Isaiah 39

1 Soon after that, Baladan’s son Merodach-Baladan, the King of Babylon, heard a report that Hezekiah had been very sick but that he had recovered. So he wrote some notes and gave them to some messengers to take to Hezekiah, along with a gift.

At that time Marodach Baladan, the son of Baladan, the king of Babylonia, sent letters and ambassadors and gifts to Ezekias: for he had heard that he had been sick [even] to death, and was recovered.

2 [When the messengers arrived], Hezekiah welcomed them gladly. [Then] he showed them everything that was in his (treasure houses/places where very valuable things were kept)—the silver, the gold, the spices, and the nice-smelling [olive] oil. He also took them to see the place where they kept their soldiers’ weapons, and he showed them the other valuable things that were in the storehouses. Hezekiah showed them everything [LIT] that was in the palace or in other places [HYP].

And Ezekias was glad of their coming, and he showed them the house of [his] spices, and of silver, and gold, and myrrh, and incense, and ointment, and all the houses of his treasures, and all that he had in his stores: and there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, which Ezekias did not show.

3 Then I went to King Hezekiah and asked him, “Where did those men come from, and what did they want?” He replied, “They came from the far away land of Babylon.”

And Esaias the prophet came to king Ezekias, and said to him, What say these men? and whence came they to you? and Ezekias said, They are come to me from a land afar off, from Babylon.

4 I asked him, “What did they see in your palace?” Hezekiah replied, “They saw everything. I showed them absolutely everything that I own—all my valuable things.”

And Esaias said, What have they seen in your house? and Ezekias said, They have seen everything in my house; and there is nothing in my house which they have not seen: yes, also the [possessions] in my treasuries.

5 Then I said to Hezekiah, “Listen to this message from the Commander of the armies of angels:

And Esaias said to him, Hear the word of the Lord of hosts:

6 'There will be a time when everything in your palace, all the valuable things that your ancestors stored there up until the present time, will be carried away to Babylon. Yahweh says that there will be nothing left.

Behold, the days come, when they shall take all the [things that are] in your house, and all that your fathers have gathered until this day, shall go to Babylon; and they shall not leave anything at all: and God has said,

7 Furthermore, some of your sons will be forced to go to Babylon. They will be castrated in order that they can become servants in the palace of the king of Babylon.'”

that they shall take also of your children whom you shall beget; and they shall make them eunuchs in the house of the king of the Babylonians.

8 Then Hezekiah replied to me, “That message from Yahweh that you have given to me is good.” He said that because he was thinking, “Even if that happens, there will be peace, and people in this country will be safe during the time that I am alive.”

And Ezekias said to Esaias, Good is the word of the Lord, which he has spoken: let there, I pray, be peace and righteousness in my days.