¹²At that time Baladan’s son, King Merodach Baladan of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah because he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. ¹³Hezekiah was so happy with them that he showed the messengers his warehouse: the silver, gold, balsam, fine olive oil, his entire armory, and everything in his treasury. Hezekiah showed them everything in his palace and every corner of his kingdom.

¹⁴Then the prophet Isaiah came to King Hezekiah and asked, “What did these men say? And where did they come from?”

Hezekiah answered, “They came to me from the distant country of Babylon.”

¹⁵Isaiah asked, “What did they see in your palace?”

Hezekiah answered, “They saw everything in my palace, and I showed them everything in my treasury.”

¹⁶Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the Lord’s word! ¹⁷The Lord says, ‘The days are going to come when everything in your palace, everything your ancestors have stored up to this day, will be taken away to Babylon. Nothing will be left. ¹⁸Some of your own descendants will be taken away. They will become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon.’ ”

¹⁹Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The Lord’s word that you have spoken is good.” He added, “Isn’t it enough if there is peace and security as long as I live?”

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