Isaiah 39:1

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

Soon 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. 2Hezekiah was delighted with 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. 3Then 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.”

Isaiah 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 20:12Soon 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.
• 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.
• Isaiah 23:13Look at the land of Babylonia— the people of that land are gone! The Assyrians have handed Babylon over to the wild animals of the desert. They have built siege ramps against its walls, torn down its palaces, and turned it to a heap of rubble.
• 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,
• 2 Chronicles 32:23From then on King Hezekiah became highly respected among all the surrounding nations, and many gifts for the Lord arrived at Jerusalem, with valuable presents for King Hezekiah, too.

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

• Ambassadors
• Isaiah
• Letters
• Merodach-Baladan
• Temptation

In the dictionaries

• Babylon
• Hezekiah
• Babylon, Babylonia, Babylonian
• Merodach-Baladan
• Baladan
• Berodachbaladan
• Merodachbaladan
• Babylonia
• Chronicles, Books of
• Epistle

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