Isaiah 39:1-40:11

New International Version

Envoys From Babylon^(A)

39 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. ²Hezekiah 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.

³Then 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.”

⁴The 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.”

⁵Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word^(G) of the Lord Almighty: ⁶The 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. ⁷And 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)”

⁸“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 for God’s People

40 Comfort, comfort^(L) my people,
    says your God.
²Speak tenderly^(M) to Jerusalem,
    and proclaim to her
that her hard service^(N) has been completed,^(O)
    that her sin has been paid for,^(P)
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
    double^(Q) for all her sins.

³A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
    the way^(R) for the Lord^[a];
make straight^(S) in the desert
    a highway for our God.^[b]^(T)
⁴Every valley shall be raised up,^(U)
    every mountain and hill^(V) made low;
the rough ground shall become level,^(W)
    the rugged places a plain.
⁵And the glory^(X) of the Lord will be revealed,
    and all people will see it together.^(Y)
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”^(Z)

⁶A voice says, “Cry out.”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”

“All people are like grass,^(AA)
    and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
⁷The grass withers^(AB) and the flowers fall,
    because the breath^(AC) of the Lord blows^(AD) on them.
    Surely the people are grass.
⁸The grass withers and the flowers^(AE) fall,
    but the word^(AF) of our God endures^(AG) forever.^(AH)”

⁹You who bring good news^(AI) to Zion,
    go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,^[c]^(AJ)
    lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
    say to the towns of Judah,
    “Here is your God!”^(AK)
¹⁰See, the Sovereign Lord comes^(AL) with power,^(AM)
    and he rules^(AN) with a mighty arm.^(AO)
See, his reward^(AP) is with him,
    and his recompense accompanies him.
¹¹He tends his flock like a shepherd:^(AQ)
    He gathers the lambs in his arms^(AR)
and carries them close to his heart;^(AS)
    he gently leads^(AT) those that have young.^(AU)

Footnotes

Isaiah 40:3 Or A voice of one calling in the wilderness: / “Prepare the way for the Lord
Isaiah 40:3 Hebrew; Septuagint make straight the paths of our God
Isaiah 40:9 Or Zion, bringer of good news, / go up on a high mountain. / Jerusalem, bringer of good news