Isaiah on Tuesday - Excuse Me?

Sometimes I'll read a passage and not understand what it's getting at, but in Isaiah 39 I don't understand Hezekiah's response to a seemingly dire prophecy.

It's a very short chapter. The summary is this: A group from Babylon shows up at Hezekiah's doorstep with letters and a gift due to Hezekiah's recovery from his illness. The king shows the emissaries all the treasures - everything in the royal palace. Isaiah says:

"Hear the word of the LORD Almighty: 6 The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your fathers have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD. 7 And 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."

8 "The word of the LORD you have spoken is good," Hezekiah replied. For he thought, "There will be peace and security in my lifetime."

What?!? The word of the LORD you have spoken is good? It seems like there are only a few interpretations:

Hezekiah's has a material perspective
Intending to impress the emissaries from Babylon, Hezekiah shows them his great wealth and hides nothing. His self-worth, his glory is in what he owns and he wants everyone to think highly of him. Isaiah's prophecy is good because he understands the error of his ways and peace is more valuable than gold. I don't really think this interpretation follows, but there is a case to be made for it.

Hezekiah has a short term perspective
Knowing that he will be dead in fifteen years, Hezekiah is pleased to hear that whatever tragedy may befall Israel, it will occur after his death. I think this interpretation is plausible, although it does make the king sound like an uncaring short-timer.

Hezekiah has a political perspective
While the palace may be looted, an alliance will be formed between Israel and Babylon - or Israel will be incorporated in Babylon. I don't see how Hezekiah could see this as good, but perhaps some of his descendants serving in the court of Babylon is far better than the alternative. The alliance - forced or by choice - is politically practical in Hezekiah's mind. I'm not convinced this interpretation works, but there does seem to be a political overtone in the prophecy and his response to it.

There are probably other interpretations but one interpretation I think isn't there is that Hezekiah has an eternal perspective. It seems clear that the king erred, whether because the letters sent to him contained offers of alliance, threats of destruction, simply encouraged competitive vanity or something else. Hezekiah should not have shown all the treasures of Israel to these Babylonian emissaries.

I think in some sense the treasures were a symbol of something sacred and holy, not items to be used to glorify the king. Hezekiah abused his treasures and they would be taken from him and Israel and given to a land and a people unworthy of them. The perplexing thing to me is why Hezekiah thought this was somehow good. My gut is that his short-term perspective blinded him to the eternal and he was taking the good (short-term peace) instead of the best (God's eternal will for Israel.)

I will need to ponder this more.