The Meaning of 2 Kings 20:12 Explained

2 Kings 20:12

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

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

Darby: At that time Berodach-Baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent a letter and a present to Hezekiah, for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.

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 Reverse Interlinear

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

What does 2 Kings 20:12 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 20:12-21 - A Mistake And Its Penalty
God does not always prolong life in answer to prayer, and we should always leave such things submissively to Him, because He may see reasons why it would be far better for us to be removed from this world of temptation and sorrow. If Hezekiah had been taken away by early death, he would never have incurred the terrible sentence of 2 Kings 20:16, etc.
Let us watch against the sin of ostentation. It was a foolish act on the part of the king, because he aroused in these ambassadors desire and greed, which they communicated to their sovereign. There is too much of this spirit in us all. What a solemn inquiry that is, "What have they seen in thy house?" If that inquiry were put to us, we should too often have to confess that our visitors have not seen our piety, our family worship, the decorous behavior of our children, our love and devotion; but that they have seen our dresses and our ornaments, our best linen and our plate. Alas for us, if these are our treasures, and we have nothing behind them of the priceless jewels and wealth of Christian character! At the best we are only caretakers and stewards; we have nothing that we have not received! 1 Corinthians 4:7. Let us remember that at any time the Master of the House may arrive! Matthew 24:44. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Kings 20

1  Hezekiah, having received a message of death, by prayer has his life lengthened
8  The sun goes ten degrees backward for a sign of that promise
12  Berodach-baladan sending to visit Hezekiah has notice of his treasures
14  Isaiah understanding thereof, foretells the Babylonian captivity
20  Manasseh succeeds Hezekiah

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 20:12 mean?

At time that sent in Berodach-baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon letters and a present to Hezekiah for he heard that had been sick Hezekiah
בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֡יא שָׁלַ֡ח בְּרֹאדַ֣ךְ בַּ֠לְאֲדָן בֶּֽן־ בַּלְאֲדָ֧ן מֶֽלֶךְ־ בָּבֶ֛ל סְפָרִ֥ים וּמִנְחָ֖ה אֶל־ חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ כִּ֣י שָׁמַ֔ע כִּ֥י חָלָ֖ה חִזְקִיָּֽהוּ

בָּעֵ֣ת  At  time 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: עֵת  
Sense: time.
הַהִ֡יא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
שָׁלַ֡ח  sent 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
בַּ֠לְאֲדָן  Berodach-baladan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בְּרֹאדַךְ־בַּלְאֲדָן  
Sense: king of Babylon in the days of Hezekiah.
בֶּֽן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
בַּלְאֲדָ֧ן  of  Baladan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּלְאֲדָן  
Sense: the father of Merodach-baladan to whom Hezekiah revealed the riches of his treasures.
מֶֽלֶךְ־  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
בָּבֶ֛ל  of  Babylon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בָּבֶל  
Sense: Babel or Babylon, the ancient site and/or capital of Babylonia (modern Hillah) situated on the Euphrates.
סְפָרִ֥ים  letters 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: סֵפֶר 
Sense: book.
וּמִנְחָ֖ה  and  a  present 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִנְחָה  
Sense: gift, tribute, offering, present, oblation, sacrifice, meat offering.
חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ  Hezekiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חִזְקִיָּה 
Sense: 2th king of Judah, son of Ahaz and Abijah; a good king in that he served Jehovah and did away with idolatrous practices.
שָׁמַ֔ע  he  heard 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
כִּ֥י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
חָלָ֖ה  had  been  sick 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָלָה 
Sense: to be or become weak, be or become sick, be or become diseased, be or become grieved, be or become sorry.
חִזְקִיָּֽהוּ  Hezekiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חִזְקִיָּה 
Sense: 2th king of Judah, son of Ahaz and Abijah; a good king in that he served Jehovah and did away with idolatrous practices.