Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Isaiah 39:7

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Warning concerning Babylon (39:1-8)

At this time Babylon was increasing in power and was looking for allies to help it resist Assyria. Hezekiah’s illness gave the Babylonian king an excuse to send representatives to Jerusalem with the aim of encouraging Hezekiah to join with Babylon against Assyria. Hezekiah’s faith, which had been strengthened through his miraculous recovery from death, soon weakened. He could not resist the temptation of yet another anti-Assyrian alliance. He was proud of the prosperity he had brought to his kingdom (see 2 Chronicles 32:25,2 Chronicles 32:31), and he was pleased at the opportunity to impress Babylon. He therefore gladly showed his willingness to cooperate in the anti-Assyrian plot (39:1-2).

Isaiah seems to have suspected that Hezekiah was preparing the way for another alliance against Assyria (3-4). Once again the prophet condemned this willingness to enter foreign alliances. He saw that it would only result in conquest by the allied power. Judah would be conquered and its people carried captive to Babylon (5-8).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, whom thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon."

This is good news and bad news combined. The good news is that Hezekiah would not die childless as he had feared; but the bad news was the prophetic fate of his sons. The prospect of their being eunuchs in the place of the king of Babylon was indeed a terrible destination. Furthermore, Manasseh who would succeed him in the throne was indeed an evil son of the devil until near the very end of his life.

In the Book of Daniel, we read that, "Among the princes of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azaraiah; and the prince of the eunuchs gave names unto them (Daniel 1:6-7). It was usually true in that era that "eunuchs" were men who had been emasculated; and although it was also true that sometimes "eunuchs" were "officers of the king." This was by no means true of the princes of Judah in Babylon. They were not officers of the king, but captives; and here, they even endured the humiliation of having their names changed. We not only agree with Culver that, "There is a great possibility that Daniel and his friends were emasculated,"Robert D. Culver, Wycliffe Bible Commentary, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1962), p. 773. but we, through the influence of Isaiah's prophecy here, believe that that is the only proper understanding of the fate of those princes of the royal household of Judah. Many agree with this interpretation. "The descendants of Hezekiah, rather than his actual sons, seem to be intended here; and the fulfillment of this prophecy is to be found in Daniel 1:3, where certain of `the king's seed' are mentioned among the Israelites who served as eunuchs in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar."The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 10b, p. 58.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

And of that sons - Thy posterity (see the note at Matthew 1:1).

That shall issue from thee - Of the royal family. The captivity at Babylon occurred more than a hundred years after this, and of course those who were carried there were somewhat remote descendants of Hezekiah.

And they shall be eunuchs - The word used here (סריסים sâriysiym) denotes properly and strictly eunuchs, or such persons as were accustomed to attend on the harems of Oriental monarchs Esther 2:3, Esther 2:14-15. These persons were also employed often in various offices of the court Esther 1:10, Esther 1:12, Esther 1:15, and hence, the word often means a minister of court, a court-officer, though not literally an eunuch Genesis 37:6; Genesis 39:1. It is not easy, however, to tell when the word is to be understood literally, and when not. The Targum understands it of those who should be nurtured, or become great in the kingdom of Babylon. That the Jews were advanced to some offices of trust and power in Babylon, is evident from the case of Daniel Daniel 1:2-7. It is by no means improbable, also, that the king of Babylon would have a pride in having among the attendants at his court, or even over the harem, the descendants of the once magnificent monarchs of the Jews.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

7.Of thy sons It might be thought that this was far more distressing to Hezekiah, and therefore it is put last for the sake of heightening the picture. Even though any calamity spread widely in a nation, it is commonly thought that kings and their families will be exempted, as if they were not placed in the same rank with other men. When he understood, therefore, that his sons would be made captives and slaves, this must have appeared to him to be exceedingly severe. Hence again we may learn how much God was displeased with Hezekiah for seeking aid from earthly wealth, and boasting of it in the presence of wicked men, when God by a dreadful example punishes it as an unpardonable crime, that Hezekiah made an ambitious display of his wealth in presence of unbelievers.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 39

At that time Merodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah: for he heard that he had been sick, and that he had recovered ( Isaiah 39:1 ).

Now here's another bad thing that came out of his recovery. The king of Babylon sent his son with a message of, "Glad you're well and all."

Hezekiah was glad of them, and showed 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 armor, and all of his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah did not show them. Then came Isaiah the prophet to king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What did these men say to you? and where did they come from? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country unto me, even from Babylon. And Isaiah said, What did they see in your house? And Hezekiah answered, All that I have in my house they have seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them. Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD of hosts: Behold, the days come, that all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: and nothing shall be left, saith the LORD. 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. Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which you have spoken. He said moreover, For there shall be peace and truth in my days ( Isaiah 39:2-8 ).

So it would appear that God's time for Hezekiah had come and that nothing but evil came out of the prolonging of his years fifteen years. When God's time comes to go, man, let's go.

