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, Merodach-Baladan, son of Baladan, king of Babylon, has sent letters and a present to Hezekiah when he hears that he has been sick and has become strong.

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 Hezekiah rejoices over them, and shows them the house of his spices, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the good ointment, and all the house of his vessels, and all that has been found in his treasures; there has not been a thing in his house, and in all his dominion, that Hezekiah has not showed them.

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 Isaiah the prophet comes to King Hezekiah and says to him, “What did these men say? And from where do they come to you?” And Hezekiah says, “They have come to me from a far-off land—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 he says, “What did they see in your house?” And Hezekiah says, “They saw all that [is] in my house; there has not been a thing that I have not showed them among my treasures.”

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

And Isaiah says to Hezekiah, “Hear a word of YHWH 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, days are coming, and all that [is] in your house, and that your fathers have treasured up until this day, has been carried to Babylon; there is not a thing left, said YHWH;

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.'”

and of your sons who come forth from you, whom you beget, they take, and they have been eunuchs in a palace of the king of Babylon.”

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 Hezekiah says to Isaiah, “The word of YHWH that you have spoken [is] good”; and he says, “Because there is peace and truth in my days.”