12 At that time, Baladan’s son former King Merodak-Bal’adan of Bavel (Babylon) heard that Hizkiyah (Hezekiah) was sick and sent him letters and a gift. 13 When the messengers arrived, Hizkiyah listened to them, then he showed them his entire treasure house: the gold and silver, the spices and the best oil, the house of his armour, and everything that was in his treasuries. He didn’t keep anything in his palace or in his kingdom secret from them. 14 Later the prophet Yeshayah (Isaiah) came to King Hizkiyah and he asked him, “Where were those men from and what did they say?”

“They came from a distant land—from Bavel,” he replied.

15 “What did they see in your house?” Yeshayah asked.

“They saw everything that’s in my house,” he replied. “There wasn’t anything in my treasuries that I didn’t show them.”

16 Then Yeshayah told Hizkiyah, “Listen to Yahweh’s message: 17 He says that days are coming when everything in your house, and everything that your ancestors stored carefully away until this day will be carried to Bavel. Nothing will be left behind.[ref] 18 What’s more, some of your own biological descendants will be taken and they’ll be castrated to become servants of the Babylonian king.”

19 “What you said from Yahweh is fine,” Hizkiyah replied to Yeshayah. “At least I might have peace and stability in my time.”