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.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 39:2 Lit rejoiced over them
  2. Isaiah 39:4 Lit said
  3. Isaiah 39:8 Lit said

Envoys from Babylon

39 Soon after this, Merodach-baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent Hezekiah his best wishes and a gift. He had heard that Hezekiah had been very sick and that he had recovered. Hezekiah was delighted with the Babylonian envoys and showed them everything in his treasure-houses—the silver, the gold, the spices, and the aromatic oils. He also took them to see his armory and showed them everything in his royal treasuries! There was nothing in his palace or kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.

Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked him, “What did those men want? Where were they from?”

Hezekiah replied, “They came from the distant land of Babylon.”

“What did they see in your palace?” asked Isaiah.

“They saw everything,” Hezekiah replied. “I showed them everything I own—all my royal treasuries.”

Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Listen to this message from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies: ‘The time is coming when everything in your palace—all the treasures stored up by your ancestors until now—will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left,’ says the Lord. ‘Some of your very own sons will be taken away into exile. They will become eunuchs who will serve in the palace of Babylon’s king.’”

Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “This message you have given me from the Lord is good.” For the king was thinking, “At least there will be peace and security during my lifetime.”