1 At that time Merodach-Baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent a letter and a present to Hezekiah; for he had heard that he had been sick and had recovered.2 And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed them the house of his precious things, the silver and the gold, and the spices and the fine oil, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found amongst his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah did not shew them.3 Then came the prophet Isaiah to king Hezekiah, and said to him, What said these men? and from whence came they to thee? And Hezekiah said, They came from a far country to me, from Babylon.4 And he said, What have they seen in thy house? And Hezekiah said, All that is in my house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewn them.5 And Isaiah said to Hezekiah, Hear the word of Jehovah of hosts:6 Behold, days come when all that is in thy house, and that which thy fathers have laid up until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith Jehovah.7 And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, whom thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.8 And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, Good is the word of Jehovah which thou hast spoken. And he said, For there shall be peace and truth in my days.

1 In die tyd het Merodag B ladan, die seun van B ladan, die koning van Babel, 'n brief en 'n geskenk aan Hisk¡a gestuur; want hy het gehoor dat hy siek was en gesond geword het.2 En Hisk¡a was bly oor hulle en het hulle sy skathuis laat sien, die silwer en die goud en die speserye en die kosbare olie en sy hele wapenhuis en alles wat te vinde was in sy skatkamers; daar was niks in sy huis of in sy hele ryk wat Hisk¡a hulle nie laat sien het nie.3 Toe kom die profeet Jesaja na koning Hisk¡a en sê vir hom: Wat het hierdie manne gesê en waarvandaan het hulle na u gekom? En Hisk¡a antwoord: Uit 'n ver land het hulle na my gekom, uit Babel.4 En hy sê: Wat het hulle in u huis gesien? En Hisk¡a antwoord: Hulle het alles gesien wat in my huis is; daar is niks in my skatkamers wat ek hulle nie laat sien het nie.5 Toe sê Jesaja vir Hisk¡a: Hoor die woord van die HERE van die leërskare:6 Kyk, daar kom dae dat alles wat in jou huis is en wat jou vaders opgehoop het tot vandag toe, na Babel weggevoer sal word; daar sal niks oorbly nie, sê die HERE.7 En van jou seuns wat uit jou sal voortkom, wat jy sal verwek, sal hulle neem, dat hulle hofdienaars word in die paleis van die koning van Babel.8 Toe sê Hisk¡a vir Jesaja: Die woord van die HERE wat u gespreek het, is goed. Ook sê hy: Daar sal tog vrede en bestendigheid wees in my dae!