Isaiah 39:2

Hezekiah tried to impress the *Babylonian visitors with his wealth.

• But probably there was also a political reason. He wanted to show that he was well able to help in any war against the *Assyrian *empire.

• The *Assyrians were the international power at this time. But the countries that they had *seized were always looking for an opportunity to escape from the *Assyrians’ cruel rule.