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Chapter 39

Embassy from Merodach-baladan. At that time Merodach-baladan,[a] son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and gifts to Hezekiah, when he heard that he had been sick and had recovered.(A) Hezekiah was pleased at their coming, and then showed the messengers his treasury, the silver and gold, the spices and perfumed oil, his whole armory, and everything in his storerooms; there was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them.(B)

Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah and asked him, “What did these men say to you? Where did they come from?” Hezekiah replied, “They came to me from a distant land, from Babylon.” He asked, “What did they see in your house?” Hezekiah answered, “They saw everything in my house. There is nothing in my storerooms that I did not show them.” Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: The time is coming when all that is in your house, everything that your ancestors have stored up until this day, shall be carried off to Babylon;[b] nothing shall be left, says the Lord.(C) Some of your own descendants, your progeny, shall be taken and made attendants in the palace of the king of Babylon.”(D) Hezekiah replied to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good.”[c] For he thought, “There will be peace and stability in my lifetime.”

Footnotes

  1. 39:1 Merodach-baladan: twice king of Babylon, probably from 721 to 710 B.C., and again for nine months, in 704–703. This visit of his messengers, certainly before 701, was in reality a political one. Babylon hoped to lead an anti-Assyrian confederation composed of neighboring states and wanted Judah to join.
  2. 39:6 Because Judah preferred to follow a pro-Babylonian policy, instead of trusting in the Lord, it would later be exiled to Babylon.
  3. 39:8 Hezekiah was relieved that the disaster would not occur in his lifetime.

Envoys From Babylon(A)

39 At that time Marduk-Baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon(B) sent Hezekiah letters and a gift, because he had heard of his illness and recovery. Hezekiah received the envoys(C) gladly and showed them what was in his storehouses—the silver, the gold,(D) the spices, the fine olive oil—his entire armory and everything found among his treasures.(E) There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.

Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked, “What did those men say, and where did they come from?”

“From a distant land,(F)” Hezekiah replied. “They came to me from Babylon.”

The prophet asked, “What did they see in your palace?”

“They saw everything in my palace,” Hezekiah said. “There is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them.”

Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word(G) of the Lord Almighty: The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon.(H) Nothing will be left, says the Lord. And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.(I)

“The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,(J)” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my lifetime.(K)