2 Kings 20:15 kjv
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 showed them.
2 Kings 20:15 nkjv
And he said, "What have they seen in your house?" So Hezekiah answered, "They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them."
2 Kings 20:15 niv
The prophet asked, "What did they see in your palace?" "They saw everything in my palace," Hezekiah said. "There is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them."
2 Kings 20:15 esv
He said, "What have they seen in your house?" And Hezekiah answered, "They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them."
2 Kings 20:15 nlt
"What did they see in your palace?" Isaiah asked. "They saw everything," Hezekiah replied. "I showed them everything I own ? all my royal treasuries."
2 Kings 20 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 39:4-6 | Then he said, “What have they seen in your house?... Behold, the days are coming... shall be carried to Babylon." | Parallel account of Hezekiah's actions and Isaiah's prophecy of future exile. |
| 2 Chr 32:25 | But Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. | Identifies pride as the core sin of Hezekiah in this incident. |
| 2 Chr 32:31 | However, in the matter of the envoys of the princes of Babylon, God left him to test him. | Reveals God's intention behind allowing the test—to show Hezekiah's true heart. |
| Prov 16:18 | Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. | Principle of pride leading to downfall, illustrated by Hezekiah's act. |
| Prov 18:12 | Before destruction a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor. | Echoes the destructive nature of pride, preceding humiliation. |
| Jer 9:23-24 | Thus says the Lord: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom... but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me." | Contrasts boasting in worldly things (like riches) with boasting in knowing God. |
| 1 Tim 6:17 | Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches. | New Testament warning against pride in wealth and misplaced hope. |
| Jas 4:6 | God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. | Directly states God's opposition to pride, a principle Hezekiah experienced. |
| Dan 4:30-31 | The king declared, "Is not this great Babylon, which I have built..." While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven. | Illustrates swift judgment on kings who boast in their achievements, similar to Hezekiah's pride. |
| Ps 20:7 | Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. | Highlights the temptation to trust in worldly resources instead of God, seen in Hezekiah. |
| Ps 62:10 | Do not trust in oppression or in robbery... if riches increase, do not set your heart on them. | Warns against setting one's heart on increasing wealth. |
| Matt 6:19-21 | Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy. | New Testament teaching on the futility of earthly treasures compared to heavenly. |
| Luke 12:15-21 | The parable of the rich fool, who stored up his treasures, but did not secure himself towards God. | Jesus' teaching on the danger of materialistic pride and storing up earthly wealth without God. |
| 2 Kgs 20:17 | 'Behold, the days are coming when everything that is in your house, and what your fathers have stored up... shall be carried to Babylon.' | Isaiah's immediate prophecy, fulfilling the consequence of Hezekiah's actions. |
| 2 Kgs 24:13 | He carried off all the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king’s house. | Historical fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy during the Babylonian conquest. |
| Jer 20:5 | Moreover, I will deliver all the wealth of this city... to their enemies. | Prophecy of Jerusalem's treasures being given to enemies due to sin. |
| 2 Chr 36:18 | And all the articles of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the Lord... he brought to Babylon. | Further historical account of Babylonian seizure of Jerusalem's treasures. |
| Deut 8:2 | You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you... that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart. | Principle of divine testing to reveal the heart, echoing 2 Chr 32:31 concerning Hezekiah. |
| 1 Jn 2:16 | For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. | Categorizes pride of life (manifested in boasting possessions) as worldly. |
| Zech 5:4 | "and it will come into the house of the thief... and it will dwell in his house and consume it with its timber and stones." | Illustrates divine curse/judgment against ill-gotten gains or trust in unrighteousness. |
2 Kings 20 verses
2 Kings 20 15 Meaning
2 Kings 20:15 records Isaiah the prophet's pointed question to King Hezekiah about the visit of Babylonian envoys, and Hezekiah's candid, albeit prideful, confession. Hezekiah admitted that he displayed "everything" in his house and "nothing" among his vast treasures was withheld from the foreign delegates. This moment marks a critical turning point, revealing Hezekiah's misplaced trust in his material wealth and his desire to impress a worldly power, which immediately draws divine judgment and prophecy of future captivity.
2 Kings 20 15 Context
Following Hezekiah's miraculous recovery from a terminal illness, and the unprecedented sign of the sundial going backward, envoys from Babylon arrive, ostensibly to congratulate him. However, their visit was also a political maneuver by Merodach-Baladan, the Babylonian king, likely seeking alliances against the dominant Assyrian Empire. Hezekiah, instead of giving glory to God for his recovery, displayed all the treasures of his palace and kingdom to these foreign potentates. This act was a display of national wealth and strength, possibly to impress a potential ally or to boast, rather than trusting solely in God's power and provision as he had previously done against Sennacherib. Isaiah's immediate interrogation in 2 Kings 20:15 serves as a divine confrontation, directly addressing this spiritual misstep.
