Isaiah 39 explained: Showing Off to Babylon

Visitors from Babylon (vv. 1-2)

Babylon's king was a leader who spent years trying to break free of Assyria, the great power of the day, so his friendly letters about Hezekiah's recovery were likely also a bid to win him as an ally. Hezekiah showed the envoys his silver, gold, spices, oil and weapons, perhaps to prove his kingdom was worth partnering with.

Isaiah questions the king (vv. 3-4)

Isaiah's pointed questions draw out what Hezekiah has done, and the king answers honestly that he hid nothing. Earlier in the book Isaiah warned against leaning on Egypt instead of on God, and seeking Babylon's friendship looks like the same mistake.

A warning of exile (vv. 5-7)

Isaiah says the day will come when Babylon carries off everything the kings of Judah have stored up, and some of Hezekiah's own descendants will serve in the Babylonian king's palace. This happened over a century later, when Babylon took people away from 597 BC and destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC.

Serving as eunuchs (v. 7)

Eunuchs were royal servants, often castrated so they could be trusted around the king's household. Scholars are unsure whether the word here means that literally or simply means court officials.

Hezekiah's reply (v. 8)

Hezekiah calls the message good while privately thinking that at least his own lifetime will be peaceful. The text leaves it open whether this is humble acceptance or shortsighted relief, and it leads into the chapters that follow, which speak to people living in exile in Babylon.

Key verse: Isaiah 39:6

Where Christians differ

Readers differ on whether Hezekiah's final words show humble acceptance of God's judgment or a selfish relief that the disaster would fall on later generations rather than on him.

Something to think about

When the cost of a choice will land on people who come after you rather than on you, how much does that change how much it matters to you?