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, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah, —for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick, and had 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, rejoiced over them, and showed them his house of precious things—the silver and the gold and the spices and the precious ointment and all his armoury—and all that was found among his treasures, —there was nothing, which Hezekiah, did not show them—in his house or in all his dominion.

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, unto King Hezekiah, —and said unto him—What said these men? and whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, From a land far away, came they unto me, 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 said, What have they seen in thy house? Then said Hezekiah, —All that is in my house, have they seen, there is nothing which I shewed them not among my treasures.

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

Then said Isaiah unto Hezekiah, —Hear thou the word of Yahweh 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.

Lo! days are coming, when all that is in thy house, and that which thy fathers have treasured up until this day, shall be carried away unto Babylon, —nothing, shall be left, Saith Yahweh.

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 who shall issue from thee whom thou shalt beget, shall they take away, —and they shall become 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.”

And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, Good is the word of Yahweh, which thou hast spoken. And he said, Surely, there shall be peace and stability in my days.