That's what Elisha said to his servant, Gehazi. And when Elisha speaks, he speaks for God.
So God gave Gehazi and all of his descendants leprosy. He had a reason, of course. He always has a reason. But it really doesn't matter what it was, does it? The punishment was unjustified no matter what the crime may have been.
But I suppose I should tell the story anyway.
It all starts out well enough, with Elisha curing a man named Naaman of leprosy by having him wash seven times in the Jordan River.
Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 2 Kings 5:14
Naaman offered to pay Elisha for the cure, but Elisha refused his offer. Gehazi, Elisha's servant, thought a payment was reasonable, though, so he went to talk to Naaman about it.
Gehazi told Naaman that Elisha wanted a talent of silver (about 35 kg) and two sets of clothing.
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
Naaman thought that was reasonable enough, so he gave him the silver and clothes.
When Gehazi returned, Elisha asked him where he went, and he said, "thy servant went no whither." ("I didn't go anywhere.")
But Elisha, like God, knows pretty much everything, so he knew Gehazi was lying about that. So Elisha cursed Gehazi and all of his descendants with leprosy.
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
The Bible doesn't say what became of Gehazi, whether he died because of the leprosy or not. (Although he does show up a few chapters later talking to a king, which would be unlikely for a person who was "unclean" because of leprosy.) But in those days, giving someone leprosy would be a death sentence.
Giving someone leprosy for lying is cruel and unjust; giving leprosy to the unborn future descendants of such a person is even more so. No reasonable person could think otherwise.
But did God kill anyone in this little Bible episode? Well, if God gave Gehazi and all his descendants leprosy, then some of them died because of it. But the Bible doesn't say whether Gehazi had any children, and it doesn't say what happened to Gehazi. And it is possible that "leprosy" in the Bible refers to some other type of skin disease.
So I'm not going to include this in God's killings, although it is a good story to remember. Bible believers believe that God gave Gehazi and all of his descendants some type of nasty skin disease.
Only a nasty God would do something like that.
13 comments:
Uhm, the bible doesn't say what happened to Gehazi, right? So maybe his descendants exist even today? Can we check the lineage, please?
And just to mention Steve: in the Bible getting leprosy isn't fatal! You just have to make the cleansing ritual: sacrifising some animal, sprinkle some blood of it on yourself (do not wash it off!)...
I guess there must be some of Gehazi's descendants alive today or Elisha's curse didn't happen. Elisha said, "The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever." So there must be some leprous seed of Gehazi alive today, and tomorrow, and forever.
Bet you that Elisha kept the silver though.
These men would be sorry sights. Their bodies were riddled with this horrible disease. They came as near as they might dare. Men with leprosy had to keep away from others, one hundred paces at least. Leprosy, like sin, is contagious. Crying out, they ask Jesus for mercy. This was no beautiful quiet whispered prayer. That doesn't happen when you are desperate. One of the ten, a Samaritan, saw that he was healed. The pain disappeared. The sores vanished. Jesus does not just want to deal with a specific problem or trouble. His desire is to make men whole.
Multigenics Intensive Care Fields of Flowers
All who are posting about leprosy are ignorant about it. There is a such thing as a clean leper, which Naaman was. This is when the whole body turns completely white. Unclean leprosy is the partial sore puffy white skinned mixed with the original brown skin. You guys are so funny!
Blasphemy. Romans 5:6-8
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 10:9-10
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
the fact that you would even write about something you have not even taken the time to understand is disturbingly ignorant. Leprosy in the Bible can mean leprous But also other things they did not have a term for at the time. Any form of skin decease that caused you to change color or caused large bumps that look infectious was considered leprous!
The type of leprous Gehazi and his generations were given is the only type that you can have and still be considered clean.
Leviticus 13:12-13
And if a leprosy break out abroad in his skin, and the leprosy covers all the skin of him that hath the plague from his head even to his foot, wheresoever the priest looketh; 13 then the priest shall consider: and, behold, if the leprosy have overed all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: it is all turned white: he is clean.
So the only way Gehazi would have been considered clean is if he turned completely WHITE, thereby being able to work and no be banished. congratulations your lack of understanding scriptures and publishing it on line no doubt turned some poor idiot away from the word. Dont worry i try to bring them back.
Also since you think your smart i wive you more to look up.
Ishmael- was the son of Abraham that was given no inheritance but blessed by God.
1. Who say they are from Ishmael.
2. what type of people came from Ishmael
3. where is their original homeland
4. how did they get where they are today.
which will ultimately lead you to the real question of.
5 Who are the 12 tribes of Israel?
when you figure this out you will know the that the Bible is Right but the teachings are wrong.
have fun learning the truth and STOP leading the flock astray.
Michael-- what's the answer? Save me the trouble from doing the research and please give me the answer.
I say look it up.
Being Gehazi half decendants that would be around forever. This typevof leprosy was not fatal. Its not far fetched to believe this is where the white race come from.
Being Gehazi half decendants that would be around forever. This typevof leprosy was not fatal. Its not far fetched to believe this is where the white race come from.
Since the Bible says leprosy will cleave onto him and his seed forever. Then yes those seeds are still here. Stop being naive what race of people can you describe as white as snow? Come on People it's talking about caucasians.
The lepers are the so called white people or Europeans of today, they are the evil lepers the Bible speaks of
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