Chapter 39
Themes, discussion questions, Christ connections, and denomination lenses.
Just read this chapter →Scripture
KJV1At that time Merodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah: for he had heard that he had been sick, and was recovered.
2And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed 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 armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.
3Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country unto me, even from Babylon.
4Then said he, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All that is in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.
5Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD of hosts:
6Behold, 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.
7And 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.
8Then 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.
“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.”
Overview
Hezekiah receives envoys from Babylon's king Merodach-baladan and foolishly shows them all the treasures of his house — silver, gold, spices, precious ointment, his armory, and everything in his storehouses. Isaiah confronts Hezekiah and prophesies that everything he showed will one day be carried off to Babylon, and his own descendants will serve as eunuchs in the Babylonian palace. Hezekiah's response — 'Good is the word of the LORD' — reveals troubling complacency, since the judgment will fall after his own lifetime.
Key Themes
The Danger of Foolish Pride
Hezekiah, fresh from God's miraculous deliverance, shows off his wealth to Babylonian envoys — prosperity after answered prayer becomes an occasion for pride rather than humble gratitude.
Babylon Foreshadowed as Future Oppressor
The very nation that sends friendly envoys will one day carry away everything Hezekiah displayed, pivoting the book of Isaiah from the Assyrian threat to the Babylonian exile.
Short-sighted Complacency
Hezekiah's relief that the disaster will not come in his lifetime reveals a troubling lack of concern for future generations — true godliness cares about the legacy left to others.
Study Questions
Why does Hezekiah show the Babylonian envoys everything in his storehouses (v. 2)?
What does Isaiah's pointed question — 'What have they seen in thine house?' (v. 4) — expose?
How does this chapter serve as a turning point from the Assyrian crisis to the Babylonian exile?
What is troubling about Hezekiah's response 'Good is the word of the LORD' (v. 8)?
How does this chapter warn against the subtle pride that can follow God's blessings?
Connection to Christ
Hezekiah's failure after God's blessing contrasts with Christ, who, despite receiving 'all power in heaven and in earth,' lived in perfect humility and obedience. Where earthly kings stumble into pride after God's deliverance, Jesus remained faithful to the Father's purposes in every circumstance.
Personal Reflection
Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Isaiah 39. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?