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Hezekiah Receives Envoys From Babylon

39 At that time, Merodak[a] Baladan, son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, because he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick and had recovered. Hezekiah was happy to receive the envoys, and he showed them his palace treasury—the silver and the gold, the spices and the precious oil, his whole armory, and everything that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his palace or in all his domain that Hezekiah did not show them.

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

Hezekiah replied, “They have come from a faraway country, from Babylon.”

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

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

Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Listen to the word of the Lord of Armies. Listen carefully. The days are coming when whatever is in your house—everything that your fathers have stored up until today—will be carried away to Babylon. Not a thing will be left, says the Lord. They will take away some of the sons who were born to you, your own children, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”

Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good.” For Hezekiah also said, “There will be peace and stability during my days.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 39:1 Merodak is probably a derogatory form of the name Marduk, the chief god of Babylon.

The Delegation from Babylon

39 At that time, Merodach-Baladan, son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for[a] he heard that he had been sick and recovered. And Hezekiah rejoiced over them and showed them his house of aromatic gum, the silver, gold, spices, good oil, all the house of his weapons, and all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing that Hezekiah had not shown them in his house or in all his dominion. And Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?” And Hezekiah answered,[b] “They came to me from a distant country, from Babylon.” And he[c] said, “What have they seen in your house?” And Hezekiah answered,[d] “They have seen all that is in my house. There is nothing that I have not shown them in my storehouses.”

And Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of Yahweh of hosts: ‘Look! days are coming, and all that is in your house and that which your ancestors[e] have stored up to this day shall be carried off to Babylon. Nothing shall be left,’ says Yahweh. ‘And some of your sons who go out from you, whom you fathered, shall be taken, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of Yahweh that you have spoken is good,” for[f] he thought,[g] “Surely there will be peace and security in my days.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 39:1 Or “and”
  2. Isaiah 39:3 Literally “said”
  3. Isaiah 39:4 That is, Isaiah
  4. Isaiah 39:4 Literally “said”
  5. Isaiah 39:6 Or “fathers”
  6. Isaiah 39:8 Or “and”
  7. Isaiah 39:8 Literally “said”