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2 Kings 20

2 Kings 20:12

Hezekiah Shows His Treasures · 2 Kings 20:12–19
Read 2 Kings 20

Translations

Modern
At that time Merodach-baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, for he had heard about Hezekiah’s illness.
Traditional
At that time Berodach–baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.
Literal
At that time Merodach-baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick.
Latin
In tempore illo misit Berodach Baladan, filius Baladan, rex Babyloniorum, litteras et munera ad Ezechiam: audierat enim quod ægrotasset Ezechias.

Original

Hebrew
English
At that time Merodach-baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, for he had heard about Hezekiah’s illness.

Notes

2 Kings 20:12–13

  • Merodach-baladan ruled Babylon from 721 to 710 BC until Sargon of Assyria forced him to flee. He briefly ruled again in 703 BC. This visit likely happened during his exile; he probably sent envoys with good wishes and a gift because he needed an ally against Assyria.

  • There was nothing … Hezekiah did not show them: Hezekiah showed the Babylonian envoys his vast treasuries, which had not yet been sent to Sennacherib (2 Kings 18:13–16). However, his attempt to impress them was unwise (2 Kings 20:16–18).

2 Kings 20:1–19

In those days: This phrase gives a general time reference. It shows that the events are grouped by theme, not by strict order of time. The story about Merodach-baladan (2 Kings 20:12–19), who Sennacherib had expelled from Babylon before 701 BC, occurred before the events in chapters 18–19 but after Hezekiah's illness (2 Kings 20:12).

Theme notes and profiles

Babylon Hezekiah Isaiah

Events

Parallels

Isaiah 39:1–8

People

Baladan: Father of Babylonian king Merodach-baladan (or 'Berodach-baladan') Hezekiah: A righteous king of Judah Merodach-baladan: King of Babylon who sent envoys to Hezekiah

Places

Babylon: Ancient Mesopotamian city, capital of Babylonian Empire, site of the Tower of Babel

Glossary

Assyria, Assyrians Babylon, Babylonia Baladan Berodach-Baladan Chaldea, Chaldeans Hezekiah Kings, Books of First and Second Merodach-Baladan

Topics

Ambassadors: Berodach to Hezekiah Babylon: Ambassadors of, Sent to Hezekiah Babylon: Governed by Kings Condolence: King of Babylon, to Hezekiah Hezekiah: King of Judah: His Lack of Wisdom in Showing his Resources to Commissioners of Babylon Isaiah: Reproves Hezekiah's Folly in Exhibiting his Resources to the Commissioners from Babylon Merodach-Baladan: Sends Congratulatory Letters and a Present to Hezekiah Presents were Given: On Recovering from Sickness Temptation: Yielding to Hezekiah The Rich: Hezekiah