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Messengers From Babylon

¹ At that time Merodach Baladan son of Baladan was king of Babylon. He sent some men with letters and a gift to Hezekiah when he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. ² This made Hezekiah very happy, so he showed them all the valuable things in his storehouses. He showed them the silver, the gold, the spices, and the expensive perfumes. He showed them the building where he stored the weapons. He showed them everything in his treasuries and everything in his house and throughout his kingdom.

³ Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked him, "What did these men say? Where did they come from?"

Hezekiah said, "These men came all the way from Babylon just to see me."

⁴ So Isaiah asked him, "What did they see in your house?"

Hezekiah said, "They saw everything in my palace. I showed them all my wealth."

⁵ Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Listen to this message from the Lord All-Powerful: ⁶ ‘The time is coming when everything in your house and everything your ancestors have saved until today will be carried away to Babylon. Nothing will be left!' The Lord All-Powerful said this. ⁷ The Babylonians will take your own sons, and your sons will become officers^[a] in the palace of the king of Babylon."

⁸ Then Hezekiah told Isaiah, "This message from the Lord is good." (Hezekiah said this because he thought, "There will be real peace and security during my lifetime.")