Lexical Summary Baladan: Baladan Original Word: בַּלְאֲדָן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Baladan From Bel and 'adown (contracted); Bel (is his) lord; Baladan, the name of a Babylonian prince -- Baladan. see HEBREW Bel see HEBREW 'adown NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof foreign origin Definition "he has given a son," father of a Bab. king NASB Translation Baladan (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs בַּלְאֲדָן proper name, masculine (= Babylonian abal-iddina, he hath given a son COT 2 Kings 20:12) father of מְרֹדַךְ בַּלְאֲדָן king of Babylon (see below מְרֹדַךְ) 2 Kings 20:12 = Isaiah 39:1; name probably abbreviated by omission of name of god (see ib. Merodach-baladan = Marduk-abal-iddina, Marduk hath given a son; compare Esarhaddon, see אֵסַרְחַדֹּן p. 64). Topical Lexicon Occurrences Baladan appears twice in the Old Testament, both times as the father of Berodach-Baladan (also called Merodach-Baladan), king of Babylon (2 Kings 20:12; Isaiah 39:1). Historical Background Assyrian records portray Merodach-Baladan as a formidable Chaldean leader who intermittently seized the Babylonian throne during the late eighth century BC (circa 722–710 BC and briefly again in 703 BC). The naming of his father, Baladan, situates the family within the turbulent politics of Mesopotamia in the days of Tiglath-Pileser III, Shalmaneser V, Sargon II, and Sennacherib. Although Baladan himself never appears as king, his mention underscores the ancestral legitimacy claimed by his son in repeated bids for Babylonian independence from Assyria. Role in the Biblical Narrative The Bible introduces Baladan only to identify the emissary’s royal pedigree during the episode of Hezekiah’s convalescence. “At that time Berodach-baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, for he had heard of Hezekiah’s illness” (2 Kings 20:12). The gifts and correspondence served a diplomatic purpose: Merodach-Baladan sought allies against Assyria and perceived Judah’s recently healed king—and Judah’s apparent prosperity—as potential leverage. Baladan’s name thereby anchors the account in genuine international intrigue rather than myth. Theological Implications 1. God’s Foreknowledge and Sovereignty: Isaiah’s subsequent prophecy that Babylon would one day carry Judah into exile (Isaiah 39:5-7) arises directly from the visit arranged by Baladan’s son. The moment highlights the Lord’s sovereign oversight of history; a seemingly harmless courtesy call will ultimately facilitate divine judgment. Lessons for Faith and Ministry • Discernment in Alliances: Hezekiah’s diplomatic flirtation with Baladan’s household cautions leaders against aligning with powers whose ambitions conflict with God’s purposes. Connections with Prophetic Themes Baladan’s only biblical function is genealogical, yet his presence anticipates: Additional Notes • The double appearance of Baladan’s name in Kings and Isaiah reinforces the historical reliability of Scripture by preserving identical source material across complementary narratives. Forms and Transliterations בַּלְאֲדָ֧ן בלאדן bal’ăḏān bal·’ă·ḏān balaDanLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Kings 20:12 HEB: בַּ֠לְאֲדָן בֶּֽן־ בַּלְאֲדָ֧ן מֶֽלֶךְ־ בָּבֶ֛ל NAS: a son of Baladan, king KJV: the son of Baladan, king INT: Berodach-baladan A son of Baladan king of Babylon Isaiah 39:1 2 Occurrences |
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