The word of knowledge was also used in the Old Testament to expose a hypocrite.
When Naaman was healed of leprosy and wanted to give the prophet Elisha changes of
raiment and silver and gold, Elisha refused it. But his servant Gehazi ran after Naaman and
lied to him.
2 Kings 5:21-24
21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he
lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?
22 And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be
come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give
them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.
23 And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two
talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of
his servants; and they bare them before him.
24 And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in
the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.
Naaman was so thrilled to be healed that he gave him twice the amount of money Gehazi
asked for, and Gehazi hid it because he was a thief as well as a hypocrite and a liar.
When Elisha asked Gehazi where he had been, he said, ". . . Thy servant went no whither" (2
Kings 5:25).
Elisha said, ". . . Went not mine heart [or spirit] with thee, when the man turned again from his
chariot to meet thee? . . ." (2 Kings 5:26).
How could Elisha be sitting in his own house and yet know what was going on several miles
away? God revealed it to him through a word of knowledge. God gave Elisha a supernatural
revelation of what had happened, and it exposed Gehazi, a hypocrite.
The Word of Knowledge To Elisha Regarding Syria
Also in the Old Testament, a word of knowledge was given to warn a king of the enemy's plan
of destruction.
2 KINGS 6:8-12
8 Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants,
saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.
9 And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not
such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.
10 And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned
him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.
11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called
his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of
Israel?
12 And one of his servants said, None, my lord, 0 king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in
Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.