Isaiah 39:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Your descendants will be taken from you and will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon." Hezekiah acknowledged Isaiah's words, saying, "The word of the Lord is good that He has spoken." He then added, "Let there be peace and truth during my lifetime."

It is said among the Hebrews that Hezekiah fell ill because, despite the astonishing victory of the Jews and the defeat of the Assyrian king, he did not express gratitude to the Lord as Moses did after Pharaoh's defeat (Ex. 15), or as Deborah did after Sisera's death (Judg. 5), and as Hannah did after Samuel's birth (1 Sam. 2). This oversight reminded him of his mortality, and due to his physical well-being and the significant sign he received, another temptation of pride arose, which he, in his wisdom and reverence for God, should have resisted by not revealing his wealth to his fellow countrymen, as these blessings were bestowed by God. This serves as a reminder, according to allegorical interpretation, that we should not cast pearls before swine, nor give what is holy to dogs (Matt. 7:6). A faithful spirit conceals its deeds; failing to do so diminishes one’s virtues and can lead to the loss of strength and honor (Proverbs 11:13-15).

Thus, Isaiah approached the king and, as though unaware, posed the questions: “What did these men say, and from where did they come?” Hezekiah answered one of these queries but neglected the other, responding with a tone of pride: “They came to me from a distant land, from Babylon.” The further away their origin, the greater the honor for Hezekiah. In his reply, he implied that the visitors came to acknowledge God's glory, but he did not explicitly state this. Once more, Isaiah asked, “What did they see in your house?” To which Hezekiah limited his answer, stating that they saw everything, leaving out mention of the temple's sacred items he likely showed them. Therefore, by divine command, Isaiah pronounced judgment: "Listen to the word of the Lord of Hosts: all that is in your house and gathered by your ancestors will be carried off to Babylon, and your offspring will become eunuchs in the king's palace." The Jews interpret this as the fate of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who came from royal lineage and served King Nebuchadnezzar.

Hezekiah’s response to Isaiah's prophecy—“Good is the word of the Lord that He has spoken”—was criticized by the Jews for lacking the fervor of Moses, who pleaded with the Lord, “And now, if You will forgive their sin, blot me out of the Book which You have written” (Ex. 32:32). Similarly, Paul expressed a desire to be cut off from Christ for the sake of his Israeli brethren (Rom. 9:3). Hence, the Jews believed that Hezekiah did not fulfill the words of God, who instructs: “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God” (Isaiah 40:1), hoping that those he should have interceded for might experience God's mercy.