2 Kings 20:12

Hezekiah Shows Babylon His Treasures

12 ¹At that time Berodach-baladan a son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick.

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2 Kings 20:12 Meaning and Commentary

At that time Berodachbaladan,.... He is called Merodachbaladan, Isa 39:1, so here in the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions; See Gill on "Isa 39:1"; and by Metasthenes {z} his father is called Merodach, and he Ben Merodach, who reigned twenty one years, and his father fifty two; from hence to the end of 2 Kings 20:12 the same account is given in the same words as in Isa 39:1 throughout, except in 2 Kings 20:13, where it is, "hearkened unto them," and there, "glad of them"; heard the letter the ambassadors brought with pleasure; see the notes there. See Gill on "Isa 39:1" and following.

{z} Ut supra. (De Judicio Temp. fol. 221. 2.)

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

2 Kings 20:12 In-Context

10 So Hezekiah answered, "It is easy for the shadow to decline ten steps; no, but let the shadow turn backward ten steps."

11 Isaiah the prophet cried to the LORD , and He brought the shadow on the stairway back ten steps by which it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.

12 At that time Berodach-baladan a son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick.

13 Hezekiah listened to them, and showed them all his treasure house, the silver and the gold and the spices and the precious oil and the house of his armor and all that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his house nor in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them.

14 Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah and said to him, "What did these men say, and from where have they come to you?" And Hezekiah said, "They have come from a far country, from Babylon."

Cross References 1

1. 2 Chronicles 32:31; Isaiah 39:1-8

Footnotes 1

[a]. Many mss and ancient versions read "Merodach-baladan;" cf Is 39:1