2 Kings 20:12

An embassy to Hezekiah from the king of Babylon. Isaiah's message to Hezekiah. Death of Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 32:25-33; Isaiah 39:1-8)

12. Berodach-baladan The first part of the name is given as Merodach in Isaiah. This is the more correct form, but the interchange of the two labials is very easily made.

This king of Babylon is mentioned in the Assyrian inscriptions, as overthrown by Sargon the father of Sennacherib. He is said in the canon to have reigned 12 years, while Polyhistor gives him a brief reign of six months. It seems probable that both are correct. After the defeat by Sargon, at which time he had been king 12 years, he was for some years an exile, but afterwards finding means to recover his kingdom, he kept the power for a very brief space. Whether his embassy to Hezekiah is to be assigned to the longer or the shorter time of his kingship depends upon the date in Hezekiah's life at which his sickness occurred. If, as some have conjectured, that event was before Sennacherib's invasion the embassy must have been before Merodach's expulsion: if Hezekiah's disease followed after Sennacherib's invasion, then the Babylonian embassy must be placed in the brief six months" rule which Merodach had after his return. The date of Merodach's expulsion is placed b.c. 709, his return to the throne b.c. 702.

and a present This is in the original, minchah, a present intended to procure alliance and aid.

for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick And probably had heard also of the wondrous sign which attended on his recovery. Whether the announcement of such a marvel would create special interest in Babylon the land of star-worship and star-study we can only conjecture. No doubt the congratulation on Hezekiah's recovery was only used as a pretext for an embassy which should gain over Judah, if possible, to the side of Babylon.