Section 8

After his recovery, envoys from Babylon, hearing of his illness and the miraculous sign, came to visit Hezekiah. In a moment of pride and poor judgment, Hezekiah showed them all the treasures of his kingdom—the silver, the gold, the spices, and the armory. This act prompted a stern rebuke from Isaiah, who prophesied that everything the envoys had seen would one day be carried off to Babylon, and some of Hezekiah's own descendants would become eunuchs in the Babylonian king's palace. This prophecy was tragically fulfilled over a century later.

Despite this error, Hezekiah's reign is remembered as a high point in the history of Judah. He restored the nation's spiritual integrity, secured its political independence from the world's greatest superpower, and invested in infrastructure that would serve his people for generations. His story is a powerful testament to the impact of a leader who places faith and trust in God above all else.

Hezekiah died after a reign of 29 years and was buried with great honor in the tombs of the kings. His son Manasseh succeeded him, but tragically, he would reverse many of his father's righteous reforms, leading Judah once again into a period of deep spiritual decline.