And now, hearing of his sickness and recovery, the king of Babylon, Merodach Baladan, son of Baladan, sent a letter and gifts to Ezechias.✻

Ezechias was delighted at the coming of these envoys, and shewed them his scented treasure-house,✻ with its silver and gold and spices and rich ointments; the rooms where his ornaments were kept; all the wealth of his store-house. There was nothing in palace or domain but he showed it to them.

Then the prophet Isaias gained audience of king Ezechias, and asked him, What message did these men bring, and whence had they come? They came to see me, said Ezechias, from a country that is far away, from Babylon.

And when Isaias asked what they had seen in his palace, he told him, They saw everything in my palace; I have no treasures I did not shew them.

And at that Isaias said to Ezechias, I have a message for thy hearing from the Lord of hosts.

Behold, a time is coming when all that is in thy house, all the treasures which thy fathers have amassed there in times past, will be taken away to Babylon; nothing shall be left of it, the Lord says.

And sons of thine, men of thy own line, of thy own stock, shall be carried off to be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.

Why then, Ezechias said to Isaias, welcome be the word the Lord has spoken! In my time at least, he said, may there be peace, may the promise hold good.