2 Kings 20:12–19

Hezekiah’s Folly

¹²At that time ^kMerodach-baladan ^lson of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah since he heard that he had been sick. ¹³Hezekiah gave them a hearing and showed them his whole treasure house—the silver, the gold, the spices, and the precious oil—and his armory, and everything that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his palace and in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. ^m

¹⁴Then the prophet Isaiah came to King Hezekiah and asked him, “Where did these men come from and what did they say to you?”

Hezekiah replied, “They came from a distant country, from Babylon.”

¹⁵Isaiah asked, “What have they seen in your palace?”

Hezekiah answered, “They have seen everything in my palace. There isn’t anything in my treasuries that I didn’t show them.”

¹⁶Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord: ¹⁷‘The time will certainly come when everything in your palace and all that your fathers have stored up until this day will be carried off to Babylon; nothing will be left,’ ⁿsays the Lord. ¹⁸‘Some of your descendants who come from you will be taken away, ^oand they will become eunuchs ^pin the palace of the king of Babylon.’ ” ^q

¹⁹Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good,” ^rfor he thought: Why not, if there will be peace and security during my lifetime?