1At that time Merodach–baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah: for he had heard that he had been sick, and was recovered.
2And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed them the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.
3Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country unto me, even from Babylon.
4Then said he, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All that is in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.
5Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the Lord of hosts:
6Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the Lord.
7And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.
8Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken. He said moreover, For there shall be peace and truth in my days.
📖 Chapter study
Summary
Messengers from Babylon visit Hezekiah, who proudly shows them all his treasures and weapons. Isaiah rebukes him, prophesying that one day all of it, and even the king's descendants, would be carried off as captives to Babylon.
Explanation
This chapter functions as an important hinge in the book of Isaiah: the mention of Babylon here (still a secondary kingdom in Hezekiah's day, around 701 BC) sets the stage for the second half of the book (chapters 40-66), which deals extensively with the future Babylonian exile and the return. Hezekiah's naivety — proudly showing off his wealth to foreign visitors without perceiving the political danger — contrasts with the spiritual wisdom he displayed in earlier chapters, a reminder that even good leaders make errors of judgment. Hezekiah's surprisingly resigned response ('the word of the Lord is good... for there will be peace in my days') shows acceptance, however self-centered, of a judgment that would only affect future generations. The application today is that flaunting achievements or wealth without discernment can open the door to future problems we may never see but that will affect those who come after us.
Fun facts
- Merodach-baladan, the Babylonian king mentioned in the chapter, is a historical figure confirmed by Assyrian records, which describe him as a rebellious ruler who repeatedly tried to free himself from Assyrian rule.
- The prophecy that Hezekiah's own sons would be taken as eunuchs to Babylon would be fulfilled about 100 years later, in the Babylonian exile of 586 BC, showing the long-range reach of Isaiah's prophecies.