The Envoys from Babylon

Isaiah 39

Envoys from the king of Babylon visit the recovered Hezekiah, who shows them all the treasures of his house and kingdom. Isaiah then prophesies that everything Hezekiah possesses, along with some of his own descendants, will one day be carried off to Babylon.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonAT the time when Marodach Baladan, the son of Baladan the king of Babylon, sent letters and ambassadors and presents to Ezekias (for he heard that he had been sick unto death and had recovered):

BrentonAt that time Marodach Baladan, the son of Baladan, the king of Babylonia, sent letters and ambassadors and gifts to Ezekias: for he had heard that he had been sick even to death, and was recovered.

GreekἘν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ ἀπέστειλε Μαρωδὰχ Βαλαδὰν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Βαλαδὰν, ὁ βασιλεὺς τῆς Βαβυλωνίας, ἐπιστολὰς καὶ πρέσβεις καὶ δῶρα Ἐζεκίᾳ· ἤκουσε γὰρ, ὅτι ἐμαλακίσθῃ ἕως θανάτου, καὶ ἀνέστη.

KJVAt that time Merodachbaladan, 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.

JPSAt that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent a letter and a present to Hezekiah; for he heard that he had been sick, and was recovered.

Thomsonand Ezekias was rejoiced at their arrival and shewed them the house of Nechotha and that of the silver and of the gold; and that for stacte, and for perfumes and for myrrh; and all the treasure houses and all that he had in his treasuries; there being nothing in his house nor in all his dominion which Ezekias did not shew them.

BrentonAnd Ezekias was glad of their coming, and he shewed them the house of his spices, and of silver, and gold, and myrrh, and incense, and ointment, and all the houses of his treasures, and all that he had in his stores: and there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, which Ezekias did not shew.

GreekΚαὶ ἐχάρη ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς Ἐξεκίας, καὶ ἔδειξεν αὐτοῖς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ νεχωθᾶ, καὶ τοῦ ἀργυρίου, καὶ τοῦ χρυσίου, καὶ τῆς στακτῆς, καὶ τῶν θυμιαμάτων, καὶ τοῦ μύρου, καὶ πάντας τοὺς οἴκους τῶν σκευῶν τῆς γάζης, καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἦν ἐν τοῖς θησαυροῖς αὐτοῦ· καὶ οὐκ ἦν οὐθὲν ὃ οὐκ ἔδειξεν Ἐζεκίας ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν πάσῃ τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ αὐτοῦ.

KJVAnd 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.

JPSAnd Hezekiah was glad of them, and showed them his treasure-house, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious oil, 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 showed them not.

ThomsonEsaias the prophet then went to king Ezekias and said to him, What say those men? And, whence are they come to thee? And Ezekias said, They are come to me from a far distant land, from Babylon.

BrentonAnd Esaias the prophet came to king Ezekias, and said to him, What say these men? and whence came they to thee? and Ezekias said, They are come to me from a land afar off, from Babylon.

GreekΚαὶ ἦλθεν Ἡσαΐας ὁ προφήτης πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα Ἐζεκίαν, καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν, τί λέγουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι οὗτοι; καὶ πόθεν ἥκασι πρὸς σέ; καὶ εἶπεν Ἐζεκίας, ἐκ γῆς πόῤῥωθεν ἥκασι πρὸς μέ, ἐκ Βαβυλῶνος.

KJVThen 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.

JPSThen 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.’

ThomsonAnd Esaias said, What have they seen in thy house? To which Ezekias replied, They have seen all that are in my house. There is nothing in my house which they have not seen; nay, they have seen also what are in my treasuries.

BrentonAnd Esaias said, What have they seen in thine house? and Ezekias said, They have seen everything in my house; and there is nothing in my house which they have not seen: yea, also the possessions in my treasuries.

GreekΚαὶ εἶπεν Ἠσαΐας, τί εἴδοσαν ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου; καὶ εἶπεν Ἐζεκίας, πάντα τὰ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ μου εἴδοσαν, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ μου ὃ οὐκ εἴδοσαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἐν τοῖς θησαυροῖς μου.

KJVThen 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.

JPSThen said he: ‘What have they seen in thy house?’ And Hezekiah answered: ‘All that is in my house have they seen; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.’

ThomsonThereupon Esaias said to him, Hear the word of the Lord of Hosts!

BrentonAnd Esaias said to him, Hear the word of the Lord of hosts:

GreekΚαὶ εἶπεν Ἡσαΐας αὐτῷ, ἄκουσον τὸν λόγον Κυρίου σαβαώθ.

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

JPSThen said Isaiah to Hezekiah: ‘Hear the word of the LORD of hosts:

ThomsonBehold days are coming, when they shall seize all that are in thy house. And all that thy fathers have collected even to this day shall go to Babylon; and nothing shall be left behind. Moreover God hath said,

BrentonBehold, the days come, when they shall take all the things that are in thine house, and all that thy fathers have gathered until this day, shall go to Babylon; and they shall not leave anything at all: and God hath said,

GreekἸδοὺ ἡμέραι ἔρχονται, καὶ λήψονται πάντα τὰ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου, καὶ ὅσα συνήγαγον οἱ πατέρες σου ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης, εἰς Βαβυλῶνα ἥξει, καὶ οὐδὲν οὐ μὴ καταλείπωσιν· εἶπε δὲ ὁ Θεὸς,

KJVBehold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.

JPSBehold, the days come, that all that is in thy house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.

ThomsonThat of thy children whom thou shalt beget, they will take some and make them eunuchs in the house of the king of the Babylonians.

Brentonthat they shall take also of thy children whom thou shalt beget; and they shall make them eunuchs in the house of the king of the Babylonians.

Greekὅτι καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν τέκνων σου ὧν γεννήσεις, λήψονται, καὶ ποιήσουσι σπάδοντας ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ βασιλέως τῶν Βαβυλωνίων.

KJVAnd of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.

JPSAnd of thy sons that shall issue from thee, whom thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be officers in the palace of the king of Babylon.’

ThomsonAnd Ezekias said to Esaias, Good is the word of the Lord which He spake: let there be, I pray, peace and righteousness in my days.

BrentonAnd Ezekias said to Esaias, Good is the word of the Lord, which he hath spoken: let there, I pray, be peace and righteousness in my days.

GreekΚαὶ εἶπεν Ἐζεκίας Ἡσαΐᾳ, ἀγαθὸς ὁ λόγος Κυρίου, ὃν ἐλάλησε· γενέσθω δὴ εἰρήνη καὶ δικαιοσύνη ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις μου.

KJVThen said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. He said moreover, For there shall be peace and truth in my days.

JPSThen said Hezekiah unto Isaiah: ‘Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken.’ He said moreover: ‘If but there shall be peace and truth in my days.’