GEHAZI

(Ge·haʹzi) [valley of vision].

The attendant of the prophet Elisha.

When Elisha wondered what could be done for a hospitable Shunammite woman, it was Gehazi who called to his master’s attention that she was childless and that her husband was old. Accordingly, Elisha told her that she would be rewarded with a son. Years later the miraculously given boy became ill and died. The Shunammite thereupon came riding to see Elisha at Mount Carmel, and took hold of his feet. On seeing this, Gehazi tried to push her away but was admonished to let her alone. After she finished speaking Elisha at once sent Gehazi ahead to the boy, while Elisha and the woman followed. On their way there Gehazi met them, bringing back the report that, although he had placed Elisha’s staff on the boy’s face, “the boy did not wake up.” But shortly after arriving, Elisha resurrected the Shunammite’s son.—2 Ki. 4:12-37.

Later, because a seven-year famine was due to come, Elisha recommended that the Shunammite and her household take up alien residence wherever possible. After the famine she returned from Philistia to Israel and approached the king with a plea to have her house and field restored to her. It so happened that at this time Gehazi was relating to the king how Elisha had resurrected this woman’s son. On hearing the Shunammite’s own account of this, the king instructed that everything be returned to her, including all that her field had produced during her absence.—2 Ki. 8:1-6.

Greed for selfish gain proved to be the downfall of Gehazi. This was in connection with the healing of Naaman the Syrian. Though Elisha had refused to accept a gift from Naaman for the healing of his leprosy (2 Ki. 5:14-16), Gehazi coveted a gift and reasoned that it was only proper to receive this. Therefore, he ran after Naaman and, in the name of Elisha, asked for a talent of silver and two changes of garments, on the pretense that this was for two young men of the sons of the prophets who had just arrived from the mountainous region of Ephraim. Naaman gladly gave him, not just one, but two talents of silver, as well as the two changes of garments, and had two of his attendants carry the gift for Gehazi. At Ophel, Gehazi took the gift from the hands of the attendants, dismissed them, deposited the gift in his house and then presented himself empty-handed before Elisha, even denying that he had gone anywhere when asked: “Where did you come from, Gehazi?” As a result Gehazi was stricken with leprosy. So his greed, coupled with his deceptiveness, cost Gehazi his privilege of continuing to serve as Elisha’s attendant, besides bringing leprosy on his offspring.—2 Ki. 5:20-27.