He said to him: Once again the pronouns here may need to be made more explicit in certain languages. In verses 26-27 Elisha is speaking to Gehazi.

Did I not go with you in spirit…? is literally “Did not my heart go [with you]…?” Apparently Elisha had extrasensory perception and was able to travel in spirit even though his body did not go. Elisha is not really asking a question but is strongly affirming the fact that he was very well aware of Gehazi’s selfish actions. Both of the rhetorical questions in this verse may be changed to strong affirmations in order to make the meaning clear as follows: “My heart was with you … and now you want to get more money….”

Turned from his chariot translates a Hebrew expression that is different from the one rendered “alighted from the chariot” in verse 21. The expression in verse 21 is rendered well by New Revised Standard Version with “jumped down from the chariot.” In this verse a possible translation is “left his chariot” (New Revised Standard Version, La Bible de Jérusalem Nouvelle Version, Nouvelle version Segond révisée).

Was it a time to accept money and garments…?: Elisha’s question makes the point that now, when God has performed a miracle, is not the time to be greedy. Revised Standard Version has translated the Masoretic Text here, which Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament recommends with a {B} rating. The ancient Greek reads “and now you have received the money, and now you have received the garments, and you will receive with it gardens and olive orchards and vineyards and sheep and cattle and male servants and female servants”; that is, in the Greek translation Gehazi has accepted money and garments in order to buy with it gardens, olive orchards, and so forth. The Greek text is followed by several translations. New Jerusalem Bible (also em>Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente), for example, says “Now you have taken the money, you can buy gardens with it, and olive groves, sheep and oxen, male and female slaves.” Gray, similarly, follows the Greek with “Have you now taken the money to buy orchards and olive-trees and vineyards and sheep and oxen and menservants and maidservants?” Note that these translations correct the Hebrew words that are literally “and to accept garments” to read “to buy gardens.”

After money and garments, the addition of olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, menservants and maidservants may seem extraneous since there is no indication earlier in the story that these things were involved. Perhaps the prophet added them because of the apparently unsatisfied greed of Gehazi. Other commentators see in these words Elisha’s suspicion of what Gehazi was planning to purchase with the money he had received. In any case, translators must ensure that these elements are included in translation.

Olive orchards and vineyards will sometimes be translated as “fields that produce olives and fields that produce grapes.” For olive orchards, see the comments on 1 Kgs 5.11; for vineyards see 1 Kgs 21.1.

All translations agree that sheep are the first kind of animal listed. The second kind of animal is called oxen in Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible and New Jerusalem Bible, and “cattle” in Good News Translation and New American Bible. The Hebrew noun for oxen is a collective term that is often translated “cattle” or “herd.” It refers to bovine cattle and may include bulls, cows, calves, and heifers. The word itself does not necessarily refer to male animals. See the comments on 1 Kgs 1.9.

In place of menservants and maidservants, it will be more natural in some languages to say simply “servants” (so Good News Translation).

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 .