Therefore: The Hebrew has only the common conjunction at this point. But many translations see it as showing the logical relationship between Gehazi’s greedy actions and the disease that came on him. New Century Version translates it “So” and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh renders it “Surely.” La Bible du Semeur even goes so far as to begin this verse with “Since you did that.”
The leprosy of Naaman shall cleave to you may be rendered “you will suffer from Naaman’s leprosy” (so New Living Translation). The simple declarative statement of the original text here is often understood as the virtual equivalent of pronouncing a curse. Hobbs actually translates it in this way, saying “Now may the leprosy on Naaman cling to you.” Surprisingly, Gehazi is mentioned later (in 2 Kgs 8.4-5) as holding a conversation with the king of Israel and no mention is made of his being diseased at that point.
And to your descendants for ever: The sin of Gehazi would actually affect his descendants (literally “seed”) as well. This is certainly in keeping with the theology of the Old Testament which permits suffering by people whose ancestors had committed sin (Exo 20.5; 34.7; Num 14.18; Deut 5.9; Dan 9.16). An old tradition suggests that Gehazi and his sons were, in fact, the four lepers mentioned in the unusual story of the defeat of the Syrians described in 2 Kgs 7.3-10, but there is no certainty regarding this identification.
He went out from his presence: Translators should ensure that the pronoun he is understood as referring to Gehazi. In some cases this will mean using the proper name in place of the pronoun (so Good News Translation, Nouvelle Bible Segond).
As white as snow is literally “as snow,” but whiteness is clearly understood. The disease referred to as “leprosy” is often described as causing the skin to turn white. In languages where snow is unknown, this figure may be dropped and translators may say “very, very white.” Or possibly a different figure may be used if it has the same meaning as the biblical one. Parole de Vie, for example, says “as white as milk.” Other languages speak of whiteness in terms of “egret’s feathers.” Compare the other Old Testament passages where this kind of expression occurs: Exo 4.6; Num 12.10; Isa 1.18; Dan 7.9. In those passages it has a positive connotation, but here it is used in a negative sense. The expression is also found in the New Testament in Matt 28.3 and Rev 1.14.
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .