The book of Isaiah has a curious interest with the city of Babylon. It's curious because, during the lifetime of Isaiah, Babylon is not a world power. Isaiah prophesied in the late eighth century B.C. (The exact length of his prophetic ministry isn't known, but may have been ca. 740-700 B.C.) Assyria is the dominant world power of his day. Babylon isn't a world power until the late seventh century to mid to late sixth century B.C. (ca. 626-539 B.C.) It is Assyria, not Babylon, that is the dominant world power of Isaiah's day. But in many places in the book, there is just as much if not more of an interest in Babylon than in Assyria.

Chapters 36-39 in Isaiah appear to form a unit within the book, although the topics are seemingly unrelated at first. (We see much of the same material in II Kings 18-20.) In chapters 36 and 37, we have the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem. In chapter 38 there is the story of the sickness and recovery of King Hezekiah. In chapter 39 a visit is recorded by emissaries of Merodach-baladan of Babylon to King Hezekiah.

The sickness of Hezekiah in chapter 38 and the meeting with the representatives of Merodach-baladan in chapter 39 take place roughly about the same time. However, these events in chapters 38 and 39 take place probably at least a year, and likely several years, before the siege of Jerusalem by the Assyrian army recorded in chapters 36 and 37. In Hebrew literature, the material wasn't always arranged chronologically, as we are likely to do today. In fact, when they were not dealing with a book that was an historical survey, Hebrew literature was usually not arranged in chronological order. The Hebrews typically used other methods to arrange their literature, such as the use of key words or key phrases or similarity in content. Most of the writings of the Old Testament prophets aren't arranged in chronological order. Of the major prophets, the one that comes closest is perhaps Ezekiel. Yet the latest date in the book of Ezekiel is in chapter 29, in a book that contains 48 chapters.

In the late eighth century B.C. (ca. 721-702 B.C.), Merodach-baladan claimed the throne of Babylon. Although he attempted to gain independence from Assyria, his efforts were only temporarily successful. He remained for a time as the local ruler of Babylon under Assyrian domination. While ruling over Babylon, he sent friendly representatives with gifts to King Hezekiah of Judah. The official reason for the visit was that he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick but had recovered. But some suggest that the real reason for this meeting may have been to attempt to encourage an alliance against Assyria.

In chapter 39, Hezekiah, in a prideful moment, shows the representatives of Merodach-baladan all of his wealth and possessions:

The prophet Isaiah then declares that all of these treasures will one day be taken away by Babylon, although the implication is that this will not be done any time soon, but in a more distant time period.

Remember that the dominant world power at this time is not Babylon, but Assyria. However, Babylon may be trying to make an alliance with Judah against Assyria, just as the northern kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Aram (or Syria) had likely attempted previously. Babylon at this time is a relatively weak player on the world stage. Assyria has already destroyed Aram (Syria), with its capital of Damascus. It has already destroyed Israel, with its capital of Samaria. It will soon be breathing down the neck of Judah. Yet Isaiah says that Babylon will be the one that will carry away all of Judah's treasures. Not only that, but it won't happen right away. It will be sometime in the future...and not in the immediate future. It will be in the time of his descendants.

The chronology of this general time period is uncertain, but here is one reading of events: In chapter 38, God extends Hezekiah's life by 15 years (Isaiah 38:5). Merodach-baladan hears about Hezekiah's recovery and sends representatives to him (Isaiah 39:1). At this point, Isaiah prophesies that Babylon will take away the treasures of Judah, not in Hezekiah's day, but in the days of his descendants (Isaiah 39:5-7). Hezekiah's son, Manasseh, will begin to reign when he is only twelve years old (II Kings 21:1; II Chronicles 33:1). Since God extended Hezekiah's life by fifteen years, and since Manasseh began to reign when he was twelve years old, one possible reading is that Manasseh had not even been born, and that Hezekiah had no children at all when the prophecy to Hezekiah about the conquest by Babylon was made. Now, it could be that when Manasseh began to reign that he was a co-regent with his father. Or it may have been that he wasn't Hezekiah's first-born son. But the simplest reading would be that, when this prophecy was spoken, Hezekiah had no sons and wouldn't have any for another two or three years.

If Hezekiah was childless when Isaiah prophesied about the coming menace of Babylon, this is another indication that the prophecy refers to some point in the more distant and not immediate future. That's important to remember, because, even though Babylon occasionally makes some rumblings of discontent and rebellion, they are still under the domination of Assyria and will continue to be so for almost another century. Hezekiah is relieved to hear this prophecy, because it indicates that he will have peace during his time. His descendants won't, but that can is being kicked down the road for a period of time.

Chapters 36-39 in Isaiah seem to be grouped together because they center around Hezekiah, and also because they stress the concepts of pride, humility, and where we need to place our trust. Hezekiah and the city of Jerusalem survived the Assyrian army because Hezekiah humbled himself and trusted in God. Hezekiah's life was extended by fifteen years in chapter 38 because he humbled himself and trusted in God. Yet, in chapter 39 we see Hezekiah's pride regarding his wealth and possessions. The irony is that Hezekiah will only continue to have his wealth and possessions because God will save him from the Assyrian army. One of the lessons of these chapters is that we need to humble ourselves and to place our trust in God.

Assyria is a point of focus in chapters 36 and 37, but in chapter 39 the focus changes to Babylon. Babylon's part in the kingdom of Judah's story is pervasive throughout the book of Isaiah. Isaiah prophesies persistently that Babylon will play a very important role in Judah's future...not their immediate future, but their future.

Chapters 13-23 of Isaiah contain oracles against the nations. These are mostly oracles of doom. The nations include (in order) Babylon (13:1-14:23 [and again in 21:1-10]), Assyria (14:24-27), Philistia (14:28-32), Moab (ch.15-16), Syria and Israel (ch.17), Ethiopia (ch. 18), Egypt (ch. 19-20), Edom (21:11-12), Arabia (21:13-17), Judah (ch.22), and Tyre (ch.23).

Processional Way Scenes

[Pergamon Museum in Berlin] (Credit: Avishai Teicher; BY-SA 4.0 Creative Commons License) [Istanbul Archaeological Museum] (Credit: Spiderone; Public Domain) [Istanbul Archaeological Museum] (Credit: Gryffindor; BY-SA 4.0 Creative Commons License)

[Pergamon Museum in Berlin] (Credit: Avishai Teicher; BY-SA 4.0 Creative Commons License)

Ishtar Gate

Babylon began to take people from Judah captive in 605 B.C. There were three major stages of Babylonian Captivity:

Both Isaiah and Jeremiah speak of the coming destruction of Babylon, but Isaiah particularly speaks of its destruction being permanent. (Jeremiah's language might imply this, but doesn't state it as definitely as Isaiah.) Isaiah says,

Babylon was conquered by the Persians under Cyrus the Great in 539 B.C. It remained under Persian control until the time of Alexander the Great in the late fourth century B.C. Alexander actually died of a fever (after heavy drinking) in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon in 323 B.C.

Ruins of Babylon

(Credit: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division; Public Domain)	(Public Domain)
Ruins of the Ishtar Gate (Credit: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division; Public Domain)	North Palace of Nebuchadnezzar (Credit: Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin; BY-SA 4.0 Creative Commons License) U.S. Marines at the reconstructed ruins of Babylon, 2003 (Credit: Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin; Public Domain)