English · KJV
H4757

מְרֹאדַךְ בַּלְאָדָן

Mᵉrôʼdak Balʼâdân /mer-o-dak' bal-awdawn'/ Ask about this word
Rootof foreign derivation
MeaningMerodak-Baladan, a Babylonian king
KJV usageMerodach-baladan. Compare מְרֹדָךְ.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of Mᵉrôʼdak Balʼâdân — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The name Mᵉrôʼdak Balʼâdân, represented by H4757, is a proper name of foreign derivation identifying a specific Babylonian king. This name appears only 1 time in 1 verse of the Bible. Its sole occurrence marks a notable diplomatic interaction between the kingdoms of Babylon and Judah during the reign of King Hezekiah.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The biblical narrative presents Merodach-baladan, the son of Baladan, as the king H4428 of Babylon H894 who initiated contact with King Hezekiah H2396. At a specific time H6256, he sent H7971 letters H5612 and a present H4503 to Hezekiah. The reason for this outreach was that he had heard H8085 about Hezekiah's illness and subsequent recovery Isaiah 39:1.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide context for the identity and actions of Merodach-baladan:

  • H1081 Balʼădân (Bel (is his) lord): The name of Merodach-baladan's father, establishing his lineage Isaiah 39:1.
  • H894 Bâbel (confusion; Babel (i.e. Babylon)): The kingdom over which Merodach-baladan reigned, identifying him as a significant political leader Isaiah 39:1.
  • H2396 Chizqîyâh (strengthened of Jah; Hezekiah): The king of Judah to whom the diplomatic mission was sent, highlighting the interaction between the two nations Isaiah 39:1.
  • H4503 minchâh (a donation; euphemistically, tribute; specifically a sacrificial offering): This term describes the "present" sent to Hezekiah, signifying a formal and valuable gift Isaiah 39:1.

Theological Significance

The narrative significance of H4757 is established through its context:

  • Royal Diplomacy: The name identifies a specific Babylonian king H4428 who initiated formal contact with the king of Judah, marking an important moment in international relations Isaiah 39:1.
  • A Timely Overture: The mission from Merodach-baladan was strategically timed, occurring after he heard H8085 that King Hezekiah had been sick H2470 and then recovered H2388 Isaiah 39:1.
  • Tangible Goodwill: The interaction was not merely an inquiry but included the sending of letters H5612 and a present H4503, demonstrating a deliberate gesture of recognition from Babylon Isaiah 39:1.

Summary

In summary, H4757 is the proper name of a historical figure, Merodach-baladan, a king H4428 of Babylon H894. His single appearance in scripture is noteworthy, documenting a specific diplomatic mission to King Hezekiah of Judah. This event, prompted by news of Hezekiah's recovery, marks a key point of contact between these two ancient powers as recorded in the biblical text.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 2 occurrences, inflected in 1 grammatical form — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • מְרֹדַךְ

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H4428 מֶלֶךְ from מָלַךְ; a king; king, royal. H894 בָּבֶל from בָּלַל; confusion; Babel (i.e. Babylon), including Babylonia and the Babylonian empire; Babel, Babylon. H2396 חִזְקִיָּה or חִזְקִיָּהוּ; also יְחִזְקִיָּה; or יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ; from חָזַק and יָהּ; strengthened of Jah; Chizkijah, a king of Ju H6256 עֵת from עַד; time, especially (adverb with preposition) now, when, etc.; [phrase] after, (al-) ways, [idiom] certain, [phra H7971 שָׁלַח a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications); [idiom] any wise, appoint, bring (on t H5612 סֵפֶר or (feminine) סִפְרָה; (Psalm 56:8 (אֲבֵדָה)), from סָפַר; properly, writing (the art or a document); by implication, a

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

1 verse, all in Isaiah — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.