Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 5
Elisha had absolutely refused to accept any payment from Naaman. He wanted Naaman to know that the true God is completely different from any false god. A proper knowledge of the true God would change Naaman’s life and his attitudes. It was an experience of the true God that, later, caused Aram’s soldiers to decide not to rob Israel’s people (6:23). Naaman could have ordered those attacks to end sooner (5:1-2) – but Gehazi’s evil acts caused Naaman to have a wrong opinion about God (Romans 2:24).
So, Gehazi acted as if he was simply arranging the proper price for Naaman to pay to his master, Elisha. That is how we would expect the servant of a prophet (holy man) in a false religion to behave. Such a prophet would typically ask for no money, because he only dealt with matters of the spirit world. However, it was still important to pay him, or rather his servant on his behalf. That false prophet claimed power to do both good and evil things in the spirit world. Nobody would dare to refuse to pay after he had accepted help from such a prophet. If he did not pay, that evil prophet might use his power to declare a terrible punishment against him.
Elisha was too holy to ask for anything for himself, Gehazi seemed to say. However, he would accept a payment that Naaman should make to two young prophets. Probably, such young prophets often visited Elisha, for him to teach them. So, Gehazi pretended that it was his task to hand over Naaman’s payment to them.
Next part: Naaman gives double what Gehazi requests (2 Kings 5:23)
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