Isaiah 39:3

Hezekiah Isaiah Babylon

¹ At that time Merodach-baladan, 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.

² And 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.

Then 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.

⁴ Then 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.

⁵ Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD of hosts:

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Then the prophet Isaiah went to King Hezekiah and asked, “Where did those men come from, and what did they say to you?” “They came to me from a distant land,” Hezekiah replied, “from Babylon.”
KJV: Then 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.
WEB: Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah, and asked him, “What did these men say? From where did they come to you?” Hezekiah said, “They have come from a country far from me, even from Babylon.”
ASV: Then 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.
DARBY: Then came the prophet Isaiah to king Hezekiah, and said to him, What said these men? and from whence came they to thee? And Hezekiah said, They came from a far country to me, from Babylon.
BLB: And Isaiah the prophet came to king Hezekiah and said to him,” “What did these men say, and from where did they come to you? And Hezekiah said, “From a land” far off—they have come to me from Babylon.”

ÅB: Da kom profeten Jesaja til kong Hiskia og sa til ham: Hva sa disse menn, og hvorfra kommer de til deg? Hiskia svarte: De er kommet til meg fra et land langt borte, fra Babel.
OTB: Da kom profeten Jesaja til kong Hiskia og spurte: “Hva sa disse mennene, og hvorfra kom de til deg?” Hiskia svarte, “De kom til meg fra et fjernt land, fra Babylon.”
B1930: Da kom profeten Esaias til kong Esekias og sa til ham: Hvad sa disse menn, og hvorfra kommer de til dig? Esekias svarte: De er kommet til mig fra et land langt borte, fra Babel.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Deuteronomy 28:49
The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;
Read in context
2 Samuel 12:1
And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.
Read in context
Jeremiah 5:15
Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.
Read in context
2 Chronicles 16:7
And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.
Read in context
2 Chronicles 25:15
Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand?
Read in context
Jeremiah 22:1–2
Thus saith the LORD; Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word,
Read in context
Joshua 9:6
And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.
Read in context
Isaiah 38:5
Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.
Read in context