Lexical Summary Merodak: Merodak Original Word: מְרֹדָךְ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Merodach Of foreign derivation; Merodak, a Babylonian idol -- Merodach. Compare Mro'dak Bal'adan. see HEBREW Mro'dak Bal'adan NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof foreign origin Definition a god worshiped by the Bab. NASB Translation Marduk (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מְרֹדַךְ proper name, of a divinity chief god of Babylon in Nebuchadrezzar's time (Assyrian Mar(u)duk(u) SchrCOT Gloss TieleBabylonian -Ass. Geschichte. 530 ff. SayRel. Babylonian 96 ff.; compare Muss-ArnJBL xi. 1892,164 f.); — נִלְכְּדָת בָּבֶל הֹבִישׁ בֵּל חַת מְרֹדָ֑ךְ Jeremiah 50:2 (ᵐ5 Μαιωδακ). Topical Lexicon Name and Significance Merodach, better known by the Akkadian form Marduk, was the chief god of Babylon. The name may carry the idea of “son of the storm” or “bull-calf of the solar god,” reflecting power, fertility, and cosmic authority in Mesopotamian religion. In Scripture the mention of Merodach functions not as neutral information about a foreign deity but as a polemical signpost: the living God of Israel exposes and judges the idols that oppose Him. Biblical Occurrence Jeremiah 50:2 records the sole direct reference: “Announce and declare among the nations; raise up a banner and proclaim it; do not conceal it. Say, ‘Babylon is captured; Bel is put to shame; Marduk is shattered. Her images are disgraced; her idols are broken in pieces.’ ” Here Merodach is set alongside Bel (a title meaning “lord”) and the host of Babylonian images. The prophet proclaims their downfall as part of Babylon’s judgment. Historical Background 1. Ascendancy in Babylon: By the time of Hammurabi (eighteenth century BC), Marduk had risen from a city god to the head of the Babylonian pantheon, absorbing attributes of Enlil and Ea. His temple precinct, Esagila, and the associated ziggurat, Etemenanki, dominated the city’s skyline. Theological and Prophetic Significance • Divine Supremacy: Jeremiah’s oracle mocks the impotence of Merodach against the true God who “made the earth by His power” (Jeremiah 51:15). The fall of Babylon proves that even the mightiest cultural deities collapse before Yahweh. Ministry Applications 1. Confronting Modern Idols: Merodach symbolizes any cultural force demanding ultimate allegiance—wealth, power, nationalism, or self. The church must proclaim, as Jeremiah did, that such idols inevitably crumble. Christological Perspective Marduk’s claimed victory over chaos is counterfeit to the true victory of Jesus Christ, who “disarmed the powers and authorities, making a public spectacle of them” (Colossians 2:15). The resurrection is the historical guarantee that all idols, like Merodach, are shattered, and every knee will bow to the risen Lord (Philippians 2:10–11). Related Passages for Study Isaiah 46:1–2; Isaiah 47:1–15; Jeremiah 51:44; Daniel 5:23; Revelation 18:1–24 Forms and Transliterations מְרֹדָ֔ךְ מרדך mə·rō·ḏāḵ meroDach mərōḏāḵLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Jeremiah 50:2 HEB: בֵּל֙ חַ֣ת מְרֹדָ֔ךְ הֹבִ֣ישׁוּ עֲצַבֶּ֔יהָ NAS: has been put to shame, Marduk has been KJV: is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; INT: Bel has been Marduk are confounded her images 1 Occurrence |
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