2 Kings 20:12

12 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.

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.)

2 Kings 20:12 In-Context

10 “The shadow always moves forward,” Hezekiah replied, “so that would be easy. Make it go ten steps backward instead.”

11 So Isaiah the prophet asked the LORD to do this, and he caused the shadow to move ten steps backward on the sundial of Ahaz!

12 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.

13 Hezekiah 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.

14 Then 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.”

Footnotes

• [a]. As in some Hebrew manuscripts and Greek and Syriac versions (see also Isa 39:1 ); Masoretic Text reads Berodach-baladan.