39:1 At that time Merodach-Baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been ill and had recovered.
Babylon was an up-and-coming nation at this time who wanted to escape paying tribute to Assyria. Babylon sent get-well gifts to King Hezekiah during his sick days. This may have been an attempt to entire Judah to rebel with them against Assyria.
39:2 Hezekiah welcomed them and showed them his storehouse with its silver, gold, spices, and high-quality olive oil, as well as his whole armory and everything in his treasuries. Hezekiah showed them everything in his palace and in his whole kingdom.
During King Hezekiah’s extra fifteen years, he experienced a moment of pride. He showed Babylon his treasury. King David and King Solomon had cornered the gold market, so Judah was one of the wealthiest nations in the world. This wealth would appeal to Babylon, because they needed money for their planned rebellion against Assyria.
39:3 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.”
Isaiah asked King Hezekiah about his Babylonian visitors. God used prophets to keep His kings in check. When Isaiah showed up in court and asked Hezekiah these questions, then Hezekiah must have realized his mistake.
39:4 Isaiah asked, “What have they seen in your palace?” Hezekiah replied, “They have seen everything in my palace. I showed them everything in my treasuries.”
King Hezekiah showed Babylon the entire treasury.
39:5 Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Listen to the word of the Lord who commands armies:
Jehovah is the Commander of the angelic army.
39:6 ‘Look, a time is 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.
The price for King Hezekiah’s pride was that the Babylonians would plunder everything that they saw.
39:7 ‘Some of your very own descendants whom you father will be taken away and will be made eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’ ”
King Hezekiah had no sons at this time. Isaiah prophesied that King Hezekiah would have sons. Some of King Hezekiah’s descendants would become eunuchs in the palace of Babylon. This prophecy is a curse, but God can turn curses into blessings. Daniel and his three friends became eunuchs in Babylon and changed the world.
39:8 Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The Lord’s word which you have announced is appropriate.” Then he thought, “For there will be peace and stability during my lifetime.”
King Hezekiah was not too concerned about this coming Babylon captivity, because it would not happen in his own lifetime. This is similar to many of the modern economists who pass national debt to their own children.