2 Kings 20 15 Word analysis
- "Then he said" (וַיֹּאמֶר - vayyō’mer): "He" refers to Isaiah, the prophet of the Lord. The immediacy of his question after the envoys' departure highlights divine omniscience and accountability. It's not a casual inquiry but a prophetic probe.
- "What have they seen in your house?" (מָה רָאוּ בְּבֵיתֶךָ - mâ rā’û bəḇêṯeḵā): Isaiah's question is rhetorical and accusatory, indicating divine disapproval of Hezekiah's actions. "Your house" refers primarily to the royal palace and its private treasures, distinguishing them from the Temple. It implies personal responsibility for this display.
- "Hezekiah answered" (וַיֹּאמֶר חִזְקִיָּהוּ - wayyō’mer Ḥizqiyyāhû): Hezekiah's response is swift and direct, showing no sign of repentance or realization of his error at this immediate juncture.
- "Everything in my house they have seen" (אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר בְּבֵיתִי רָאוּ - ’êṯ kol-’ăšer bəḇêṯî rā’û): "Everything" (kol) emphasizes the comprehensiveness of Hezekiah's disclosure. This demonstrates an unreserved display, pointing to either reckless pride or an excessive desire to impress.
- "nothing among my treasures did I not show them" (לֹא הָיָה דָבָר אֲשֶׁר לֹא הִרְאֵיתִים בְּמַצְמֹנַי - lō’ hāyāh dāḇār ’ăšer lō’ hir’êṯîm bəmaṣmōnayi):
- "my treasures" (מַצְמֹנַי - maṣmōnayi): From the root ṣāman (צָמַן), meaning "to store up, lay up." This refers specifically to hidden, private, or carefully guarded riches. The use of a double negative ("nothing did I not show them") further underscores the exhaustive nature of the display. It implies even the most valuable, private, and strategically significant assets were revealed, suggesting a grave lack of discretion.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "What have they seen in your house?" (Isaiah's divine inquiry): This question is a challenge from God, posed through His prophet. It highlights a divine scrutiny over human actions, especially concerning a leader entrusted with a kingdom blessed by God. The focus on "your house" makes the king accountable for the assets and secrets of his domain. It implies a deeper theological point: was Hezekiah trusting in his wealth or in the Lord, who granted that wealth?
- "Everything in my house they have seen; nothing among my treasures did I not show them." (Hezekiah's full admission): Hezekiah's unreserved answer paints a picture of boastfulness and misplaced priorities. He seemed to value impressing a foreign power with his kingdom's wealth over discreetly protecting it or giving full glory to God, who had blessed him. This action laid bare the nation's financial strength and potential vulnerability to a rising power that would one day conquer them, revealing a spiritual blind spot in Hezekiah's otherwise pious reign.
2 Kings 20 15 Bonus section
The Hebrew word for "treasures," matzmonai (מַצְמֹנַי), often suggests hidden or stored-up riches, adding emphasis to the fact that Hezekiah revealed even his most secret and valuable assets. The timing of this incident, immediately following Hezekiah's supernatural healing, underscores the spiritual lesson: even deeply devout individuals can be vulnerable to pride, especially after experiencing great blessings or successes. Hezekiah, who trusted God implicitly during Sennacherib's invasion and for his healing, seemingly overlooked consulting God in this diplomatic encounter. His eagerness to display wealth likely intended to project Judah's strength or independence, possibly aiming to impress a potential ally against Assyria. However, from God's perspective, this act deviated from true dependence and reliance on Him, leaning instead on earthly security and connections. This aligns with a broader biblical theme that reliance on wealth or worldly alliances rather than the Lord invariably leads to negative consequences.
2 Kings 20 15 Commentary
2 Kings 20:15 succinctly exposes a crucial flaw in King Hezekiah's character, despite his remarkable acts of faith. Fresh from a miraculous recovery and divine sign, he received envoys from Babylon. His response was to showcase "everything" he possessed, withholding "nothing." This wasn't merely a polite tour; it was an act driven by pride and possibly a desire to forge a political alliance or display perceived self-sufficiency, an implicit shift away from total reliance on God. Isaiah's immediate, discerning question reveals God's instant awareness and displeasure, forcing Hezekiah to confront his imprudence. Hezekiah's transparent confession, without apparent immediate remorse, highlights his fall into a common trap for those blessed by God: forgetting the source of their blessings and finding security or identity in material possessions. This episode directly precipitates the prophecy of Judah's future exile to Babylon and the seizure of the very treasures he proudly displayed, a vivid illustration of how pride and misplaced trust inevitably lead to loss and judgment.