2 Kings 5:26

But Elisha questioned him, “Did not my spirit go with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to accept money and clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, menservants and maidservants?

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Elisha questions Gehazi immediately after Gehazi returns from his secret meeting with Naaman’s chariot and denies traveling anywhere.

The words — The Hebrew phrase לִבִּי הָלַךְ (li.bi ha.lakh) literally translates to “my heart went,” indicating Elisha’s own mind or awareness rather than a disembodied spirit.

The thread — The motif of presence in heart or spirit while absent in body appears in Paul’s letters to the Colossians and Corinthians, while Elisha’s supernatural knowledge of events is echoed in 2 Kings 6:12.

Why it lands — The text demands readers recognize that prophetic insight operates independently of physical movement, and it confronts those who exploit divine encounters for personal gain with the necessity of accountability.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיֹּ֤אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he said אֵלָיו֙'e.La/vto/ him לֹא־lo'-not לִבִּ֣יli.B/iheart/ my הָלַ֔ךְha.Lakhdid it go?כַּאֲשֶׁ֧רka./'a.Sherjust/ when הָֽפַךְ־ha.fakh-he turned אִ֛ישׁ'isha man מֵעַ֥לme./'Alfrom/ on מֶרְכַּבְתּ֖וֹmer.kav.T/ochariot/ his לִקְרָאתֶ֑ךָli/k.ra.Te./chato/ meet/ you הַעֵ֞תha./'Et¿/ a time לָקַ֤חַתla./Ka.chatto/ accept אֶת־'et-<obj.>הַכֶּ֙סֶף֙ha./Ke.sef<the>/ silver וְלָקַ֣חַתve./la./Ka.chatand/ to/ accept בְּגָדִ֔יםbe.ga.Dimclothes וְזֵיתִ֤יםve./zei.Timand/ olive trees וּכְרָמִים֙u./khe.ra.Mimand/ vineyards וְצֹ֣אןve./Tzonand/ sheep וּבָקָ֔רu./va.Karand/ cattle וַעֲבָדִ֖יםva./'a.va.Dimand/ male servants וּשְׁפָחֽוֹת׃u./she.fa.Chotand/ maidservants

King James Version

And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?

Cross-references

Colossians 2:5 For although I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, and I delight to see your orderly condition and firm faith in Christ.
1 Corinthians 5:3 Although I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, and I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present.
2 Kings 6:12 But one of his servants replied, “No one, my lord the king. For Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”
Acts 20:35 In everything, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus Himself: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
2 Kings 5:16 But Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will not accept it.” And although Naaman urged him to accept it, he refused.
Matthew 10:8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
1 Corinthians 9:11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much for us to reap a material harvest from you?
Genesis 14:23 that I will not accept even a thread, or a strap of a sandal, or anything that belongs to you, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’
Psalms 63:11 But the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by Him will exult, for the mouths of liars will be shut.
2 Thessalonians 3:8 nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. Instead, in labor and toil, we worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you.