Commentary for II Kings 20:14

”They came from a distant land.” This is one of the three [men] whom the Holy One, Blessed Is He, tested and found them to be a pot of muddy water: [The three are,] Kayin, Chizkiyohu and Bilam. Kayin [said], “I don't know, am I my brother's keeper?”¹⁵Bereishis 4:9. He should have said, ”Master of the Universe are all hidden things not revealed to You?” as it is [stated] in [Midrash] Tanchuma. Bilam, when the Omnipresent said to him, ”Who are these men with you?”¹⁶Bamidbar 22:9. he should have said, “Adonoy God, You know!” as it is stated concerning Yechezkeil,¹⁷Yechezkeil 37:3. but he replied arrogantly, ”Balak son of Tzippor, king of Moav, sent them to me,”¹⁸Bamidbar 22:10. [i.e.,] many people seek me. Chizkiyohu should have replied to Yeshayohu, ”You are the prophet of the Omnipresent, yet you are asking me?” [Instead,] Chizkiyohu began to become haughty, and said, ”They came to me from a distant land.”¹⁹Yeshayohu 39:3. Therefore, he was punished, and also [he was punished] because he rejoiced over them,²⁰God's wrath was mainly because Chizkiyohu distracted his visitors from God's glory by seeking to impress them with his own wealth. See II Divrei Hayomim 32:25. and served them at his table.