THEOSISJerome of Stridon
During that period, Merodach Baladan, the son of Baladan and the king of Babylon, sent letters and gifts to Hezekiah because he had heard of Hezekiah's illness and subsequent recovery. Hezekiah was delighted by this gesture and showed them his treasury, presenting them with his fragrant oils, silver, gold, incense, the finest ointments, and all his storerooms filled with various treasures; there was nothing in his possessions that he withheld from them. (Is. 39: 1-2)
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In the same year of Hezekiah's reign, which was the fourteenth year, Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, launched an assault on the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. He then laid siege to Lachish, advanced to Lovnah, and dispatched a portion of his forces to Jerusalem. Following a miraculous defeat inflicted on his army, where one hundred and eighty-five thousand fell to the angel of the Lord, Sennacherib retreated to Nineveh where he was ultimately killed by his own sons in the temple of his deity. His son Assaradon succeeded him in the throne. We also note that Hezekiah had been unwell but was healed as prophesied. A remarkable sign accompanied his healing, as the sun was turned back ten hours, vastly extending the length of that day.
Now, we understand that during this same year, Merodach Baladan, rather than Assaradon, who took over the Assyrian kingdom after his father’s death—of which Scripture does not provide details—sent letters and gifts to Hezekiah. This distinction indicates the separate states of the Assyrian and Babylonian kingdoms at that time. Furthermore, the Assyrians had taken possession of Samaria, which encompassed the ten tribes, while the Chaldeans, led by King Nebuchadnezzar, would later conquer Judah and Jerusalem.
The Babylonians were keen observers of the celestial bodies and had studied the stars for a long time, leading them to recognize that the sun's reversal during the extended daylight was significant: they believed it signified the God whom they honored. Upon investigating the reason for this extraordinary event, they discovered that the change in the sun’s course was due to the affliction of the Jewish king. Importantly, this interpretation is not merely my view but is affirmed by sacred writings, which recount, among other things, "Hezekiah blocked the upper channel of the waters of Geon and redirected them to the western side of the city of David. He succeeded in all his endeavors as he desired, but when the envoys from Babylon arrived to inquire about the sign that had occurred on earth, God allowed him to be tested, revealing everything that was in his heart. He faced this test because, following such a significant victory, the miraculous return of the sun, and the honor bestowed by such a powerful kingdom, his heart became proud.