Here's one more odd story about Elisha, the fellow I like to think of as God's sorcerer. I'd spend more time on him than just two posts, but I have so much more material to cover. Those who are curious, should read 2 Ki 1-6 to see all the weirdness.
2 Ki 5:20-27 - Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, "My master has let that Aramean Naaman off too lightly by not accepting from him what he offered. As the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something out of him." So Gehazi went after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he jumped down from the chariot to meet him and said, "Is everything all right?" He replied, "Yes, but my master has sent me to say, 'Two members of the company of prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim; please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.'" Naaman said, "Please accept two talents." He urged him, and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and gave them to two of his servants, who carried them in front of Gehazi. When he came to the citadel, he took the bags from them, and stored them inside; he dismissed the men, and they left.
He went in and stood before his master; and Elisha said to him, "Where have you been, Gehazi?" He answered, "Your servant has not gone anywhere at all." But he said to him, "Did I not go with you in spirit when someone left his chariot to meet you? Is this a time to accept money and to accept clothing, olive orchards and vinyards, sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves? Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you, and to your descendants forever." So he left his presence leprous, as white as snow.
A bit of background. After being cured of leprosy, Naaman was so happy he offered Elisha all sorts of riches, which Elisha turned down (a rare event for a priest!). Gehazi decided to engage in a little freelance fleecing, then tries to lie his way out of trouble when he's caught. So far, so good. Now comes the fun. Elisha claims to have performed what appears to be astral projection, to spy on his underling!
I recall a Christian friend some time ago telling me that this sort of thing was a practice of devil-worshippers. So there's some new material he'll enjoy reading here, I'd guess. And yet again, we see a punishment for one person being visited for no reason on all his descendants.
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