Matthew Henry’s Modern English CommentaryIsaiah 39

Hezekiah's VanityThis chapter tells the story of Hezekiah’s pride after his recovery from sickness. When the king of Babylon sent messengers to congratulate him, Hezekiah became proud and showed off his wealth and treasures. We learn here how easy it is for even good people to fall into pride, especially after God has blessed them. The passage warns us to stay humble, give God the credit for our successes, and not be overly impressed by the praise or attention of others.v. 1: The king of Babylon heard about Hezekiah’s illness and recovery, so he sent messengers with gifts to congratulate him. This teaches us to rejoice with others when they recover or have good news, and to show kindness to our neighbors.

v. 2: The Babylonians were especially impressed because the miracle of the sun going backward happened for Hezekiah. They honored him because of this sign, which was very important to them. If people honor their own gods, we should be even more eager to honor the true God and those He blesses.

v. 3: Sometimes people respect us not for our faith or goodness, but because of our success or what we can do for them. The king of Babylon wanted an alliance with Hezekiah because he was now powerful, not because he was a godly man (Genesis 26:28 ).

v. 4: It is hard to stay humble when we have many blessings or great success. Even Hezekiah, though wise and good, let pride enter his heart after God did miracles for him. Like Paul, we all need reminders to stay humble, even when God does great things for us.

Hezekiah's Vanity PunishedThis passage shows how God deals with Hezekiah after his pride. Even good people can become proud, but if God loves us, He will humble us and remind us not to trust in ourselves or in earthly things. God may take away what we are proud of to teach us humility. We should always be ready to accept correction, admit our faults, and trust God’s wisdom, even when it means facing hard consequences.v. 5: God sent a strong message to Hezekiah through Isaiah. God wanted to humble Hezekiah and show him the danger of pride. If we become proud, God will find a way to bring us back down, because He loves us and wants us to depend on Him. We should be careful not to boast about what we own or have achieved. When we talk about our blessings, we must remember it was God’s goodness, not our own power, that gave them to us. We should also be prepared for changes, because nothing in this world is permanent.

v. 6: Isaiah told Hezekiah that all the treasures he showed the Babylonians would one day be taken away to Babylon. This teaches us that God may take away what we boast about or trust in. Like the foolish traveler who shows his riches to a thief, Hezekiah’s pride led to loss. It is a weakness to value the respect of worldly people too much. Hezekiah was too pleased by the honor given by the king of Babylon. We should be polite and thankful, but not proud or overly impressed by such attention.

v. 7: Isaiah also warned that some of Hezekiah’s own descendants would be taken away and serve as officials in Babylon. If we could see the results of our actions in the future, we would be more careful now. All worldly things are temporary, so we should not put our hope or pride in them. God will call us to account for our pride, even if it seems small or hidden. After receiving praise or compliments, we should examine our hearts to see if pride has crept in. If we find pride, like Hezekiah, we should confess it to God and be humble once again.

v. 8: Hezekiah accepted God’s warning and correction. He did not argue, but said, Good is the word of the Lord