1 At that time Merodach-baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah since he heard that he had been sick and had recovered.
2 Hezekiah was pleased with the letters, and he showed the envoys his treasure houseâthe silver, the gold, the spices, and the precious oilâand all his armory, and everything that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his palace and in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them.
3 Then the prophet Isaiah came to King Hezekiah and asked him, âWhat did these men say, and where did they come to you from? â Hezekiah replied, âThey came to me from a distant country, from Babylon.â
4 Isaiah asked, âWhat have they seen in your palace? â Hezekiah answered, âThey have seen everything in my palace. There isnât anything in my treasuries that I didnât show them.â
5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, âHear the word of the LORD of Armies:
6 âLook, the days are coming when everything in your palace and all that your predecessors have stored up until today will be carried off to Babylon; nothing will be left,â says the LORD.
7 âSome of your descendantsâwho come from you, whom you fatherâwill be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.â â
8 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, âThe word of the LORD that you have spoken is good,â for he thought: There will be peace and security during my lifetime.