2 Kings 20:12

2 Kings 20:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• 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 Hezekiah’s illness.
• 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 Hezekiah had been sick.
• New King James Version (NKJV)At that time Berodach-Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick.

Context of 2 Kings 20:12

10“The shadow always moves forward,” Hezekiah replied, “so that would be easy. Make it go ten steps backward instead.” 11So Isaiah the prophet asked the Lord to do this, and he caused the shadow to move ten steps backward on the sundial of Ahaz! Soon after this, Merodach-baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent Hezekiah his best wishes and a gift, for he had heard that Hezekiah had been very sick. 13Hezekiah received the Babylonian envoys and showed them everything in his treasure-houses—the silver, the gold, the spices, and the aromatic oils. He also took them to see his armory and showed them everything in his royal treasuries! There was nothing in his palace or kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them. 14Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked him, “What did those men want? Where were they from?” Hezekiah replied, “They came from the distant land of Babylon.”

2 Kings 20:12 word by word

בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֡יא שָׁלַ֡ח בְּרֹאדַ֣ךְ בַּ֠לְאֲדָן בֶּֽן־בַּלְאֲדָ֧ן מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֛ל סְפָרִ֥ים וּמִנְחָ֖ה אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ כִּ֣י שָׁמַ֔ע כִּ֥י חָלָ֖ה חִזְקִיָּֽהוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• At that timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• Berodach–baladanבְּרֹאדַךְ בַּלְאֲדָןberô'dak bal'ădân · Merodach-baladanH1255
• 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
• unto Hezekiahחִזְקִיָּהוּchizqîyâh chizqîyâhû yechizqîyâh yechizqîyâhû · HezekiahH2396
• for he had heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• had been sickחָלָהchâlâh · be weak: illH2470

Cross-references for 2 Kings 20:12

• Isaiah 39:1Soon after this, Merodach-baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent Hezekiah his best wishes and a gift. He had heard that Hezekiah had been very sick and that he had recovered.
• 2 Chronicles 32:31However, when ambassadors arrived from Babylon to ask about the remarkable events that had taken place in the land, God withdrew from Hezekiah in order to test him and to see what was really in his heart.
• Genesis 10:10He built his kingdom in the land of Babylonia, with the cities of Babylon, Erech, Akkad, and Calneh.
• Genesis 11:9That is why the city was called Babel, because that is where the Lord confused the people with different languages. In this way he scattered them all over the world.
• Isaiah 13:1Isaiah son of Amoz received this message concerning the destruction of Babylon:
• Isaiah 14:4you will taunt the king of Babylon. You will say, “The mighty man has been destroyed. Yes, your insolence is ended.
• 2 Samuel 8:10he sent his son Joram to congratulate King David for his successful campaign. Hadadezer and Toi had been enemies and were often at war. Joram presented David with many gifts of silver, gold, and bronze.
• 2 Samuel 10:2David said, “I am going to show loyalty to Hanun just as his father, Nahash, was always loyal to me.” So David sent ambassadors to express sympathy to Hanun about his father’s death. But when David’s ambassadors arrived in the land of Ammon,

Commentaries on 2 Kings 20:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12At that time Berodach-baladan - He is called Merodach-Baladan, Isaiah 39:1, and by the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, and by several of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS.; and also by the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmuds. The true reading seems to be Merodach; the מ mem and ב beth might be easily interchanged, and so produce the mistake. Sent letters and a present - It appears that there was friendship between the king of Babylon and Hezekiah, when…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Berodach-baladan - The correct form of this name, Merodach-baladan, is given in Isaiah Isaiah 39:1. It is a name composed of three elements, Merodach, the well-known Babylonian god Jeremiah 50:2, but (pal) “a son;” and iddin, or iddina, “has given;” or Baladan may be a form of Beliddin. This king of Babylon is mentioned frequently in the Assyrian inscriptions, and he was not unknown to the Greeks. He had two reigns in Babylon. First of all, he seized the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-21Verses 12-21 The king of Babylon was at this time independent of the king of Assyria, though shortly after subdued by him. Hezekiah showed his treasures and armour, and other proofs of his wealth and power. This was the effect of pride and ostentation, and departing from simple reliance on God. He also seems to have missed the opportunity of speaking to the Chaldeans, about Him who had wrought the miracles which excited their attention, and of pointing…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-13Merodach-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…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 12-1912-19. Berodach-baladan--(Is 39:1), the first king of Babylon mentioned in sacred history; formerly its rulers were viceroys of the Assyrian monarchs. This individual threw off the yoke, and asserting his independence, made with varying success, a long and obstinate resistance [Rawlinson, Outlines]. The message of congratulation to Hezekiah, was, in all likelihood, accompanied with proposals for a defensive alliance against their common Assyrian enemy…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 20:12

• Ambassadors
• Condolence
• Hezekiah
• Isaiah
• Merodach-Baladan
• Rich, the
• Temptation

In the dictionaries

• Babylon
• Hezekiah
• Berodach-Baladan
• Assyria
• Babylon, kingdom of
• Baladan
• Berodachbaladan
• Issue
• Lump
• Merodachbaladan

Commentaries on 2 Kings 20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings