2 Kings 20:12 BSB — MannaFest

2 Kings 20:12

At that time Merodach-baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, for he had heard about Hezekiah’s illness.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

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

KJV

At that time Berodach–baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.

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Commentary

4 voices

John Gill

1697–1771

Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763)

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 2Ki 20:12 the same account is given in the same words as in Isa 39:1 throughout, except in 2Ki 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.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

It is good having those our friends whom we perceive to be the favourites of heaven. Upon the account of civil interest. If the king of Babylon was now mediating a revolt from the king of Assyria, it was policy to get Hezekiah into his interest, in answer to whose prayers, and for whose protection, heaven had given that fatal blow to the king of Assyria.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

At that time Berodach-baladan - He is called Merodach-Baladan, Isa 39:1, and by the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, and by several of Kennicott’s and De Rossi’s MSS.; and also by the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmuds. The true reading seems to be Merodach; the מ mem and ב beth might be easily interchanged, and so produce the mistake. Sent letters and a present - It appears that there was friendship between the king of Babylon and Hezekiah, when the latter and the Assyrians were engaged in a destructive war.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

18 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
בָּעֵ֣ת	ba.'Et	at the time	H6256 →
הַהִ֡יא	ha.Hi'	<the> that	H1931 →
שָׁלַ֡ח	sha.Lach	he sent	H7971 →
בְּרֹאדַ֣ךְ	be.ro.Dakh	Merodach-	H1255 →
בַּ֠לְאֲדָן	Bal.'a.don	Baladan	H1255 →
בֶּֽן־	ben-	[the] son of	H1121 →
בַּלְאֲדָ֧ן	bal.'a.Dan	Baladan	H1081 →
מֶֽלֶךְ־	Me.lekh-	[the] king of	H4428 →
בָּבֶ֛ל	ba.Vel	Babylon	H894 →
סְפָרִ֥ים	se.fa.Rim	letters	H5612 →
וּמִנְחָ֖ה	u.min.Chah	and a gift	H4503 →
אֶל־	'el-	to	H413 →
חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ	chiz.ki.Ya.hu	Hezekiah	H2396 →
כִּ֣י	ki	for	H3588 →
שָׁמַ֔ע	sha.Ma'	he had heard	H8085 →
כִּ֥י	ki	that	H3588 →
חָלָ֖ה	cha.Lah	he had been sick	H2470 →
חִזְקִיָּֽהוּ׃	chiz.ki.Ya.hu	Hezekiah	H2396 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Genesis 11:9
That is why it is called Babel, for there the LORD confused the language of the whole world, and from that place the LORD scattered them over the face of all the earth.
leads to
- Genesis 10:10
  His kingdom began in Babylon, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
- Genesis 10:5
  From these, the maritime peoples separated into their territories, according to their languages, by clans within their nations.
- Genesis 10:20
  These are the sons of Ham according to their clans, languages, lands, and nations.
- Acts 17:26
  From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.
Through
2 Chronicles 32:31
And so when ambassadors of the rulers of Babylon were sent to him to inquire about the wonder that had happened in the land, God left him alone to test him, that He might…
leads to
- Deuteronomy 8:2
  Remember that these forty years the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you in order to know what was in your…
- Proverbs 17:3
  A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.
- John 15:5
  I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.
Through
Genesis 10:10
His kingdom began in Babylon, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
leads to
- Genesis 11:9
  That is why it is called Babel, for there the LORD confused the language of the whole world, and from that place the LORD scattered them over the face of all the earth.

Featured studies on this passage

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About 2 Kings

Elijah Ascends to Heaven in a Chariot of Fire — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain

2 Kings: the study guide →Read chapter 20 →The featured study →

Continue: 2 Kings 20 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

What the record shows

05Featured studies on this passage

06About 2 Kings

The record, by era

What the record shows

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About 2 Kings