Merodach-baladan

12At that time Berodach-baladan was king of Babylon. He was the son of Baladan. He had heard that Hezekiah was sick. So he sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah.

At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.

NoteBabylon was a big city far away to the east. Its king had heard that Hezekiah was sick, so he sent a friendly gift.

13Hezekiah welcomed the men who brought them. He showed them everything he kept in his storerooms. He showed them the silver and the gold. He showed them the spices and the fine oil. He showed them the room where he kept his weapons. He showed them everything he owned. He did not leave one thing hidden.

And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all 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.

NoteSpices and sweet-smelling oil were worth a lot of money back then. They were kept locked up like gold and silver. Showing a visitor all your treasure was a way of saying, "Look how rich and strong I am."

14Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah. He asked, "What did those men say? Where did they come from?" Hezekiah said, "They came from far away, from Babylon."

Then 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, even from Babylon.

15Isaiah asked, "What did they see in your house?" Hezekiah said, "They saw everything. I showed them all my treasures."

And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.

16Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Listen to what the LORD says.

And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD.

17A day is coming when everything in your house will be taken to Babylon. Even the things your fathers stored up long ago will go. Nothing will be left, says the LORD.

Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.

Note"Thy fathers" means the family who lived before Hezekiah. It means his father, his grandfather, and their fathers too.

18Some of your own sons will be taken away too. They will be servants in the palace of the king of Babylon."

And 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.

NoteThe King James says these sons would be "eunuchs." That word means men who worked close inside a king's palace. They were changed so they could never have children of their own.

19Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "What the LORD says is good." He thought to himself, "At least there will be peace while I live."

Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?

1About that time, the king of Babylon sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah. That king was Merodach-baladan, the son of Baladan. He sent them because he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick and had gotten well.

At that time Merodachbaladan, 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.

NoteBabylon was a strong country far away from where Hezekiah lived. Hezekiah was the king of Judah, the land of God's people. Kings often sent gifts to other kings to make friends with them.

2Hezekiah was glad to see the men. He showed them the room where he kept his treasures. He showed them the silver and the gold. He showed them the spices and the fine, sweet-smelling oil. He also showed them the whole building where he kept his weapons. He showed them everything in his storerooms. There was nothing in his palace, or in all the land he ruled, that Hezekiah did not show them.

And 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.

NoteSpices are sweet-smelling plants used in food and perfume. The fine oil was rubbed on skin and hair, and it cost a lot. A king usually kept his gold and his weapons secret from other kings.

3Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah. Isaiah asked, "What did those men say to you? Where did they come from?" Hezekiah said, "They came to me from a land far away. They came from Babylon."

Then 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.

NoteA prophet was someone who told people what God said.

4Then Isaiah asked, "What did they see in your palace?" Hezekiah answered, "They saw everything in my palace. There is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them."

Then 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 Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Listen to what the LORD of hosts says.

Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD of hosts:

NoteIn many Bibles, LORD in big letters stands for God's own special name. The old word "hosts" means armies. So this name means the LORD who leads God's armies in heaven.

6"The day is coming when everything in your palace will be carried away to Babylon. That includes everything your fathers stored up until now. Nothing will be left, says the LORD.

Behold, 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.

Note"Your fathers" means the kings in his family who lived long before him.

7"Some of your own sons, the children born from your family, will be taken away too. They will be made eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon."

And 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.

NoteThese sons would be boys born in his family many years later. A eunuch was a man who worked inside a king's palace. Eunuchs were changed so they could never have children of their own.

8Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good." He was thinking that there would be peace and safety while he was still alive.

Then 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.