They Came to me from a Far Country, from Babylon

Having achieved a great victory of peace, completely due to God who destroyed the Assyrian army and healed him, King Hezekiah may have been feeling quite complacent. As the Assyrian empire declined, the Babylonian empire was just beginning. At this time, a Babylonian prince, Merodach-Baladan, corresponded and presented gifts to Hezekiah. It may well be possible that the prince was invited by Hezekiah to Judah. Hezekiah proceeded to show off all the treasures of Judah to Merodach-Baladan. Whether this was an error of judgment or pride or foolishness, it was a fatal mistake for the kingdom. The Lord promptly send Isaiah to tell the King that because of this act, Judah will be conquered by Babylon and descendants taken to Babylon, and some would even be made eunuchs. To this prophecy, Hezekiah replied with acceptance. Again we may not be sure he was selfishly pleased it would not happen in his generation or whether he was sorrowful resigned to the truth of the prophecy.


Isaiah 39
The Babylonian Envoys

39 At that time Merodach-Baladan[a] the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. 2 And Hezekiah was pleased with them, and showed them the house of his treasures—the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory—all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them.

3 Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?”

So Hezekiah said, “They came to me from a far country, from Babylon.”

4 And he said, “What have they seen in your house?”

So Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.”

5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: 6 ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the Lord. 7 ‘And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’”

8 So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good!” For he said, “At least there will be peace and truth in my days.”