Isaiah 39:3

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.
• 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.”
• New Living Translation (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.”

Context of Isaiah 39:3

1At that time Marduk-Baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent Hezekiah letters and a gift, because he had heard of his illness and recovery. 2Hezekiah received the envoys gladly and showed them what was in his storehouses—the silver, the gold, the spices, the fine olive oil—his entire armory and everything found among his treasures. There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them. 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.” 4The 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.” 5Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord Almighty:

Isaiah 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• Isaiahיְשַׁעְיָ֫הוּyesha‛yâh yesha‛yâhû · IsaiahH3470
• the prophetנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
• unto kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• Hezekiahחִזְקִיָּהוּchizqîyâh chizqîyâhû yechizqîyâh yechizqîyâhû · HezekiahH2396
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• these menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• and from whenceאַ֫יִן'ayin · where?H370
• from a farרָחֹקrâchôq râchôq · distantH7350
• countryאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• from Babylonבָּבֶ֫ל, בָּבֶלbâbel · BabylonH894

Cross-references for Isaiah 39:3

• Isaiah 38:1In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.”
• 2 Samuel 12:1The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor.
• 2 Kings 20:14Then 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 Chronicles 16:7At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: “Because you 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 the seer, the son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, the wrath of the Lord is on you.
• 2 Chronicles 25:15The anger of the Lord burned against Amaziah, and he sent a prophet to him, who said, “Why do you consult this people’s gods, which could not save their own people 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 against you from far away, from the ends of the earth, like an eagle swooping down, a nation whose language you will not understand,
• Joshua 9:6Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.”
• Jeremiah 5:15People of Israel,” declares the Lord, “I am bringing a distant nation against you— an ancient and enduring nation, a people whose language you do not know, 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

• Minister, Christian
• Temptation

In the dictionaries

• Babylon
• Hezekiah
• Isaiah
• Babylon, Babylonia, Babylonian
• Chronicles, Books of
• Hezekiah (2)

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