Hezekiah Shows His Treasures

39 (A)At that time Merodach-baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. Hezekiah [a]was (B)pleased, and let them see all his treasure house, the (C)silver, the gold, the balsam oil, the excellent olive oil, his entire armory, and everything that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his house nor in all his realm that Hezekiah did not let them see. Then Isaiah the (D)prophet came to King Hezekiah and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?” And Hezekiah said, “They came to me from a far (E)country, from Babylon.” Then he said, “What have they seen in your house?” So Hezekiah [b]answered, “They have seen everything that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasuries that I have not let them see.”

Isaiah then said to Hezekiah, “Hear the (F)word of the Lord of armies, ‘Behold, the days are coming when (G)everything that is in your house, and what your fathers have stored up to this day, will be carried to Babylon; nothing will be left,’ says the Lord. ‘And some of your sons who will come from you, whom you will father, (H)will be taken away, and (I)they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” (J)Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good.” For he [c]thought, “For there will be peace and truth (K)in my days.”

The Greatness of God

40 (L)Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God.
(M)Speak [d]kindly to Jerusalem;
And call out to her, that her [e](N)warfare has ended,
That her [f](O)guilt has been removed,
That she has received of the Lords hand
(P)Double for all her sins.”

(Q)The voice of one calling out,
(R)Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness;
Make [g]straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Let every valley be lifted up,
And every mountain and hill be made low;
And let the uneven ground become a plain,
And the rugged terrain a broad valley;
[h]Then the (S)glory of the Lord will be revealed,
And (T)all flesh will see it together;
For the (U)mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
A voice says, “Call out.”
Then [i]he answered, “What shall I call out?”
(V)All flesh is grass, and all its [j]loveliness is like the flower of the field.
The (W)grass withers, the flower fades,
[k]When the (X)breath of the Lord blows upon it;
The people are indeed grass!
The grass withers, the flower fades,
But (Y)the word of our God stands forever.

Go up on a (Z)high mountain,
Zion, messenger of (AA)good news,
Raise your voice forcefully,
Jerusalem, messenger of good news;
Raise it up, do not fear.
Say to the (AB)cities of Judah,
(AC)Here is your God!”
10 Behold, the Lord [l]God will come (AD)with might,
With His (AE)arm ruling for Him.
Behold, His (AF)compensation is with Him,
And His reward before Him.
11 Like a shepherd He will (AG)tend His flock,
In His arm He will gather the lambs
And carry them in the fold of His robe;
He will gently lead the nursing ewes.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 39:2 Lit rejoiced over them
  2. Isaiah 39:4 Lit said
  3. Isaiah 39:8 Lit said
  4. Isaiah 40:2 Lit to the heart of
  5. Isaiah 40:2 Or hard service
  6. Isaiah 40:2 Or penalty of guilt accepted as paid off
  7. Isaiah 40:3 Or smooth
  8. Isaiah 40:5 Or In order that the
  9. Isaiah 40:6 Another reading is I said
  10. Isaiah 40:6 Or constancy
  11. Isaiah 40:7 Or Because
  12. Isaiah 40:10 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord

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)

Comfort for God’s People

40 Comfort, comfort(L) my people,
    says your God.
Speak tenderly(M) to Jerusalem,
    and proclaim to her
that her hard service(N) has been completed,(O)
    that her sin has been paid for,(P)
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
    double(Q) for all her sins.

A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
    the way(R) for the Lord[a];
make straight(S) in the desert
    a highway for our God.[b](T)
Every valley shall be raised up,(U)
    every mountain and hill(V) made low;
the rough ground shall become level,(W)
    the rugged places a plain.
And the glory(X) of the Lord will be revealed,
    and all people will see it together.(Y)
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”(Z)

A voice says, “Cry out.”
    And I said, “What shall I cry?”

“All people are like grass,(AA)
    and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
The grass withers(AB) and the flowers fall,
    because the breath(AC) of the Lord blows(AD) on them.
    Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers and the flowers(AE) fall,
    but the word(AF) of our God endures(AG) forever.(AH)

You who bring good news(AI) to Zion,
    go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,[c](AJ)
    lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
    say to the towns of Judah,
    “Here is your God!”(AK)
10 See, the Sovereign Lord comes(AL) with power,(AM)
    and he rules(AN) with a mighty arm.(AO)
See, his reward(AP) is with him,
    and his recompense accompanies him.
11 He tends his flock like a shepherd:(AQ)
    He gathers the lambs in his arms(AR)
and carries them close to his heart;(AS)
    he gently leads(AT) those that have young.(AU)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 40:3 Or A voice of one calling in the wilderness: / “Prepare the way for the Lord
  2. Isaiah 40:3 Hebrew; Septuagint make straight the paths of our God
  3. Isaiah 40:9 Or Zion, bringer of good news, / go up on a high mountain. / Jerusalem, bringer of good news