TRV
Translation
King James Version
Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.
Complete Jewish Bible
'The day will come when everything in your palace, along with everything your ancestors stored up until today, will be carried off to Bavel. Nothing will be left,' says ADONAI.
Berean Standard Bible
The time will surely come when everything in your palace and all that your fathers have stored up until this day will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD.
American Standard Version
Behold, the days come, that all that is in thy house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith Jehovah.
World English Bible Messianic
‘Behold, the days come, that all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have laid up in store to this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left,’ says the LORD.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Beholde, the dayes come, that all that is in thine house, and what so euer thy fathers haue layed vp in store vnto this day, shall be caryed into Babel: Nothing shall be left, saith the Lord.
Young's Literal Translation
Lo, days are coming, and borne hath been all that is in thy house, and that thy father have treasured up till this day, to Babylon; there is not left a thing, said Jehovah;
See also
In the KJVVerse 10,116 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on 2 Kings 20 verses 12–21
12 ¶ At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.
13 And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.
14 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, even from Babylon.
15 And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.
16 And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD.
17 Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.
18 And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.
19 Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?
20 And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
21 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.
Here is, I. An embassy sent to Hezekiah by the king of Babylon, to congratulate him on his recovery, Kg2 20:12. The kings of Babylon had hitherto been only deputies and tributaries to the kings of Assyria, and Nineveh was the royal city. We find Babylon subject to the king of Assyria, Kg2 17:24. But this king of Babylon began to set up for himself, and by degrees things were so changed that Assyria became subject to the kings of Babylon. This king of Babylon sent to compliment Hezekiah, and ingratiate himself with him upon a double account. 1. Upon the account of religion. The Babylonians worshipped the sun, and, perceiving what honour their god had done to Hezekiah, in going back for his sake, they thought themselves obliged to do honour to him likewise. It is good having those our friends whom we perceive to be the favourites of heaven. 2. Upon the account of civil interest. If the king of Babylon was now mediating a revolt from the king of Assyria, it was policy to get Hezekiah into his interest, in answer to whose prayers, and for whose protection, heaven had given that fatal blow to the king of Assyria. He found himself obliged to Hezekiah, and his God, for the weakening of the Assyrian forces, and had reason to think he could not have a more powerful and valuable ally than one that had so good an interest in the upper world. He therefore made his court to him with all possible respect by ambassadors, letters, and a present.
II. The kind entertainment Hezekiah gave to these ambassadors, Kg2 20:13. It was his duty to be civil to them, and receive them with the respect due to ambassadors; but he exceeded, and was courteous to a fault. 1. He was too fond of them. He hearkened unto them. Though they were idolaters, yet he became intimate with them, was forward to come into a confederacy with the king their master, and granted them all they came for. He was more open and free than he should have been, and stood not so much upon his guard. What reason had he that was in covenant with God so eagerly to catch at an alliance with a heathen prince, or to value himself at all upon his respectful notice? What honour could this embassy add to one whom God had so highly favoured, that he should please himself so much with it? 2. He was too fond of showing them his palace, his treasures, and his magazines, that they might see, and might report to their master, what a great king he was, and how well worthy of the honour their master did him. It is not said that he showed them the temple, the book of the law, and the manner of his worship, that he might proselyte them to the true religion, which he had now a fair opportunity of doing; but in compliment to them, lest he should affront them, he waived that, and showed them the rich furniture of his closet, that house of his precious things, the wealth he had heaped up since the king of Assyria had emptied his coffers, his silver, and gold, and spices. All the valuable things he had he showed them, either himself or by his officers. And what harm was there in this? What is more commonly, and (as we think) more innocently, done, than to show strangers the riches and rarities of a country - to show our friends our houses and their furniture, our gardens, stables, and libraries? But if we do this in the pride of our hearts, as Hezekiah did, to gain applause from men, and not giving praise to God, it turns into sin to us, as it did to him.
III. The examination of Hezekiah concerning this matter, Kg2 20:14, Kg2 20:15. Isaiah, who had often been his comforter, is now his reprover. The blessed Spirit is both, Joh 16:7, Joh 16:8. Ministers must be both, as there is occasion. Isaiah spoke in God's name, and therefore called him to account as one having authority: "Who are these? Whence come they? What is their business? What have they seen?" Hezekiah not only submitted to the examination (did not ask him, "Why should you concern yourself and question me about this affair?"), but made an ingenuous confession: There is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them. Why then did he not bring them to Isaiah, and show him to them who was without doubt the best treasure he had in his dominions, and who by his prayers and prophecies had been instrumental in all those wonders which these ambassadors came to enquire into? I hope Hezekiah had the same value for Isaiah now that he had in his distress; but it would have become him to show it by bringing these ambassadors to him in the first place, which might have prevented the false step he took.
