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39 At the same time, Merodach-Baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babel, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah. For he had heard that he had been sick and had recovered.

And Hezekiah was glad for them, and showed them the house of the treasures, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armor, and all that was found in his treasures. There was nothing in his house, nor in all his kingdom, that Hezekiah did not show them.

Then came Isaiah the Prophet to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say? And from where have they come to you?” And Hezekiah said, “They have come to me from a far country, from Babel.”

Then he said, “What have they seen in your house?” And Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house. There is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.”

And Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the Word of the LORD of Hosts,

‘Behold, the days come that all that is in your house, and which your fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babel. Nothing shall be left,’ says the LORD.

‘And your sons who shall proceed out of you, which you shall beget, they shall take away. And they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babel.’”

Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, “The Word of the LORD which you have spoken is good.” And he said, “For there is peace and truth in my days.”

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”

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)