Now this is the end of what they call Part One of the book of Isaiah. Thirty-nine chapters comprise the first part, which are, more or less, equivalent to the thirty-nine chapters of, or thirty-nine books of the Old Testament. Now the next twenty-seven chapters come into a whole new theme. It's a whole...in fact, it is so different that it has caused some critics to say that they are actually two Isaiah's and that another Isaiah wrote this second part because it is so different in style and all than the first part of Isaiah. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Some of Hezekiah’s descendants would also be taken (captive) to Babylon. It is very probable that at the time of the events in chapters 36-39 Hezekiah had no children. His son, Manasseh, began reigning when he was 12 years old, and Hezekiah died a year later, in 686 B.C. Thus, Isaiah’s announcement here may have sparked a hope-in Hezekiah’s mind-for some descendants. As usual, God’s promise of judgment contained some hope. This prediction of Hezekiah’s descendants became true of the king’s physical seed: his son Manasseh (2 Chronicles 33:11), King Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:12), and King Zedekiah (2 Kings 25:7). It also became true of many of Hezekiah’s people, his children in that sense, when Nebuchadnezzar carried three deportations of Judahites off to Babylon (cf. 2 Kings 24:12-16; 2 Chronicles 33:11; Daniel 1:3-4; Daniel 1:6).

Gann's Commentary on the Bible

shall be taken -- Hezekiah’s descendant Jehoiachin is taken into exile (see 2 Kings 24:15).

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away,.... Manasseh his immediate son was taken and carried to Babylon, though afterwards released; nor does it appear that he was made a eunuch or an officer there; this had its fulfilment in Jeconiah and his children, and in others that were of the seed royal, as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, to whom the Jewish commentators apply this; this is expressed in different words, signifying much the same, to affect the mind of Hezekiah the more:

and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon; or "chamberlains"; and who very often were castrated for that purpose, though it does not necessarily signify such, being used of officers in general. The Targum renders it "princes" f; and such an one was Daniel in the court of the king of Babylon; and his three companions were also promoted, Daniel 2:48.

f So Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret it princes and governors.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      5 Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD of hosts:   6 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.   7 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.   8 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.

      Hence let us observe, 1. That, if God love us, he will humble us, and will find some way or other to pull down our spirits when they are lifted up above measure. A mortifying message is sent to Hezekiah, that he might be humbled for the pride of his heart, and be convinced of the folly of it; for though God may suffer his people to fall into sin, as he did Hezekiah here, to prove him, that he might know all that was in his heart, yet he will not suffer them to lie still in it. 2. It is just with God to take that from us which we make the matter of our pride, and on which we build a carnal confidence. When David was proud of the numbers of his people God took a course to make them fewer; and when Hezekiah boasts of his treasures, and looks upon them with too great a complacency, he is told that he acts like the foolish traveller who shows his money and gold to one that proves a thief and is thereby tempted to rob him. 3. If we could but see things that will be, we should be ashamed of our thoughts of things that are. If Hezekiah had known that the seed and successors of this king of Babylon would hereafter be the ruin of his family and kingdom, he would not have complimented his ambassadors as he did; and, when the prophet told him that it would be so, we may well imagine how he was vexed at himself for what he had done. We cannot certainly foresee what will be, but are told, in general, All is vanity, and therefore it is vanity for us to take complacency and put confidence in any thing that goes under that character. 4. Those that are fond of an acquaintance or alliance with irreligious men will first or last have enough of it, and will have cause to repent it. Hezekiah thought himself very happy in the friendship of Babylon, though it was the mother of harlots and idolatries; but Babylon, who now courted Jerusalem, in process of time conquered her and carried her captive. Leagues with sinners, and leagues with sin too, will end thus; it is therefore our wisdom to keep at a distance from them. 5. Those that truly repent of their sins will take it well to be reproved for them and will be willing to be told of their faults. Hezekiah reckoned that word of the Lord good which discovered sin to him, and made him sensible that he had done amiss, which before he was not aware of. The language of true penitents is, Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness; and the law is therefore good, because, being spiritual, in it sin appears sin, and exceedingly sinful. 6. True penitents will quietly submit, not only to the reproofs of the word, but to the rebukes of Providence for their sins. When Hezekiah was told of the punishment of his iniquity he said, Good is the word of the Lord, not only the mitigation of the sentence, but the sentence itself; he has nothing to object against the equity of it, but says Amen to the threatening. Those that see the evil of sin, and what it deserves, will justify God in all that is brought upon them for it, and own that he punishes them less than their iniquities deserve. 7. Though we must not be regardless of those that come after us, yet we must reckon ourselves well done by if there be peace and truth in our days, and better than we had reason to expect. If a storm be coming, we must reckon it a favour to get into the harbour before it comes, and be gathered to the grave in peace; yet we can never be secure of this, but must prepare for changes in our own time, that we may stand complete in all the will of God, and bid it welcome whatever it is.