וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לְגֵיחֲזִ֜י חֲגֹ֣ר מָתְנֶ֗יךָ וְקַ֨ח מִשְׁעַנְתִּ֣י בְיָדְךָ֮ וָלֵךְ֒ כִּֽי־תִמְצָ֥א אִישׁ֙ לֹ֣א תְבָרְכֶ֔נּוּ וְכִֽי־יְבָרֶכְךָ֥ אִ֖ישׁ לֹ֣א תַעֲנֶנּ֑וּ וְשַׂמְתָּ֥ מִשְׁעַנְתִּ֖י עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַנָּֽעַר׃
Rzekł tedy do Giechazego: Przepasz biodra twoje, a weź laskę moją w rękę twą, a idź; kogokolwiek byś nie spotkał, nie pozdrawiaj go, a gdyby cię kto pozdrowił, nie odpowiadaj mu, a połóż laskę moją na oblicze chłopca.
Tze'enah Ure'enah
“He said to Gehazi: gird up your loins, etc.” [4:29]. Elisha said to his servant Gehazi. Gird your loins and take my staff in your hand and when you will meet a person, do not greet them. Whoever will greet you, do not respond, and put my staff on the child’s face. He also commanded him that he should not tarry on the way. The Midrash writes that the staff was a joke in Gehazi’s eyes. He said: is it possible that the staff will make a dead person come to life. This is what Gehazi said to every person that he encountered and said: do you believe that the staff brings to life?6Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer, chap. 33.
Rashi
Do not greet him. Do not inquire about his welfare. All this [was done] to discourage conversation, where one might ask him, “Where are you going?” and he would say, “To revive the dead.” It is not respectful for the miracle when the maker brags about it. But, he did not obey.24Geichazi took his mission very lightly and considered it a joke. He was therefore unsuccessful in his mission. Radak When anyone asked him [where he was going], he responded, “My master sent me to revive the dead.”25Alternatively, Elisha initially thought that the boy had merely fainted and therefore his personal presence would not be necessary.—Malbim