Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This isn't just a warning about future plunder; it's a stark pronouncement that everything accumulated by Hezekiah and his ancestors, all their stored-up security and pride, will be utterly stripped away. The focus on "all that is in your house" and "what your fathers stored up" highlights the vanity of earthly security when it's not rooted in God's faithfulness.
Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After Hezekiah foolishly parades his kingdom's wealth before Babylonian envoys, the prophet Isaiah pronounces a harsh judgment. He declares that the very treasures Hezekiah has displayed, along with all his family's wealth, will one day be plundered and carried off to Babylon. This prophecy marks the first specific mention of Babylon as the destination for Israel's future exile and captivity.
Hezekiah had just experienced a miraculous recovery, but instead of humility, he displayed his wealth. What happens when we let pride and worldly alliances overshadow our trust in God?
Isaiah 39 shows us a critical turning point for King Hezekiah. After his miraculous healing, he eagerly shows off all his treasures – silver, gold, spices, precious oils, armories, and everything in his dominion – to the ambassadors from Babylon. This wasn't just a friendly gesture; it was a display driven by pride and a desire for political alliance.
The riches Hezekiah proudly displayed were not destined to remain his. The prophecy of Isaiah 39 points to a future consequence that sounds impossible in the moment.
The core of this passage is Isaiah's stark prophecy: 'Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the LORD.'
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Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal, covenantal name of God in the Old Testament, revealing His self-existence and faithfulness to His people. It is the name by which He entered into covenant relationship with Israel.
Babel · Hebrew Proper Noun
A city and empire that historically functioned as the arch-enemy of God’s people in the Old Testament. Symbolically, it often represents worldly power, rebellion against God, and the place of divine judgment and captivity.
This prophecy marks the first explicit mention of Babylon as the specific location of Judah's future exile, a significant shift from earlier, more general predictions of captivity.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Invasion and Siege of Jerusalem
King Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah, devastating many cities and besieking Jerusalem. King Hezekiah pays a heavy tribute to avoid capture.
c. 701 BC
Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery
King Hezekiah becomes gravely ill and prays for healing. God miraculously heals him and grants him fifteen additional years of life.
Date Unknown (likely after 701 BC)— this verse
Babylonian Embassy to Jerusalem
Merodach-Baladan, king of Babylon, sends envoys to Hezekiah to inquire about his recovery and to forge an alliance. Hezekiah proudly displays his kingdom's wealth.
Date Unknown (after Babylonian Embassy)
Isaiah's Prophecy of Exile
Isaiah confronts Hezekiah about his display of wealth and pronounces a prophecy that all his treasures and future royal offspring will be taken captive to Babylon.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Under King Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonians begin deporting the Jewish elite, including members of the royal family like Daniel, to Babylon.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a revolt, King Nebuchadnezzar deports more Judeans and treasures from Jerusalem, including King Jehoiachin and much of the temple's wealth.
c. 586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar's forces destroy Jerusalem and the Temple, culminating the Babylonian exile and fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy of nothing being left.
This passage is a direct parallel to Isaiah 39:6, recounting the same prophecy given to King Hezekiah by Isaiah concerning the deportation of his treasures and descendants to Babylon.
Jeremiah 20:5This verse highlights the actual carrying away of treasures and people to Babylon, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy and demonstrating the long-term consequences of disobedience.
Daniel 1:1-2This passage shows the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy, describing how the Babylonians did indeed carry off treasures from Jerusalem, including members of the royal family, thus proving the prophetic word.
Micah 4:10Micah, a contemporary prophet, also foretold a time of captivity in Babylon, showing a consistent prophetic message across different voices about this specific judgment.
Deuteronomy 28:36This passage from the Law lays out the foundational curses for disobedience, including being carried away to a foreign land, which Isaiah's specific prophecy about Babylon illustrates.
barnesIsaiah 39:6: "Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD."
Behold, the days come - The captivity of the Jews in Babylon commenced about one hundred and twenty years after this prediction (compare Jeremiah 20:5 ). That all that is in thine house - That is, all the treasures that are in the treasure-house Isaiah 39:2. And that which thy fathers have laid…
clarkeIsaiah 39:6: "Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD."
To Babylon - בבלה babelah, so two MSS., (one ancient); rightly, without doubt as the other copy ( 2 Kings 20:17 ) has it. This prediction was fulfilled about one hundred and fifty years after it was spoken: see Daniel 1:2 , Daniel 1:3-7 . What a proof of Divine omniscience!
This isn't just a warning about future plunder; it's a stark pronouncement that everything accumulated by Hezekiah and his ancestors, all their stored-up security and pride, will be utterly stripped away. The focus on "all that is in your house" and "what your fathers stored up" highlights the vanity of earthly security when it's not rooted in God's faithfulness.
After Hezekiah foolishly parades his kingdom's wealth before Babylonian envoys, the prophet Isaiah pronounces a harsh judgment. He declares that the very treasures Hezekiah has displayed, along with all his family's wealth, will one day be plundered and carried off to Babylon. This prophecy marks the first specific mention of Babylon as the destination for Israel's future exile and captivity.
After Hezekiah foolishly parades his kingdom's wealth before Babylonian envoys, the prophet Isaiah pronounces a harsh judgment. He declares that the very treasures Hezekiah has displayed, along with all his family's wealth, will one day be plundered and carried off to Babylon. This prophecy marks the first specific mention of Babylon as the destination for Israel's future exile and captivity.
"Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the LORD." — This isn't just a warning about future plunder; it's a stark pronouncement that everything accumulated by Hezekiah and his ancestors, all their stored-up security and pride, will be utterly strippe…
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Last reviewed October 2026