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Messengers From Babylon

39 At that time Merodach Baladan son of Baladan was king of Babylon. He sent some men with letters and a gift to Hezekiah when he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. This made Hezekiah very happy, so he showed them all the valuable things in his storehouses. He showed them the silver, the gold, the spices, and the expensive perfumes. He showed them the building where he stored the weapons. He showed them everything in his treasuries and everything in his house and throughout his kingdom.

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

Hezekiah said, “These men came all the way from Babylon just to see me.”

So Isaiah asked him, “What did they see in your house?”

Hezekiah said, “They saw everything in my palace. I showed them all my wealth.”

Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Listen to this message from the Lord All-Powerful: ‘The time is coming when everything in your house and everything your ancestors have saved until today will be carried away to Babylon. Nothing will be left!’ The Lord All-Powerful said this. The Babylonians will take your own sons, and your sons will become officers[a] in the palace of the king of Babylon.”

Then Hezekiah told Isaiah, “This message from the Lord is good.” (Hezekiah said this because he thought, “There will be real peace and security during my lifetime.”)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 39:7 officers Or “eunuchs.” See “eunuch” in the Word List.

Hezekiah Shows His Treasures

39 At that time Merodach-baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent [messengers with] letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he had heard that he had been sick and had recovered.(A) Hezekiah was pleased and showed them his treasure house—the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his entire armory and everything that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his house nor in all his area of dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah and asked, “What did these men say? From where have they come to you?” And Hezekiah said, “They came to me from a far country, from [a]Babylon.” Then Isaiah said, “What have they seen in your house?” And Hezekiah answered, “They have seen everything that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.”

Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts, ‘Listen carefully, the days are coming when everything that is in your house and everything that your predecessors have stored up until this day will be carried to Babylon; nothing will be left,’ says the Lord. ‘And [b]some of your own sons (descendants) who will come from you, whom you will father, will be taken away, and they will become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “There will be peace and faithfulness [to God’s promises to us] in my days.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 39:3 During this period Babylon was not regarded as a threat.
  2. Isaiah 39:7 The fulfillment of this prophecy was initiated when Daniel and some of the other royal sons were taken to Babylon to serve in the court of the king.