2 Kings 20 14

2 Kings 20:14 kjv

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.

2 Kings 20:14 nkjv

Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah, and said to him, "What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?" So Hezekiah said, "They came from a far country, from Babylon."

2 Kings 20:14 niv

Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked, "What did those men say, and where did they come from?" "From a distant land," Hezekiah replied. "They came from Babylon."

2 Kings 20:14 esv

Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah, and said to him, "What did these men say? And from where did they come to you?" And Hezekiah said, "They have come from a far country, from Babylon."

2 Kings 20:14 nlt

Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked him, "What did those men want? Where were they from?" Hezekiah replied, "They came from the distant land of Babylon."

2 Kings 20 verses

2 Kings 20 14 Meaning

This verse marks the crucial moment when Isaiah the prophet confronts King Hezekiah after the king proudly displayed all his royal treasures and armories to envoys from Babylon. Isaiah’s questions are probing, designed to make Hezekiah acknowledge his actions and their implications, serving as a divine challenge to the king's recent lack of discretion and trust in the Lord. Hezekiah’s direct, yet incomplete, answer "They came from a far country, from Babylon" sets the stage for the devastating prophecy that will immediately follow concerning the future captivity of Judah in Babylon.

2 Kings 20 14 Context

Chapter 20 of 2 Kings presents a vivid contrast in King Hezekiah's character and experiences. It begins with Hezekiah's near-fatal illness, his earnest prayer, and God's miraculous intervention, granting him an additional fifteen years of life and delivering Jerusalem from the Assyrians. A visible sign, the sun dial receding, authenticates this miracle. It is in the aftermath of this divine favor, described in verses 12-13, that Hezekiah receives envoys from Merodach-Baladan, the king of Babylon, who sent gifts and a congratulatory message. Rather than relying solely on God, Hezekiah pridefully "showed them all his treasure house, the silver, the gold...and all his armory—all that was found in his storehouses." This exhibition of wealth and power, instead of humility and gratitude towards God, is the immediate precursor to Isaiah’s direct questioning in verse 14. This interaction thus marks a pivot from divine mercy to impending judgment, revealing the subtle dangers of human pride, especially after receiving great blessings.

2 Kings 20 14 Word Analysis

• Then Isaiah the prophet:
  • Then (וַיָּבֹא - vayyavo'): Signals an immediate, sequential event, connecting it directly to Hezekiah's showing of his treasures. It suggests divine orchestration; Isaiah arrives at a critical juncture.
  • Isaiah (יְשַׁעְיָהוּ - Yesha'yahu): Hebrew meaning "Yahweh is salvation." His name reflects his dominant message, often contrasting Judah's failure to trust God's salvation. His presence underscores God's direct involvement and revelation in this crucial moment.
  • the prophet (הַנָּבִיא - han-navi'): Emphasizes his divinely appointed role as God's spokesperson. His questions are not merely human curiosity but convey a direct message and judgment from the Almighty.
• came to King Hezekiah:
  • came (וַיָּבֹא - vayyavo'): Indicates a deliberate and purposeful approach, likely by divine command, setting up a confrontation.
  • King Hezekiah: The specific address highlights the encounter between divine authority (through Isaiah) and the earthly monarch, a theme prevalent in prophetic literature. Hezekiah, who had recently experienced God's direct healing, is now facing a different kind of divine intervention.
• and said to him, "What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?"
  • What did these men say (מַה־אָמְרוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה - mah-ameru ha'anashim ha'elleh): Isaiah's initial question isn't about what Hezekiah showed, but what the Babylonians said. This probes the nature of the diplomatic mission, possibly suggesting Isaiah's awareness that their visit was more than a mere congratulatory gesture, perhaps implying an offer of alliance or intelligence gathering. It prompts Hezekiah to recount the conversation truthfully.
  • and from where (וּמֵאַיִן - u-me'ayin): The second part of the question. Isaiah is not asking for information he lacks, but forcing Hezekiah to name the specific foreign power. The explicit identification of their origin as "Babylon" holds profound future significance for Judah, contrasting starkly with the seemingly benign present encounter. This two-part question functions as a test, exposing Hezekiah's pride and potential for unwise alliances.
• And Hezekiah said, "They came from a far country, from Babylon."
  • They came from a far country (מֵאֶרֶץ רְחוֹקָה - me'eretz rechoqah): Hezekiah's initial descriptor of "far country" might be a subtle attempt to highlight the grandeur or significance of the visitors, aligning with a sense of pride. It could also suggest a vague, less alarming presentation before naming the specific origin.
  • from Babylon (בָּבֶל - Babel): The crucial geographical and political identification. This ancient Mesopotamian city, then a rising power often resisting Assyria, was regarded by some as a potential ally. However, its explicit naming here immediately sets up the prophetic judgment against Judah, foreseeing Babylon's future role as conqueror and disperser of God's people. Hezekiah's response is factual but avoids addressing the more critical "what did they say," potentially downplaying the substance of their interaction or his own boasting.

2 Kings 20 14 Bonus section

• Hezekiah's Uncharacteristic Lapse: This event in 2 Kings 20 stands out in Hezekiah’s otherwise commendable reign. Throughout his rule, he is praised for his trust in the Lord, particularly during the Assyrian crisis (2 Kgs 18-19). This incident with the Babylonians serves as a stark warning that even truly devout leaders can falter due to human weakness, specifically pride, after receiving great blessings.
• The Purpose of the Test (2 Chr 32:31): The parallel account in 2 Chronicles explicitly states that "God left him to himself, in order to test him and to know all that was in his heart." This profound insight reveals that the Babylonian visit was a divine trial, permitted by God to expose the true condition of Hezekiah’s heart—a heart that, despite great faith and past humility, harbored a hidden seed of pride, leading him to display earthly wealth rather than consistently glorifying God.
• Prophetic Foreshadowing: The mentioning of "Babylon" in this early stage, relatively insignificant in Judah's affairs at this point compared to Assyria, carries immense prophetic weight. This brief mention foreshadows the defining event in Judah's future – the Babylonian captivity, illustrating God's long-range sovereign plan and judgment. The treasures displayed by Hezekiah were precisely what Babylon would later plunder.

2 Kings 20 14 Commentary

This verse initiates the direct confrontation between Isaiah and King Hezekiah, setting the tone for the Lord's response to Hezekiah’s actions. After God's astonishing display of grace in healing Hezekiah and delivering Jerusalem, the king succumbed to the sin of pride, displaying his nation's wealth and military readiness to Babylonian envoys. Isaiah's questions, divinely inspired, serve as an exposé and a diagnostic tool for Hezekiah's spiritual condition. The prophet’s inquiries—"What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?"—are not born of ignorance; Isaiah, as God’s messenger, likely already knows the full story. Instead, these questions are designed to elicit a confession from the king, forcing him to articulate the potentially perilous details of his international encounter.

Hezekiah’s reply, while accurate in identifying "Babylon" as the origin, notably omits any details of what was "said." This selective response may hint at his self-awareness of a diplomatic misstep or perhaps even an attempt to gloss over his proud display of national treasures. The stark identification of "Babylon" in Hezekiah's answer, however, immediately transforms a seemingly congratulatory visit into a moment of prophetic revelation, confirming the trajectory of Judah's future and linking it to Hezekiah's short-sighted pride. This incident underscores a critical theological lesson: even righteous individuals, especially those recently blessed, must guard against pride and consistently place their trust in the Lord alone, rather than worldly alliances or displays of power.