Envoys From Babylon
1At that time Marduk-Baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent Hezekiah letters and a gift, because he had heard of his illness and recovery. 2Hezekiah received the envoys gladly and showed them what was in his storehouses—the silver, the gold, the spices, the fine olive oil—his entire armory and everything found among his treasures. There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.
3Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked, “What did those men say, and where did they come from?”
“From a distant land,” Hezekiah replied. “They came to me from Babylon.”
4The prophet asked, “What did they see in your palace?”
“They saw everything in my palace,” Hezekiah said. “There is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them.”
5Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord Almighty: 6The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the Lord. 7And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”
8“The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my lifetime.”
Wajumbe Kutoka Babeli
(2 Wafalme 20:12-19)
139:1 2Fal 20:12; 2Nya 32:31Wakati huo Merodaki-Baladani, mwana wa Baladani mfalme wa Babeli, akamtumia Hezekia barua na zawadi, kwa sababu alikuwa amesikia habari za kuugua na kupona kwake. 239:2 2Nya 32:31; 2Fal 18:15; 2Nya 32:27-29Hezekia akawapokea wale wajumbe kwa furaha na kuwaonyesha vitu vile vilivyokuwa katika ghala zake: yaani fedha, dhahabu, vikolezo na mafuta safi, ghala la silaha lote, na kila kitu kilichokuwa katika hazina zake. Hapakuwa na kitu chochote katika jumba lake la kifalme au katika ufalme wake wote ambacho Hezekia hakuwaonyesha.
339:3 Kum 28:49Ndipo nabii Isaya akaenda kwa Mfalme Hezekia na kumuuliza, “Watu hao walisema nini, na wametoka wapi?”
Hezekia akamjibu, “Wametoka nchi ya mbali. Walikuja kwangu kutoka Babeli.”
4Nabii akauliza, “Waliona nini katika jumba lako la kifalme?”
Hezekia akajibu, “Waliona kila kitu katika jumba langu la kifalme. Hakuna kitu chochote katika hazina yangu ambacho sikuwaonyesha.”
539:5 Isa 38:4Ndipo Isaya akamwambia Hezekia, “Sikia neno la Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: 639:6 Law 26:33; Amu 6:4; Yer 20:5; Amo 5:27; 2Fal 24:13Hakika wakati unakuja ambapo vitu vyote katika jumba lako la kifalme, na vyote ambavyo baba zako waliweka akiba mpaka siku hii, vitachukuliwa kwenda Babeli. Hakuna chochote kitakachosalia, asema Bwana. 739:7 2Fal 24:15; Dan 1:1-7Nao baadhi ya wazao wako, nyama yako na damu yako mwenyewe watakaozaliwa kwako, watachukuliwa mbali, nao watakuwa matowashi katika jumba la mfalme wa Babeli.”
839:8 1Sam 3:18; 2Nya 32:26; Amu 10:15; Ay 1:21; Za 39:9Hezekia akamjibu Isaya, “Neno la Bwana ulilosema ni jema.” Kwa kuwa alifikiri, “Patakuwepo amani na usalama wakati wa uhai wangu.”