IV. The sentence passed upon him for his pride and vanity, and the too great relish he had of the things of the world, after that intimate acquaintance he had so lately been admitted into with divine things. The sentence is (Kg2 20:17, Kg2 20:18), 1. That the treasures he was so proud of should hereafter become a prey, and his family should be robbed of them all. It is just with God to take that from us which we make the matter of our pride and in which we put our confidence. 2. That the king of Babylon, with whom he was so fond of an alliance, should be the enemy that should make a prey of them. Not that it was for this sin that that judgment should be brought upon them: the sins of Manasseh, his idolatries and murders, were the cause of that calamity; but it is now foretold to Hezekiah, to convince him of the folly of his pride and of the value he had for the king of Babylon, and to make him ashamed of it. Hezekiah was fond of assisting the king of Babylon to rise, and to reduce the exorbitant power of the kings of Assyria; but he is told that the snake he is cherishing will ere long sting the bosom that cherishes it, and that his royal seed shall become the king of Babylon's slave (which was fulfilled, Dan 1:1, etc.), than which there could not be any thing more mortifying to Hezekiah to think of. Babylon will be the ruin of those that are fond of Babylon. Wise therefore and happy are those that come out from her, Rev 18:4.
V. Hezekiah's humble and patient submission to this sentence, Kg2 20:19. Observe how he argues himself into this submission. 1. He lays it down for a truth that "good is the word of the Lord, even this word, though a threatening; for every word of his is so. It is not only just, but good; for, as he does no wrong to any, so he means no hurt to good men. It is good; for he will bring good out of it, and do me good by the foresight of it." We should believe this concerning every providence, that it is good, is working for good. 2. He takes notice of that in this word which was good, that he should not live to see this evil, much less to share in it. He makes the best of the bad: "Is it not good? Yes, certainly it is, and better than I deserve." Note, (1.) True penitents, when they are under divine rebukes, call them not only just, but good; not only submit to the punishment of their iniquity, but accept of it. So Hezekiah did, and by this it appeared that he was indeed humbled for the pride of his heart. (2.) When at any time we are under dark dispensations, or have dark prospects, public or personal, we must take notice of what is for us as well as what is against us, that we may by thanksgiving honour God, and may in our patience possess our own souls. (3.) As to public affairs, it is good, and we are bound to think it so, if peace and truth be in our days. That is, [1.] Whatever else we want, it is good if we have peace and truth, if we have the true religion professed and protected, Bibles and ministers, and enjoy these in peace, not terrified with the alarms of war or persecution. [2.] Whatever trouble may come when we are gone, it is good if all be well in our days. Not that we should be unconcerned for posterity; it is a grief to foresee evils: but we should own that the deferring of judgments is a great favour in general, and to have them deferred so long as what we may die in peace is a particular favour to us, for charity begins at home. We know not how we shall bear the trial, and therefore have reason to think it well if we may but get safely to heaven before it comes.
Lastly, Here is the conclusion of Hezekiah's life and story, Kg2 20:20, Kg2 20:21. In 2 Chr. ch. 29-32 much more is recorded of Hezekiah's work of reformation than in this book of Kings; and it seems that in the civil chronicles, not now extant, there were many things recorded of his might and the good offices he did for Jerusalem, particularly his bringing water by pipes into the city. To have water in plenty, without striving for it and without being terrified with the noise of archers in the drawing of it, to have it at hand and convenient for us, is to be reckoned a great mercy; for the want of water would be a great calamity. But here this historian leaves him asleep with his fathers, and a son in his throne that proved very untoward; for parents cannot give grace to their children. Wicked Ahaz was the son of a godly father and the father of a godly son; holy Hezekiah was the son of a wicked father and the father of a wicked son. When the land was not reformed, as it should have been, by a good reign, it was plagued and ripened for ruin by a bad one; yet then tried again with a good one, that it might appear how loth God was to cut off his people.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 12–21. Public domain.
