Berean Standard Bible
Isaiah 39:3
3Then the prophet Isaiah went to King Hezekiah and asked, “Where did those men come from, and what did they say to you?”
“They came to me from a distant land,” Hezekiah replied, “from Babylon.”
Isaiah 39:3 in other versions
- King James Version (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 unto me, even from Babylon.
- New International Version (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 to me from Babylon.”
- English Standard Version (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?" Hezekiah said, "They have come to me from a far country, from Babylon."
- New King James Version (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 to me from a far country, from Babylon.”
Context of Isaiah 39:3
1At that time Merodach-baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, for he had heard about Hezekiah’s illness and recovery. 2And Hezekiah welcomed the envoys gladly and showed them what was in his treasure house—the silver, the gold, the spices, and the precious oil, as well as his entire armory—all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his palace or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. Then the prophet Isaiah went to King Hezekiah and asked, “Where did those men come from, and what did they say to you?” “They came to me from a distant land,” Hezekiah replied, “from Babylon.” 4“What have they seen in your palace?” Isaiah asked. “They have seen everything in my palace,” answered Hezekiah. “There is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them.” 5Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD of Hosts:
Read all of Isaiah 39Isaiah 39:3 word by word
וַיָּבֹא֙ יְשַׁעְיָ֣הוּ הַנָּבִ֔יא אֶל־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלָ֜יו מָ֥ה אָמְר֣וּ׀ הָאֲנָשִׁ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה וּמֵאַ֙יִן֙ יָבֹ֣אוּ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ חִזְקִיָּ֔הוּ מֵאֶ֧רֶץ רְחוֹקָ֛ה בָּ֥אוּ אֵלַ֖י מִבָּבֶֽל׃Read the interlinear
- Then the prophetנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
- Isaiahיְשַׁעְיָ֫הוּyesha‛yâh yesha‛yâhû · IsaiahH3470
- wentבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- toאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- Kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- Hezekiahחִזְקִיָּהוּchizqîyâh chizqîyâhû yechizqîyâh yechizqîyâhû · HezekiahH2396
- and askedאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Whereאַ֫יִן'ayin · where?H370
- did thoseאֵ֫לֶּה'êlleh · theseH428
- and whatמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
- did they sayאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- a distantרָחֹקrâchôq râchôq · distantH7350
- landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- from Babylonבָּבֶ֫ל, בָּבֶלbâbel · BabylonH894
Cross-references for Isaiah 39:3
- Isaiah 38:1In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your house in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’”
- 2 Samuel 12:1Then the LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he arrived, he said, “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor.
- 2 Kings 20:14Then the prophet Isaiah went to King Hezekiah and asked, “Where did those men come from, and what did they say to you?” “They came from a distant land,” Hezekiah replied, “from Babylon.”
- 2 Chronicles 16:7At that time Hanani the seer came to King Asa of Judah and told him, “Because you have relied on the king of Aram and not on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand.
- 2 Chronicles 19:2Jehu son of Hanani the seer went out to confront him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is upon you.
- 2 Chronicles 25:15Therefore the anger of the LORD burned against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet, who said, “Why have you sought this people’s gods, which could not deliver them from your hand?”
- Jeremiah 22:1This is what the LORD says: “Go down to the palace of the king of Judah and proclaim this message there,
- Deuteronomy 28:49The LORD will bring a nation from afar, from the ends of the earth, to swoop down upon you like an eagle—a nation whose language you will not understand,
- Joshua 9:6They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land; please make a treaty with us.”
- Jeremiah 5:15Behold, I am bringing a distant nation against you, O house of Israel,” declares the LORD. “It is an established nation, an ancient nation, a nation whose language you do not know and whose speech you do not understand.
Commentaries on Isaiah 39:3
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Then came Isaiah - Isaiah was accustomed to declare the will of God most freely to monarchs (see Isaiah 7) What said these men? - What proposition have they made? What is the design of their coming? It is implied in the question that there had been some improper communication from them. To this question Hezekiah returned no answer. And from whence came they? - It was doubtless known in Jerusalem that ambassadors had come, but it would not be likely to be…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-8Hezekiah was an example of godliness, prayer, and care for the people of Jerusalem. However, he disappointed the Lord by showing off his wealth and military power to the envoys from Babylon.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. What ... whence--implying that any proposition coming from the idolatrous enemies of God, with whom Israel was forbidden to form alliance, should have been received with anything but gladness. Reliance on Babylon, rather than on God, was a similar sin to the previous reliance on Egypt (Is 30:1-31:9). far country--implying that he had done nothing more than was proper in showing attention to strangers "from a far country."Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 39:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 39
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Berean Standard Bible — © Berean Bible — CC0 / Public Domain
Commentaries