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, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent a letter and a present to Hezekiah, for he had heard that he had been sick 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 Hezekiah was delighted with them, and showed the embassy his treasure-house, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious oil, and his whole armory, and all that was found in his treasures. There was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, which Hezekiah did not show 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.”

Then came Isaiah the prophet to King Hezekiah, and said to him, What did these men say, and whence did they come to thee? And Hezekiah said, They came to me from a distant country, 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.”

Then said he, What have they seen in thy house? And Hezekiah answered: All that is in my house have they seen. There is nothing in my treasures which I have not shown them.

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

Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, hear the word of Jehovah 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 shall come, when all that is in thy house, and that thy fathers have treasured up to this day, shall be carried away to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, saith Jehovah.

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 thy sons, which shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away, and they shall he eunuchs in the 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.”

Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good is the word of Jehovah, which thou hast spoken. For, said he, there shall be peace and security in my days.