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Ambrose of MilanAD 397
On Jacob and the Blessed Life, Book 1, Chapter 8.36
Surely the just Hezekiah did not rejoice that the disaster of the captivity had fallen on his children, but he could not oppose the will of the Lord, and so he received the Lord's commands with patience like a humble servant. Thus it happens that one could judge that merit and virtue could be evident even in captivity. For Jeremiah was not less happy in captivity, nor was Daniel, nor Ezra, nor were Ananias and Azariah and Misael less happy than if they had not fallen into captivity. They entered into captivity in such a way that they brought to their people both present consolations in captivity and the hope of escaping from it.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
2 Kings 20:17 records a solemn and precise prophecy delivered by the prophet Isaiah to King Hezekiah, foretelling the complete plundering of Judah's royal and ancestral treasures and the future deportation of its inhabitants, specifically to Babylon. This divine pronouncement serves as a direct consequence of Hezekiah's prideful and unwise display of his kingdom's wealth and armories to Babylonian envoys, revealing God's sovereign judgment and the inevitable fulfillment of His word, even against a generally righteous king who momentarily faltered in his trust and reliance upon the Lord.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This prophecy is situated immediately after King Hezekiah's miraculous recovery from a terminal illness, a divine intervention that extended his life by fifteen years and was confirmed by the extraordinary sign of the sun's shadow moving backward on the sundial, as detailed in 2 Kings 20:1-11. Following this profound experience of God's grace, envoys from Babylon, led by Merodach-baladan, arrived, ostensibly to congratulate Hezekiah on his recovery. In a moment of profound misjudgment, perhaps fueled by pride or a desire to showcase his kingdom's strength for a potential alliance against the formidable Assyrian Empire, Hezekiah revealed all his royal treasures, armories, and possessions to these foreign delegates, as narrated in 2 Kings 20:12-13. The prophet Isaiah then confronts Hezekiah about this unwise display, leading directly to the pronouncement of judgment found in this verse and the subsequent prophecy concerning his descendants in 2 Kings 20:18. The narrative highlights a stark contrast between God's boundless grace in healing Hezekiah and the king's subsequent failure in humility and trust, underscoring the constant need for dependence on God alone.
Historical & Cultural Context: Hezekiah reigned over Judah during a tumultuous period (c. 715-686 BC), a time dominated by the formidable power of the Assyrian Empire, which had already conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Judah, though often a vassal, maintained a precarious independence. Babylon, at this time, was a rising power, frequently challenging Assyrian hegemony and seeking to establish its own dominance. Merodach-baladan, the Babylonian king, was known for his anti-Assyrian stance and likely sought alliances with other nations, including Judah, to bolster his position. Culturally, displaying wealth to foreign dignitaries could be seen as a show of strength, a means of impressing potential allies, or even a boast. However, from a theological perspective, particularly for a king of Judah, it represented a reliance on human resources and a trust in worldly power rather than absolute dependence on the Lord. This was especially egregious after such a direct and miraculous experience of divine intervention in his own life. The act was a breach of wisdom and a demonstration of pride, setting the stage for the fulfillment of God's word through the very nation Hezekiah sought to impress.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within 2 Kings and the broader prophetic literature. It underscores the theme of Divine Judgment as a consequence of human pride and disobedience, even for a king generally depicted as righteous. Hezekiah's actions, despite his earlier faithfulness and recent miraculous healing, demonstrate that no one is exempt from accountability before God, and that trust in worldly power is a dangerous deviation from covenant faithfulness. Furthermore, the verse serves as a crucial Foretelling of the Babylonian Exile, marking one of the earliest and clearest prophecies of this pivotal event that would profoundly shape Israelite identity and theology for centuries to come, as seen in later books like Jeremiah and Ezekiel. This prophecy, also found in the parallel account of Isaiah 39:6, solidifies God's Sovereignty over History and Nations, revealing His ability to orchestrate the rise and fall of empires to accomplish His divine purposes, using even a rising power like Babylon as an instrument of His will. The specific mention of "Babylon" makes this a remarkably precise and impactful prophecy, demonstrating that God's word is certain and will be fulfilled regardless of human intentions or political maneuvering.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The passage employs several potent literary devices that amplify its prophetic impact. Prophecy is the most prominent, as Isaiah delivers a direct and specific foretelling of future events, namely the Babylonian exile and the plundering of Judah's wealth. This demonstrates God's omniscience and His active involvement in human history, orchestrating the rise and fall of nations according to His divine plan. The verse also utilizes Foreshadowing, as Hezekiah's prideful display of wealth directly foreshadows the very plundering that will occur, establishing a clear cause-and-effect relationship between human sin and divine consequence. There is a strong element of Irony in the fact that the very nation Hezekiah sought to impress and potentially ally with (Babylon) would become the instrument of Judah's desolation. His attempt to showcase strength ultimately reveals vulnerability and leads to the very outcome he might have hoped to avoid. Finally, the concluding phrase, "saith the LORD," is a powerful example of Divine Speech, lending absolute authority and certainty to the pronouncement, emphasizing that these are not mere human predictions but the immutable, unchangeable word of God Himself.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The prophecy in 2 Kings 20:17 serves as a profound theological statement on the consequences of pride and misplaced trust, even for those who generally walk in righteousness. It underscores that God's standards are absolute and that reliance on worldly resources or human alliances, rather than complete dependence on Him, invites divine discipline. This verse also highlights God's sovereign control over the nations and His use of them as instruments of His will, demonstrating that even a rising empire like Babylon is ultimately subject to His divine plan. The precision of the prophecy, delivered decades before its fulfillment, reinforces the reliability and certainty of God's word, assuring believers that His promises and warnings will inevitably come to pass, regardless of human efforts to circumvent or alter them. It is a powerful reminder that true security and lasting glory are found only in God.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The stark warning delivered to King Hezekiah in 2 Kings 20:17 remains profoundly relevant for believers today. It serves as a powerful reminder of the insidious nature of pride and the ever-present temptation to place our trust in anything other than God alone. Hezekiah, a king who had just experienced a miraculous healing and a divine sign, still succumbed to the allure of worldly display and human affirmation. This teaches us that even after profound spiritual experiences and demonstrations of God's grace, we must remain vigilant against the subtle snares of pride and self-reliance. Our security, our resources, and our future are ultimately in God's hands, not in our accumulated wealth, our impressive achievements, our social standing, or our human connections. The certainty of God's prophetic word, fulfilled in the Babylonian exile, also encourages us to trust implicitly in all of God's promises and warnings, knowing that His word stands firm across generations and will inevitably come to pass. We are called to cultivate a heart of humility, recognizing that everything we have is a gift from God, and to use our resources for His glory rather than for self-aggrandizement or misplaced trust.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was Hezekiah punished so severely for showing his treasures?
