The Meaning of Isaiah 39:2 Explained

Isaiah 39:2

KJV: And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed them the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.

YLT: And Hezekiah rejoiceth over them, and sheweth them the house of his spices, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the good ointment, and all the house of his vessels, and all that hath been found in his treasures; there hath not been a thing in his house, and in all his dominion, that Hezekiah hath not shewed them.

Darby: And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed them the house of his precious things, the silver and the gold, and the spices and the fine oil, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found amongst his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah did not shew them.

ASV: And Hezekiah was glad of them, and showed them the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious oil, and all the house of his armor, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah showed them not.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Hezekiah  was glad  of them, and shewed  them the house  of his precious things,  the silver,  and the gold,  and the spices,  and the precious  ointment,  and all the house  of his armour,  and all that was found  in his treasures:  there was nothing  in his house,  nor in all his dominion,  that Hezekiah  shewed  them not. 

What does Isaiah 39:2 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Hezekiah received Merodach-baladan warmly since he had expressed sympathy toward him and because the Babylonians shared Judah"s antagonism toward Assyria. But showing the Babylonians all of his wealth and military resources went beyond what Hezekiah needed to do for such a friendly visitor. The Lord Jesus" responses to the flattery of Nicodemus ( John 3) and the rich young ruler ( Mark 10) provide examples of how Hezekiah should have responded. Hezekiah"s response expressed a desire to share these resources with an ally who might help Judah oppose Assyria. Thus Hezekiah"s act demonstrated trust in Babylon and reliance on her for safety.
"Here was a ready-made opportunity for Hezekiah to glorify God before the pagan Babylonians, to tell of his greatness and of his grace. Instead, he succumbed to the temptation to glorify himself and to prove to the Chaldeans that he was a worthy partner for any sort of coalition they might have in mind. There is no indication that they were interested in such an alliance, however. Much more likely they simply wished to encourage someone whom they viewed as a petty kinglet without making any commitment on their part." [1]
This visit constituted a divine test of Hezekiah"s heart. 2 Chronicles 32:31 reads, "And even in the matter of the envoys of the rulers of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that had happened in the land [2], God left him alone only to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart."

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 39

1  Merodach-baladan, sending to visit Hezekiah, has notice of his treasures
3  Isaiah, understanding thereof, foretells the Babylonian captivity

What do the individual words in Isaiah 39:2 mean?

And was pleased with them Hezekiah and showed them - the house of his treasures the silver and gold the spices and ointment precious and all his armory and that was found among his treasures Nothing there was nothing that not Did show them Hezekiah in his house or in all his dominion
וַיִּשְׂמַ֣ח עֲלֵיהֶם֮ חִזְקִיָּהוּ֒ וַיַּרְאֵ֣ם אֶת־ בֵּ֣ית [נכתה] (נְכֹת֡וֹ) הַכֶּסֶף֩ וְאֶת־ הַזָּהָ֨ב הַבְּשָׂמִ֜ים וְאֵ֣ת ׀ הַשֶּׁ֣מֶן הַטּ֗וֹב וְאֵת֙ כָּל־ כֵּלָ֔יו וְאֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִמְצָ֖א בְּאֹֽצְרֹתָ֑יו לֹֽא־ הָיָ֣ה דָבָ֗ר אֲ֠שֶׁר לֹֽא־ הֶרְאָ֧ם חִזְקִיָּ֛הוּ בְּבֵית֖וֹ וּבְכָל־ מֶמְשַׁלְתּֽוֹ

וַיִּשְׂמַ֣ח  And  was  pleased 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׂמַח  
Sense: to rejoice, be glad.
עֲלֵיהֶם֮  with  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
חִזְקִיָּהוּ֒  Hezekiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חִזְקִיָּה 
Sense: 2th king of Judah, son of Ahaz and Abijah; a good king in that he served Jehovah and did away with idolatrous practices.
וַיַּרְאֵ֣ם  and  showed  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
בֵּ֣ית  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
(נְכֹת֡וֹ)  his  treasures 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: נְכֹת  
Sense: treasure.
הַכֶּסֶף֩  the  silver 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֶּסֶף  
Sense: silver, money.
הַזָּהָ֨ב  gold 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָהָב  
Sense: gold.
הַבְּשָׂמִ֜ים  the  spices 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: בֹּשֶׂם  
Sense: spice, balsam, balsam tree, perfume.
הַשֶּׁ֣מֶן  ointment 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁמֶן  
Sense: fat, oil.
הַטּ֗וֹב  precious 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
כֵּלָ֔יו  his  armory 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: כְּלִי  
Sense: article, vessel, implement, utensil.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
נִמְצָ֖א  was  found 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
בְּאֹֽצְרֹתָ֑יו  among  his  treasures 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹוצָר  
Sense: treasure, storehouse.
לֹֽא־  Nothing 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הָיָ֣ה  there  was 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
דָבָ֗ר  nothing 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
אֲ֠שֶׁר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
הֶרְאָ֧ם  Did  show  them 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
חִזְקִיָּ֛הוּ  Hezekiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חִזְקִיָּה 
Sense: 2th king of Judah, son of Ahaz and Abijah; a good king in that he served Jehovah and did away with idolatrous practices.
בְּבֵית֖וֹ  in  his  house 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
וּבְכָל־  or  in  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
מֶמְשַׁלְתּֽוֹ  his  dominion 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מִמְשָׁל  
Sense: dominion, ruler.