2 Kings 5:24

And when he came to the towre, he tooke them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house, and hee let the men goe, and they departed. 2 Kings 5:24 (KJV)

*Note: This quotation does not appear in any canonical version of the Bible. The story of Naoman and Gehazi is recorded in 2 Kings 5, and the text contains no reference to a tower or to the phrasing above.

The passage is part of the well‑known account of Naaman, a commander of the Syrian army who was afflicted with leprosy. Naaman travelled to Israel seeking healing, and the prophet Elisha instructed him to dip seven times in the Jordan River. After obeying, Naaman was miraculously cured and, in gratitude, offered Elisha a generous gift.

Elisha refused to accept any present, but his servant Gehazi was enticed by the offer. The quoted verse mentions a “tower” as the place where Gehazi went to hide the gifts. The exact location of such a tower is unknown, and the biblical narrative does not record a tower at all; the reference appears only in the non‑canonical quotation.

According to 2 Kings 5:14, Naaman gave Elisha two talents of silver and ten changes of garments. Gehazi seized these valuable items from Naaman’s hand, acting on his own initiative. The draft describes the gifts as “clothing and talents of silver,” reflecting the scriptural detail of the garments and the silver.

Rather than placing the gifts in Elisha’s house as the quoted verse suggests, Gehazi kept them for himself. When Elisha later confronted his servant, the prophet discovered the stolen items hidden in Gehazi’s cloak, confirming Gehazi’s deceit.

The quoted passage also says that after taking the gifts, Gehazi “let the men go, and they departed,” implying that he sought to conceal his wrongdoing by sending away the men who had accompanied Naaman. This detail is not found in the canonical text; the Scripture does not record any episode in which Gehazi released Naaman’s attendants to hide his theft.

The contrast between the canonical account and the non‑canonical quotation highlights Gehazi’s moral failure. While the Bible records his greed and the resulting judgment, the added details about a tower and the release of the men serve only to dramatize the deception without scriptural support. The study of this passage reminds readers to guard against the temptation to appropriate what is offered in gratitude, and to remain faithful to the integrity demonstrated by Elisha, who consistently refused personal gain.