This chapter speaks of the foretelling of the Babylonian captivity and parallels with 2 Kings 20:12-19 and 2 Chronicles 32:24-31.
It begins by telling us of Hezekiah’s weakness, and it’s here that we are introduced to the ambassadors of Babylon to prepare us for what will come later.
When the king of Babylon sent a gift to him, he allowed his pride in the riches of Judah to cloud his judgment. He revealed to the messengers of Marduk-Baladan the national treasures of Judah, 2 Chronicles 32:31.
Marduk-Baladan wanted to know about Hezekiah’s recovery and the great wonder that had occurred concerning the turning back of the shadow of the sun, Isaiah 38:4-8. However, his hidden motives were possibly in reference to spying out the land.
Apparently, Marduk-Baladan sent his ambassadors for two obvious reasons.
1. To congratulate Hezekiah on his miraculous recovery.
2. To see where the ‘sign’ occurred and learn more about it.
The ambassadors appear to have at least two hidden purposes.
1. To spy out the wealth of the land with the view of one day taking it.
2. To secretly make an agreement with Hezekiah to help throw off the Assyrian yoke.
Hailey, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Hezekiah’s ancestor, David, had yielded to the lust of the flesh; and Solomon had yielded to vanity and pomp and now Hezekiah, one of Judah’s most admired kings, had yielded to flattery and pride. The flesh is terribly weak.’
God now rebukes Hezekiah and this intimate disclosure to strangers indicates vanity and pride on the part of Hezekiah. Isaiah suspected that the king was considering a foreign alliance, Hezekiah had done this with Egypt, and now he was doing it with Babylon.
Hezekiah’s folly had mortgaged the future of his people, not only would Hezekiah have to pay for his pride but his descendants must also pay.
Hezekiah no doubt, was sad because of this, but he recognised that the judgements of God are always good, 2 Chronicles 32:25-26 / 2 Chronicles 32:30-31.
The real reason the Babylonians were coming was because God will be using Babylon to bring judgment upon Jerusalem for her apostasy Deuteronomy 28:63-64 / 1 Kings 14:15 / Amos 5:27. The captivity of the Jews in Babylon commenced about one hundred and twenty years after this prediction, Jeremiah 20:5.
Kidner, in his commentary, says the following.
‘To Hezekiah there was comfort in the postponement of the disaster awaiting Israel, but not to Isaiah. Evidently, he took this burden home with him, and so lived under its weight that when God spoke to him again it was to one who in spirit had already lived long years in Babylon, Isaiah 40:2, and who could speak ‘to the heart’ of a generation of exiles yet to be born.’
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."