In brief
Gehazi is the servant of the prophet Elisha, in the days of the kings of Israel. The Bible first shows him at his master's side: he calls the Shunammite, notices that she has no son, and lays Elisha's staff on the face of the dead child. But after Naaman is healed, he runs after him to get by trickery the money the prophet refused, then lies to his master. Naaman's leprosy clings to him. He remains a warning against greed and lying in the service of God.
What does the name Gehazi mean?
Gehazi is a Hebrew name of uncertain meaning; it is sometimes linked to the idea of a "valley of vision," but that explanation is debated. The Bible does not comment on his name: it simply presents him as “Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God” (2 Kings 5:20).
The story of Gehazi
Serving Elisha at the Shunammite's house
2 Kings 4:8-17When Elisha stays in the upper room the Shunammite prepared for him, he sends Gehazi to call her. The prophet wants to thank her; she answers that she lives among her own people. Gehazi then points out, “Most certainly she has no son, and her husband is old.” Elisha announces a son for the following year, and the promise comes true.
The staff laid on the child
2 Kings 4:25-37When the child dies, the Shunammite hurries to Elisha. Gehazi tries to push her away, but the prophet stops him. Elisha then sends him ahead with his staff, to lay it on the child's face without greeting anyone on the way. Gehazi obeys, but there is no sound and no sign of life. It is Elisha himself who, after praying, gives the child back alive to his mother.
Naaman's healing and the prophet's refusal
2 Kings 5:1-19Naaman, commander of the Syrian army, is healed of his leprosy after dipping seven times in the Jordan. He comes back to declare that there is no God but the God of Israel and wants to give a gift. Elisha firmly refuses: “As Yahweh lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.” Naaman insists, but the prophet will not give way and sends him off in peace.
The chase after Naaman
2 Kings 5:20-24Gehazi decides that his master has been too easy on this Syrian. He runs after Naaman and invents a story: two young prophets have just arrived, and Elisha asks a talent of silver and two changes of clothing for them. Naaman, glad to give, urges him to take two talents and has his servants carry everything. Gehazi hides the silver in the house and sends the carriers away.
The lie and the leprosy
2 Kings 5:25-27Standing before Elisha, Gehazi denies having gone anywhere. But the prophet has seen it all in spirit: “Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and olive groves and vineyards, and sheep and cattle, and male servants and female servants?” The sentence falls: Naaman's leprosy will cling to him and his descendants. Gehazi leaves “as white as snow.”
The witness before the king
2 Kings 8:1-6Later, the king of Israel asks Gehazi to tell him all the great things Elisha has done. Just as he describes how the prophet raised a dead child, the Shunammite walks in to claim her house and her land. Gehazi points her out to the king, who has everything restored to her. The Bible does not say whether this scene comes before or after his leprosy.
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What Gehazi teaches us
- What God gives freely cannot be sold: guard against profiting from ministry or from grace received.
- You can live right beside a man of God and still let your heart run after something else; closeness does not replace faithfulness.
- A lie told to cover a fault only makes it worse: nothing is hidden from God, and a confessed truth is better than an excuse.
- Sin has consequences that reach beyond you; think of those who will carry the fruit of your choices after you.
Key verses
Elisha reveals to Gehazi that he saw everything in spirit, and asks the question that judges his greed: was this the time to take money, clothing and property?
Naaman's leprosy clings to Gehazi and his descendants: the hidden fault receives a visible sentence, in contrast to the grace Naaman had just received for free.
Gehazi tells the king about the raising of the Shunammite's son at the very moment she walks in: God sets the time when a testimony serves justice.
Bible verses to meditate on
Sermons about Gehazi
- 2 Kings 8: The Goodness and Severity of GodPhil Copeland notes that Gehazi, struck with leprosy for despising God's grace (2 Kings 5:27), could not have stood before the king; he therefore reads 2 Kings 8:1-6 as a flashback inserted by the author of Kings.
- 2 Kings 4: It Is Well, Even in the Midst of TrialsMatt Marvane follows Gehazi through the story of the Shunammite: he notices that she has no child, wants to push her away when she throws herself at Elisha's feet, then lays the staff on the child with no result. “The staff was not enough.”
Frequently asked questions
Why was Gehazi struck with leprosy?
Because he ran after Naaman to get by trickery the money and clothing Elisha had refused, and then lied to his master. Elisha answers that it was not the time to take money and goods, and declares that “the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and to your offspring forever” (2 Kings 5:27). His fault is twofold: greed and lying.
What does the name Gehazi mean?
The exact meaning of this Hebrew name is not certain. Bible dictionaries offer various guesses, such as "valley of vision," with no agreement among them. The Bible gives no explanation of the name; it defines Gehazi by his role: the servant of Elisha, the man of God (2 Kings 4:12; 5:20).
Where can I find the story of Gehazi in the Bible?
Gehazi appears in the second book of Kings. He is seen in chapter 4, with the Shunammite and her son; in chapter 5, in the story of Naaman's healing, where he is struck with leprosy; and in chapter 8, verses 1 to 6, when he tells the king the great things Elisha has done.