to Elisha about his whereabouts. Elisha, discerning Gehazi's actions through prophetic insight, immediately pronounced the judgment found in this verse. This incident starkly contrasts God's freely given grace through Elisha's ministry with the mercenary and deceitful actions of Gehazi. Historically, prophets were respected figures, but some could be corrupt, and this story powerfully affirms the integrity of God's true prophet and the severe consequences for profiting from the sacred.
2 Kings 5 27 Word analysis
- Therefore (וְעַתָּה - ve'attah): A conjunction implying logical consequence. It directly links Gehazi's actions of greed and deceit to the ensuing judgment, showing God's immediate response.
- the leprosy (צָרַעַת - tsara'at): Refers to a severe, disfiguring skin disease, often seen in the Bible as a symbol of uncleanness, sin, and divine judgment. Naaman's former affliction.
- of Naaman (נַעֲמָן - Na'aman): Specifies whose leprosy. This is profoundly ironic and pointed; Gehazi coveted material wealth from Naaman, and now receives his physical curse, a direct reversal of the miraculous healing. It underscores the severity and the fitting nature of the judgment.
- shall cling (תִּדְבַּק - tidbaq): From the root דָּבַק (dabaq), meaning "to cleave, adhere, stick, be glued to." This indicates a permanent, inseparable, and inescapable attachment. It implies the leprosy will be a persistent burden, not a temporary illness, as if "glued" to him.
- to you (בְּךָ - beka): Personal and direct. The judgment is squarely on Gehazi.
- and to your descendants (וּבְזַרְעֲךָ - uvezar'akha): Expands the scope of the curse beyond Gehazi to his lineage. This is a severe aspect, reflecting the concept of generational consequences, particularly for high-profile sin related to sacred things. It emphasizes the gravity and long-lasting nature of his transgression against prophetic integrity.
- forever (לְעוֹלָם - lĕ'olam): Implies perpetuity or for an indefinite duration, as long as the lineage continues or until God explicitly changes it. It highlights the profound and enduring shame and suffering brought upon Gehazi's family line by his sin.
- And he went out (וַיֵּצֵא - vayyēṣē'): Denotes an immediate action and removal from the prophetic presence.
- from his presence (מִלְּפָנָיו - millĕphānayv): From Elisha's face or presence. This marks a clear separation, symbolizing his exclusion from the privileged position as a prophet's servant.
- a leper (מְצֹרָע - mĕṣora'): Confirming the instantaneous fulfillment of Elisha's pronouncement. The punishment was not delayed.
- as white as snow (כַּשֶּׁלֶג - kassheleg): A vivid descriptive detail emphasizing the severe and visible nature of the leprosy. This stark white appearance often indicated an advanced and unmistakable stage of the disease, and powerfully contrasts with Naaman's "clean flesh, like the flesh of a little child" (2 Kgs 5:14) after his healing.
Words-group analysis
- The leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you: A poetic and direct justice, turning the symbol of Naaman's unworthiness (leprosy) into Gehazi's deserved punishment. It underscores the gravity of desecrating God's free grace.
- and to your descendants forever: This phrase highlights the devastating and long-term impact of Gehazi's individual sin, touching on biblical themes of generational consequence. It serves as a stern warning against spiritual corruption and covetousness within the sacred office.
2 Kings 5 27 Bonus section
The immediate onset of Gehazi's leprosy, visible as "white as snow," emphasizes the undeniable miraculous nature of the judgment, mirroring the miraculous healing of Naaman. This serves not only as a punishment for Gehazi but also as a potent affirmation of Elisha's prophetic authority, which operates by divine insight and word, not by human means. It showcases the sanctity of the prophetic office and the holy fear it should inspire. Furthermore, this narrative offers a stark polemic against the practice of simony – the act of buying or selling spiritual or holy things – long before it became a term (Acts 8:18-24). The passage distinguishes Yahweh's grace, freely bestowed, from any worldly transaction, unequivocally condemning any attempt to commercialize divine power or favor. The lasting generational curse, while severe, emphasizes that God takes seriously the spiritual integrity of His servants and the purity of His work.
2 Kings 5 27 Commentary
This verse records a swift and profound divine judgment, demonstrating that sin, particularly that which profanes God's sacred work, carries immediate and far-reaching consequences. Gehazi's sin was multi-layered: greed (coveting wealth), deceit (lying to Naaman and Elisha), and hypocrisy (abusing his trusted position in a holy office). Elisha's refusal of Naaman's gifts affirmed that God's power is not a commodity, freely given as a testament to His glory. Gehazi's actions directly undermined this spiritual truth, cheapening the divine act. The judgment of leprosy, and specifically "Naaman's leprosy," is deeply symbolic: the very condition from which God had graciously delivered a Gentile now cleaves to an Israelite, an assistant to His prophet, as a mark of divine displeasure. The inclusion of "to your descendants forever" speaks to the severity of a sin that touched upon the integrity of Yahweh's prophetic ministry, an echo of generational curses found elsewhere in the Old Testament, underscoring how significant public sin against God can cast a long shadow on one's lineage. It teaches the principle that those in spiritual leadership are held to a higher standard (Jam 3:1), and corruption in spiritual service leads to severe spiritual and often physical consequences.
- Practical Usage: This serves as a warning for those in spiritual leadership to maintain integrity, to beware of covetousness, and never to exploit their position for personal gain, recognizing the potential spiritual harm not only to themselves but to their families.