God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 39:1
1At that time Baladan’s son, King Merodach Baladan of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah. He had heard that Hezekiah had been sick and had recovered.
Isaiah 39:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)At that time Merodach–baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah: for he had heard that he had been sick, and was recovered.
- New International Version (NIV)At that time Marduk-Baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent Hezekiah letters and a gift, because he had heard of his illness and recovery.
- English Standard Version (ESV)At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered.
- New King James Version (NKJV)At that time Merodach-Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered.
Context of Isaiah 39:1
At that time Baladan’s son, King Merodach Baladan of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah. He had heard that Hezekiah had been sick and had recovered. 2Hezekiah was so happy with them that he showed the messengers his warehouse: the silver, gold, balsam, fine olive oil, his entire armory, and everything in his treasury. Hezekiah showed them everything in his palace and every corner of his kingdom. 3Then the prophet Isaiah came to King Hezekiah and asked, “What did these men say? And where did they come from?” Hezekiah answered, “They came to me from the distant country of Babylon.”
Read all of Isaiah 39Isaiah 39:1 word by word
בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֡וא שָׁלַ֡ח מְרֹדַ֣ךְ בַּ֠לְאֲדָן בֶּֽן־בַּלְאֲדָ֧ן מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֛ל סְפָרִ֥ים וּמִנְחָ֖ה אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ וַיִּשְׁמַ֕ע כִּ֥י חָלָ֖ה וַֽיֶּחֱזָֽק׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- At that timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
- Merodach–baladanמְרֹדַךְ בַּלְאֲדָןmer'ôdak bal'âdân · Merodach-baladanH4757
- the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Baladanבַּלְאֲדָןbal'ădân · BaladanH1081
- kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Babylonבָּבֶ֫ל, בָּבֶלbâbel · BabylonH894
- sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- lettersסֵ֫פֶרsêpher siphrâh · scroll: documentH5612
- and a presentמִנְחָהminchâh · offering: giftH4503
- to Hezekiahחִזְקִיָּהוּchizqîyâh chizqîyâhû yechizqîyâh yechizqîyâhû · HezekiahH2396
- for he had heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- that he had been sickחָלָהchâlâh · be weak: illH2470
- and was recoveredחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: strengthenH2388
Cross-references for Isaiah 39:1
- 2 Kings 20:12At that time Baladan’s son, King Merodach Baladan of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah because he heard that Hezekiah had been sick.
- Isaiah 13:1This is the divine revelation which Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw about Babylon.
- Isaiah 14:4Then you will mock the king of Babylon with this saying, “How the tyrant has come to an end! How his attacks have come to an end!”
- Isaiah 23:13Look at the land of the Babylonians. These people will be gone. Assyria gave this land to the desert animals. Assyria set up battle towers, stripped palaces bare, and turned these places into ruins.
- 2 Samuel 8:10he sent his son Joram to greet King David and congratulate him for fighting and defeating Hadadezer. (There had often been war between Hadadezer and Toi.) Joram brought articles of gold, silver, and bronze with him.
- 2 Samuel 10:2David thought, “I will show kindness to Hanun as his father Nahash showed me kindness.” So David sent his servants to comfort Hanun after his father’s ⌞death⌟. But when David’s servants entered Ammonite territory,
- 2 Chronicles 32:23Many people still went to Jerusalem to bring gifts to the Lord and expensive presents to King Hezekiah of Judah. From then on, he was considered important by all the nations.
Commentaries on Isaiah 39:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1At that time Merodach-baladan - This name is variously written in the MSS. Berodach, Medorach, Medarech, and Medurach. "And ambassadors" - The Septuagint add here ; that is, ומלאכים umalachim . and ambassadors; which word seems to be necessary to the sense, though omitted in the Hebrew text both here and in the other copy, 2 Kings 20:12. For the subsequent narration refers to them all along, "these men, whence came they?" etc.; plainly supposing them to…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1At that time - That is, soon after his recovery; or after he had amassed great wealth, and was surrounded with the evidences of prosperity 2 Chronicles 32:27-31. Merodach-baladan, the son of Balddan, king of Babylon - In the parallel place in 2 Kings 20:12, this name is written Berodach-baladan, by a change of a single letter. Probably the name was written and pronounced both ways. Merodach was an idol of the Babylonians Jeremiah 50:2: Babylon is taken…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1This chapter is the same as II Kin. 20:12-19.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Merodach-baladan, the king of Babylon from 722 to 710 and 704 to 703 BC, planned to rebel against Assyria. He sought help from Hezekiah. His envoys visited after Hezekiah recovered from a serious illness but before Sennacherib's final attack in 701 BC.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-81. Merodach-baladan--For a hundred fifty years before the overthrow of Nineveh by Cyaxares the Mede, a succession of rulers, mostly viceroys of Assyria, ruled Babylon, from the time of Nabonassar, 747 B.C. That date is called "the Era of Nabonassar." Pul or Phallukha was then expelled, and a new dynasty set up at Nineveh, under Tiglath-pileser. Semiramis, Pul's wife, then retired to Babylon, with Nabonassar, her son, whose advent to the throne of Babylon…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 39:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 39
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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