Babylonian Embassy
1 ① At that time Merodach- Baladan, son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah after hearing that he was recovering from an illness. 2Hezekiah was pleased and showed the envoys all that was in his treasure house, the silver, gold, spices and fine oil, his entire armory and all that was in his treasury. In fact there was nothing in his palace or in his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.
3Isaiah the prophet came to Hezekiah and asked him, “What did these men say and from where did they come?” Hezekiah answered, “They came to me from a distant country – from Babylon.”
4And Isaiah said, “What have they seen in your palace?” Hezekiah replied, “They have seen everything in my palace; there is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them.”
5Isaiah then said, “Hear this word of Yahweh, the God of hosts: 6Be hold the days are coming when all that is in your palace, and which your fathers have treasured to this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left. 7And some of your descendants, born of you, will be taken and will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”
8Hezekiah then said to Isaiah, “The word of Yahweh which you have spoken to me is good!” For he thought: there will be peace and truth in my lifetime.
- Is 39,1 This final incident related in the book of Isaiah comes from 2 Kings 20. It emphasizes the meanness of Isaiah's own friends. Isaiah continues to be God's servant, constant in his faith. As for Hezekiah, in spite of having been favored by God, he remains selfish and irresponsible. One may ask why his son Manasseh (of all the kings of Judah) became most hostile to the faith.
