2 Kings 20:11-21

11 Then Isaiah, the prophet, called inwardly (upon) the Lord, and brought again backward by ten degrees the shadow by the same lines, by which it had gone down then in the horologe of Ahaz. (Then the prophet Isaiah inwardly called to the Lord, and brought the shadow backward by ten degrees, by the same lines by which it had gone forward on Ahaz's sundial.)
12 In that time, Berodach-baladan, the son of Baladan, the king of Babylon, sent letters and gifts to Hezekiah; for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick, and had recovered. (Now at that time, Berodach-baladan, the son of Baladan, the king of Babylon, sent letters and gifts to Hezekiah; for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.)
13 And Hezekiah was glad in the coming of them (And Hezekiah welcomed the messengers), and he showed to them the house of spiceries, and (the) gold, and silver, and diverse pigments, (and) also (the) ointments, and the house of his vessels, and all (the) things that he might have in his treasures; there was not any word, or thing, in his house, and in all his power, that Hezekiah showed not to them.
14 Soothly Isaiah, the prophet, came to king Hezekiah, and said to him, What said these men, either from whence came they to thee? To whom Hezekiah said, They came to me from a far land, from Babylon. (And the prophet Isaiah came to King Hezekiah, and said to him, What did these men say to thee, and from where did they come? To whom Hezekiah said, They came to me from a far land, from Babylon.)
15 And he answered, What have they seen in thine house? Hezekiah said, They have seen all things, whatever things be in mine house; nothing is in my treasures, which I showed not to them. (And Isaiah asked, What have they seen in thy house? And Hezekiah said, They have seen everything that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures, which I have not shown them.)
16 Therefore Isaiah said to Hezekiah, Hear thou the word of the Lord.
17 Lo! days (shall) come, and all things that be in thine house, and which things thy fathers made till into this day, shall be taken away into Babylon; not anything shall (still) dwell, saith the Lord (nothing shall be left, saith the Lord).
18 But also of thy sons, that shall go out of thee, which thou shalt beget, shall be taken [away], and they shall be geldings in the palace of the king of Babylon (and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon).
19 And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, The word of the Lord, which he spake, is good; only peace and truth be in my days. (And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, The word of the Lord, which thou spoke, is good; let there be only peace and truth in my days.)
20 Forsooth the residue of [the] words of Hezekiah, and all his strength, and how he made a cistern, and a water conduit, and brought water into the city, whether these be not written in the book of [the] words of [the] days of the kings of Judah?
21 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and Manasseh, his son, reigned for him.

2 Kings 20:11-21 Meaning and Commentary

In this chapter is an account of Hezekiah's sickness, and of the means of his recovery, and of the sign given of it, 2 Kings 20:1 of the king of Babylon's congratulatory letter to him upon it, when he showed to the messengers that brought it his treasures, in the pride and vanity of his heart, 2 Kings 20:12 for which he was reproved by the prophet Isaiah, and was humbled, and submitted to the sentence pronounced on his house, 2 Kings 20:14, and the chapter is concluded with his reign and death, 2 Kings 20:20.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.