Enviados da Babilônia
1Naquela época, Merodaque-Baladã, filho de Baladã, rei da Babilônia, enviou a Ezequias cartas e um presente, porque soubera de sua doença e de sua recuperação. 2Ezequias recebeu com alegria os enviados e mostrou-lhes o que havia em seus depósitos: a prata, o ouro, as especiarias, o óleo fino, todo o seu arsenal e tudo o que se encontrava em seus tesouros. Não houve nada em seu palácio ou em todo o seu reino que Ezequias não lhes mostrasse.
3Então o profeta Isaías foi ao rei Ezequias e perguntou: “O que aqueles homens disseram, e de onde vieram?”
“De uma terra distante”, Ezequias respondeu. “Eles vieram da Babilônia para visitar-me.”
4O profeta perguntou: “O que eles viram em seu palácio?”
Ezequias respondeu: “Viram tudo o que há em meu palácio. Não há nada em meus tesouros que não lhes tenha mostrado”.
5Então Isaías disse a Ezequias: “Ouça a palavra do Senhor dos Exércitos: 6‘Um dia, tudo o que há em seu palácio, bem como tudo o que os seus antepassados acumularam até hoje, será levado para a Babilônia. Nada ficará’, diz o Senhor. 7‘E alguns de seus próprios descendentes serão levados e se tornarão eunucos no palácio do rei da Babilônia’ ”.
8“É boa a palavra do Senhor que você falou”, Ezequias respondeu. Pois pensou: “Haverá paz e segurança enquanto eu viver”.
Messengers Come From Babylon to Hezekiah
1At that time Marduk-Baladan, the king of Babylon, sent Hezekiah letters and a gift. He had heard that Hezekiah had been sick but had gotten well again. Marduk-Baladan was the son of Baladan. 2Hezekiah gladly received the messengers. He showed them what was in his storerooms. He showed them the silver and gold. He took them to where the spices and the fine olive oil were kept. He showed them where he kept all his weapons. And he showed them all his treasures. In fact, he showed them everything that was in his palace and in his whole kingdom.
3Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah. Isaiah asked him, “What did those men say? Where did they come from?”
“They came from a land far away,” Hezekiah said. “They came to me from Babylon.”
4Isaiah asked, “What did they see in your palace?”
“They saw everything in my palace,” Hezekiah said. “I showed them all my treasures.”
5Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Listen to the message of the Lord who rules over all. He says, 6‘You can be sure the time will come when everything in your palace will be carried off to Babylon. Everything the kings before you have stored up until this day will be taken away. There will not be anything left,’ says the Lord. 7‘Some of the members of your family line will be taken away. They will be your own flesh and blood. They will include the children who will be born into your family line. And they will serve the king of Babylon in his palace.’ ”
8“The message the Lord has spoken through you is good,” Hezekiah replied. He thought, “There will be peace and safety while I’m still living.”
