Isaiah 39:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Perhaps he took considerable pride in entertaining visitors from such a far-off location, believing they were keen to forge an alliance with him. When he inquired about what they had witnessed, and the king replied that they had seen everything, the prophet foretold that the days would come when everything in his treasury, accumulated through the efforts and diligence of his forefathers, would be taken by the Babylonians. He further prophesied that from his descendants, they would take some to serve as eunuchs in the royal court of Babylon, an indication of the fulfillment of this prophecy is found in the book of Kings. During the reign of Jeconiah, when Nebuchadnezzar had subdued all of Judah, set Jerusalem ablaze, including the sacred temple, he carried away captives, among whom were the esteemed Daniel and his companions, noted to be eunuchs in the palace of the Babylonian king. What significance does this prophecy hold, and how could it be beneficial? Through this, God seems to imply that it would have been wiser for the Babylonians to be informed of the wondrous miracles achieved by His divine authority, or at the very least, to avoid revealing the hidden treasures to their eyes.

Hezekiah then said to Isaiah, "The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good." He added, "Let there be peace and truth during my lifetime." The Hebrews assert that Hezekiah fell ill because, following the unprecedented victory of the Jewish people and the downfall of the Assyrian king, he failed to offer praise to the Lord as Moses did after Egypt’s destruction (Ex. 15), as Deborah sang after Sisera’s defeat (Judg. 5), and as Hannah praised after Samuel’s birth (1 Sam. 2). This led him to reflect on his mortal nature and, after receiving his health and witnessing a great sign, succumbed to an opportunity for pride that he, being a wise and God-fearing man, should have avoided. He ought not to have displayed his wealth, which was bestowed upon him by God, to his compatriots. This serves as a reminder, through allegorical interpretation, that we should not cast pearls before swine, nor offer sacred things to dogs (Matt. 7:6). For the faithful in spirit keep their actions concealed; failing to do so diminishes one’s virtues, results in the downfall of one’s descendants, and leads to a loss of masculine strength, yielding instead to weakness (Proverbs 11:13-15). Thus, Isaiah approaches the king, seemingly unaware, posing the questions, "What was said, and where did they come from?" Hezekiah responds to one inquiry while neglecting the other, emphasizing with pride, “They came to me from a far-off land, from Babylon.” The longer the distance from which they traveled, the greater the glory attributed to the one for whom they came. He fails to recognize that they sought to glorify God for the magnificent sign, coming from Babylon, a city of great power. When Isaiah inquires again, "What did they see in your house?" Hezekiah's response is partial; he acknowledges they observed everything in his house, omitting details that might invite disapproval—specifically, that he displayed all that belonged to him and likely also the temple’s sacred items. Hence, Isaiah delivers God’s judgment: “Hear the word of the Lord of Hosts: the time is coming when all that is in your house, and accumulated not by your own efforts but through your forefathers, will be taken to Babylon, and your descendants will serve as eunuchs in the king's palace.” From this, the Jews conclude that Daniel, Ananias, Mishael, and Azariah, noblemen of royal lineage, were indeed made eunuchs while serving King Nebuchadnezzar. Thus, Hezekiah acknowledges, "Good is the word of the Lord that He has declared." However, the Jews criticize him for not following Moses’ example, who pleaded with the Lord, “But if you will not forgive their sin, blot me out of your book that you have written" (Ex. 32:32). Likewise, the Apostle Paul expressed a wish to be separated from Christ for the sake of his fellow Israelites (Rom. 9:3). Consequently, Jewish tradition reflects that Hezekiah was not deemed worthy of God’s words, which proclaim, “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God” (Isaiah 40:1), as a plea for compassion towards those who might find solace in God’s mercy.

The royal truth shines brightly, yet the distorted tastes and wicked desires of the people prevent them from genuinely perceiving the tender care of their leaders, rendering them incapable of recognizing the benevolence of their intentions; instead, the commands seem burdensome, indeed due to obstinacy, and hard to follow due to sloth. Thus, the truth of Hezekiah or Josiah once radiated, but because the inhabitants of Judah, like flocks of nocturnal and unclean birds, were persistently drawn away by the allure of idolatry, continuously sinking deeper into the corruption of pagan vice, the truth of one king could not bring much peace to the kingdom, nor could it uplift the entire nation, which willingly descended into ruin. Despite the extraordinary victories that the righteous God granted Hezekiah for his adherence to righteousness against the unjust and wicked Assyrians, this king could not secure lasting peace for his people beyond his own reign. “Speak Hezekiah unto Isaiah, saying, Good is the word of the Lord which He hath spoken: now shall peace and truth be in my days” (Isaiah 39:8).