Answer: Hezekiah's "punishment," or rather the prophetic declaration of future judgment, was severe because his action revealed a fundamental spiritual failing: pride and misplaced trust. After experiencing God's miraculous healing and the extension of his life (2 Kings 20:6), Hezekiah should have been overflowing with humility and absolute dependence on the Lord. Instead, when foreign envoys arrived, he chose to display his vast wealth and military resources (2 Kings 20:13), likely seeking to impress them, forge an alliance, or boast in his kingdom's strength. This act was a public declaration of reliance on human power and material possessions rather than on the God who had just saved him. It was a breach of wisdom and a betrayal of the covenant relationship, indicating a heart that was not fully devoted to the Lord, even if only for a moment. God's judgment, therefore, was not merely for the act itself but for the underlying pride and lack of trust it exposed, serving as a powerful lesson that true security lies only in Him.
How does this prophecy relate to the actual Babylonian exile?
Answer: This prophecy is a direct and remarkably accurate foretelling of the Babylonian exile, which occurred decades later. Isaiah's words in 2 Kings 20:17 explicitly state that Judah's treasures "shall be carried into Babylon" and that "nothing shall be left." This was precisely what happened under King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Historical accounts and biblical texts confirm that Jerusalem was besieged, its temple and royal palace plundered, and its inhabitants, including the royal family and skilled craftsmen, were deported to Babylon in several waves, beginning around 605 BC (Daniel 1:1-2; 2 Chronicles 36:18-20). The prophecy not only named the specific nation that would carry out the judgment but also accurately described the comprehensive nature of the plundering and the deportation, demonstrating God's sovereign control over future events and the certainty of His prophetic word.
Does God punish pride in the same way today?
Answer: While God's methods of discipline may differ in the New Covenant era, the principle that God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble remains constant (Proverbs 16:18; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). God's character is unchanging, and He continues to address pride in the hearts of His people, as pride is antithetical to the humility of Christ. Today, divine discipline for pride might manifest not as a national exile, but as a loss of spiritual blessing, a breakdown in relationships, spiritual barrenness, or a general sense of unease and distance from God. The New Testament emphasizes that the kingdom of God is not about earthly treasures or power (Luke 12:15) but about spiritual riches and humility before God. Therefore, while the historical context of national judgment has changed, the spiritual consequences of pride—which alienates us from God and others—are still very real. God's ultimate desire is always for our repentance and restoration, leading us to a deeper reliance on Him.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The prophecy of 2 Kings 20:17, with its themes of judgment, exile, and the plundering of earthly treasures, finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment. Hezekiah's pride led to the loss of Judah's earthly glory and security, foreshadowing the temporary and ultimately insufficient nature of all human kingdoms and possessions. In stark contrast, Jesus Christ, the ultimate King, came not to display earthly riches or build a worldly empire, but to establish an eternal kingdom not of this world (John 18:36). He willingly "emptied himself" (Philippians 2:7) of divine glory to take on human form, becoming the ultimate Lamb of God who was "plundered" and "carried away" to the cross, bearing the judgment for humanity's pride and sin. Through His sacrifice, Christ offers a security and an inheritance that can never be plundered or exiled, a heavenly treasure that "nothing shall be left" of in terms of loss, but rather an eternal abundance and an indestructible hope (Matthew 6:19-21). He is the one in whom "all things hold together" (Colossians 1:17), ensuring that His people will never face ultimate spiritual exile but will dwell in the New Jerusalem where God Himself will be with them, and all tears will be wiped away (Revelation 21:3-4). Thus, Christ reverses the judgment of exile and offers an unshakeable, eternal kingdom where true treasure is found in Him alone, a kingdom that will never be carried away.