2 Kings 20:12-19

Messengers from Babylon Visit Hezekiah

20:12 At that time Merodach-Baladan ¹  son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, for he had heard that Hezekiah was ill. 20:13 Hezekiah welcomed ²  them and showed them his whole storehouse, with its silver, gold, spices, and high quality olive oil, as well as his armory and everything in his treasuries. Hezekiah showed them everything in his palace and in his whole kingdom. ³  20:14 Isaiah the prophet visited King Hezekiah and asked him, “What did these men say? Where do they come from?” Hezekiah replied, “They come from the distant land of Babylon.” 20:15 Isaiah ⁴  asked, “What have they seen in your palace?” Hezekiah replied, “They have seen everything in my palace. I showed them everything ⁵  in my treasuries.” 20:16 Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Listen to the word of the Lord, 20:17 ‘Look, a time is ⁶  coming when everything in your palace and the things your ancestors have accumulated to this day will be carried away to Babylon; nothing will be left,’ says the Lord. 20:18 ‘Some of your very own descendants whom you father ⁷  will be taken away and will be made eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” 20:19 Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The Lord’s word which you have announced is appropriate.” ⁸  Then he added, ⁹  “At least there will be peace and stability during my lifetime.” ¹⁰ 

[20:12]  ¹ tc The MT has “Berodach-Baladan,” but several Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic, and Latin witnesses agree with the parallel passage in Isa 39:1 and read “Merodach-Baladan.”

[20:13]  ² tc Heb “listened to.” Some Hebrew mss, as well as the LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate versions agree with the parallel passage in Isa 39:2 and read, “was happy with.”

[20:13]  ³ tn Heb “there was nothing which Hezekiah did not show them in his house and in all his kingdom.”

[20:15]  ⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Isaiah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:15]  ⁵ tn Heb “there was nothing I did not show them.”

[20:17]  ⁶ tn Heb “days are.”

[20:18]  ⁷ tn Heb “Some of your sons, who go out from you, whom you father.”

[20:19]  ⁸ tn Heb “good.”

[20:19]  ⁹ tn Heb “and he said.” Many English versions translate, “for he thought.” The verb אָמַר (’amar), “say,” is sometimes used of what one thinks (that is, says to oneself). Cf. NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT.

[20:19]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “Is it not [true] there will be peace and stability in my days?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “Yes, there will be peace and stability.”