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Targum Isaiah 39
Hezekiah's pride in displaying all his treasures to Babylonian envoys draws Isaiah's judicial word: every treasure shown and every descendant who follows will be carried to Babylon. The chapter turns on the logic of disclosure — what Hezekiah chose to lay open to a foreign power becomes the measure of what that power will one day take. Hezekiah's response reveals the narrowness of his concern: peace in my days satisfies him, even as the sentence falls on those who come after. The covenant line carries consequences forward; a king's choices bind his sons.
1
At that time Merodach-Baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and presents to Hezekiah, when he had heard that he had been sick, and was recovered.
2
And Hezekiah was glad of them, and showed them the house of his treasures, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his vessels, and everything that was found in his treasury: and there was not anything in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah showed them not.
3
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 not anything in my treasures that I have not showed them.
5
Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the Lord of hosts:
6
Behold the days come, that all that is in thy house shall be taken away, and that which thy fathers have treasured up unto this day, yea, it shall be carried to Babylon, nothing shall be left, saith the Lord.
7
And thy sons which shall come forth from thee shall be in the palace of the king of Babylon.
8
Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Right is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken: and he said, for there shall be peace and truth in my days.
