Bible Dictionaries
Merodach-Baladan

Holman Bible Dictionary

(mih roh' dak-bal' uh dan) Personal name meaning, “god Marduk gave an heir.” A ruler of the Bit-Yakin tribe in southern Babylonia and king of Babylon 721-711 B.C. and for a short time in 704 B.C. He was little more than a puppet of Assyria, answering to Sargon. Merodach-baladan sent envoys to King Hezekiah of Judah (Isaiah 39:1; 2 Kings 20:12-13 ), who inventoried the palace treasures. Two years later Sennacherib laid his ill-fated siege to the Holy City. Merodach-baladan continued to rebel against the Assyrians, coming out of exile more than once to oppose the kings of Nineveh. He eventually was beaten back to his seashore tribal lands. See Babylon; Hezekiah; Sargon; Sennacherib .