Study Desk

Envoys From Babylon^(a)

At that time Marduk-Baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon^(b) sent Hezekiah letters and a gift, because he had heard of his illness and recovery.

Hezekiah received the envoys^(c) gladly and showed them what was in his storehouses—the silver, the gold,^(d) the spices, the fine olive oil—his entire armory and everything found among his treasures.^(e) 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,^(f)" Hezekiah replied. "They came to me from Babylon."

The 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."

Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word^(g) of the Lord Almighty:

The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon.^(h) Nothing will be left, says the Lord .

And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.⁽ⁱ⁾"

"The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,^(j)" Hezekiah replied. For he thought, "There will be peace and security in my lifetime.^(k)"

Comfort, comfort^(a) my people, says your God.

Speak tenderly^(b) to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service^(c) has been completed,^(d) that her sin has been paid for,^(e) that she has received from the Lord 's hand double^(f) for all her sins.

A voice of one calling: "In the wilderness prepare the way^(g) for the Lord ^[a]; make straight^(h) in the desert a highway for our God.^[b](i)

Every valley shall be raised up,^(j) every mountain and hill^(k) made low; the rough ground shall become level,^(l) the rugged places a plain.

And the glory^(m) of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together.⁽ⁿ⁾ For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."^(o)

A voice says, "Cry out." And I said, "What shall I cry?" "All people are like grass,^(p) and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.

The grass withers^(q) and the flowers fall, because the breath^(r) of the Lord blows^(s) on them. Surely the people are grass.

The grass withers and the flowers^(t) fall, but the word^(u) of our God endures^(v) forever.^(w)"

You who bring good news^(x) to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem,^[c](y) lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, "Here is your God!"^(z)

See, the Sovereign Lord comes^(aa) with power,^(ab) and he rules^(ac) with a mighty arm.^(ad) See, his reward^(ae) is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.

He tends his flock like a shepherd:^(af) He gathers the lambs in his arms^(ag) and carries them close to his heart;^(ah) he gently leads^(ai) those that have young.^(aj)

Who has measured the waters^(ak) in the hollow of his hand,^(al) or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?^(am) Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?^(an)

Who can fathom the Spirit^[d](ao) of the Lord , or instruct the Lord as his counselor?^(ap)

Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge,^(aq) or showed him the path of understanding?^(ar)

Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales;^(as) he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.^(at)

Lebanon^(au) is not sufficient for altar fires, nor its animals^(av) enough for burnt offerings.

Before him all the nations^(aw) are as nothing;^(ax) they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing.^(ay)

With whom, then, will you compare God?^(az) To what image^(ba) will you liken him?

As for an idol,^(bb) a metalworker casts it, and a goldsmith^(bc) overlays it with gold^(bd) and fashions silver chains for it.

A person too poor to present such an offering selects wood^(be) that will not rot; they look for a skilled worker to set up an idol^(bf) that will not topple.^(bg)

Do you not know? Have you not heard?^(bh) Has it not been told^(bi) you from the beginning?^(bj) Have you not understood^(bk) since the earth was founded?^(bl)

He sits enthroned^(bm) above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers.^(bn) He stretches out the heavens^(bo) like a canopy,^(bp) and spreads them out like a tent^(bq) to live in.^(br)

He brings princes^(bs) to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.^(bt)

No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root^(bu) in the ground, than he blows^(bv) on them and they wither,^(bw) and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.^(bx)

"To whom will you compare me?^(by) Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One.^(bz)

Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:^(ca) Who created^(cb) all these? He who brings out the starry host^(cc) one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength,^(cd) not one of them is missing.^(ce)

Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, "My way is hidden from the Lord ; my cause is disregarded by my God"?^(cf)

Do you not know? Have you not heard?^(cg) The Lord is the everlasting^(ch) God, the Creator^(ci) of the ends of the earth.^(cj) He will not grow tired or weary,^(ck) and his understanding no one can fathom.^(cl)

He gives strength^(cm) to the weary^(cn) and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men^(co) stumble and fall;^(cp)

but those who hope^(cq) in the Lord will renew their strength.^(cr) They will soar on wings like eagles;^(cs) they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.^(ct)