Isaiah 39 - Introduction

The Embassy of Merodach-Baladan

Merodach-Baladan (in Babylonian Marduk-habal-iddina) was king of Babylon for twelve years (721 709) in the reign of Sargon, and again for six months (circa704) in the reign of Sennacherib. He was originally the Chaldæan ruler of Bit-Yakin, a small state in southern Babylonia; and his long and finally unsuccessful struggle for the throne of Babylon is interesting as foreshadowing the future ascendancy of the Chaldæans in the dynasty of Nabopolassar and Nebuchadnezzar. That he was able so long to hold his own against a powerful monarch like Sargon was largely due to his practice of forming alliances with the enemies or disaffected subjects of the Assyrian Empire, a policy of which this chapter furnishes an illustration. Since his final overthrow by Sennacherib took place before the latter's invasion of Palestine, it is quite certain that ch. 39 (and consequently 38) is to be dated before ch. 36 f. There is, however, a difference of opinion as to whether this embassy belongs to the earlier and longer period of his reign or to the brief interval of power at the beginning of Sennacherib's reign. The vague date "in those days" at the beginning of ch. 38 seems of course to favour the latter view. On the other hand it might be urged that six months was barely long enough for the tidings of Hezekiah's recovery to reach Babylon and for the messengers to reach Palestine. But the question is really not to be settled from internal evidence; and the chief reason for deciding for the earlier period is that it appears to afford the best solution possible of the chronological difficulties connected with the reign of Hezekiah. We shall assume therefore that this incident actually occurred in or soon after the fourteenth year of Hezekiah (i.e. about 714). This was the period preceding Sargon's chastisement of Philistia (see on ch. 20), when, as he himself informs us, Judah along with the neighbouring states, while "bringing presents to Asshur my lord" was "speaking treason." That Judah was spared on this occasion must have been due to a timely submission on the part of Hezekiah. And indeed the narrative before us produces the impression that while the king was greatly flattered by the attention shewn to him, he yet did not commit himself to a formal treaty, but left himself free to be guided by the development of events. It follows of course from this view that the events of ch. 38 f. have no connexion with those of ch. 36 f. and that the date of ch. 36 is wrongly placed.