Merodach-Baladan
King of Babylon
Aussi appelé : Berodach-Baladan, Merodach-Baladan, Marduk-apla-iddina
Merodach-Baladan (also known as Berodach-Baladan) was a Chaldean king of Babylon who sent envoys with letters and gifts to King Hezekiah of Judah after his illness. The visit became a test for Hezekiah, who showed the Babylonians all his treasures, leading the prophet Isaiah to warn of the coming Babylonian conquest.
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Événements clés
Sends Envoys to Hezekiah
Merodach-Baladan sent a letter and a gift to King Hezekiah after hearing about his illness and recovery. This visit likely also had political motives, as Babylon sought allies against Assyria.
12At that time Berodach-baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, for he had heard that Hezekiah had been ill.
בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֡יא שָׁלַ֡ח בְּרֹאדַ֣ךְ בַּ֠לְאֲדָן בֶּֽן־בַּלְאֲדָ֧ן מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֛ל סְפָרִ֥ים וּמִנְחָ֖ה אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ כִּ֣י שָׁמַ֔ע כִּ֥י חָלָ֖ה חִזְקִיָּֽהוּ׃
1At that time Merodach-baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, for he had heard that Hezekiah had been ill and had recovered.
בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֡וא שָׁלַ֡ח מְרֹדַ֣ךְ בַּ֠לְאֲדָן בֶּֽן־בַּלְאֲדָ֧ן מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֛ל סְפָרִ֥ים וּמִנְחָ֖ה אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ וַיִּשְׁמַ֕ע כִּ֥י חָלָ֖ה וֽ͏ַיֶּחֱזָֽק׃
Hezekiah Shows His Treasures
Hezekiah received the Babylonian envoys and proudly showed them all his treasuries, armories, and everything of value throughout his kingdom. There was nothing in his house or realm that he did not show them.
13Hezekiah listened to them and showed them his entire treasury—the silver, the gold, the spices, the fine oil, his armory, and everything found among his treasures. There was nothing in his palace or in all his realm that he did not show them.
וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע עֲלֵיהֶם֮ חִזְקִיָּהוּ֒ וַיַּרְאֵ֣ם אֶת־כָּל־בֵּ֣ית נְכֹתֹ֡ה אֶת־הַכֶּסֶף֩ וְאֶת־הַזָּהָ֨ב וְאֶת־הַבְּשָׂמִ֜ים וְאֵ֣ת ׀ שֶׁ֣מֶן הַטּ֗וֹב וְאֵת֙ בֵּ֣ית כֵּלָ֔יו וְאֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִמְצָ֖א בְּאֽוֹצְרֹתָ֑יו לֹֽא־הָיָ֣ה דָבָ֗ר אֲ֠שֶׁר לֹֽא־הֶרְאָ֧ם חִזְקִיָּ֛הוּ בְּבֵית֖וֹ וּבְכָל־מֶמְשַׁלְתּֽוֹ׃
2Hezekiah welcomed the envoys gladly and showed them his treasure house—the silver, the gold, the spices, the fine oil, his whole armory, and everything found among his treasures. There was nothing in his palace or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them.
וַיִּשְׂמַ֣ח עֲלֵיהֶם֮ חִזְקִיָּהוּ֒ וַיַּרְאֵ֣ם אֶת־בֵּ֣ית *נכתה **נְכֹת֡וֹ אֶת־הַכֶּסֶף֩ וְאֶת־הַזָּהָ֨ב וְאֶת־הַבְּשָׂמִ֜ים וְאֵ֣ת ׀ הַשֶּׁ֣מֶן הַטּ֗וֹב וְאֵת֙ כָּל־בֵּ֣ית כֵּלָ֔יו וְאֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִמְצָ֖א בְּאֹֽצְרֹתָ֑יו לֹֽא־הָיָ֣ה דָבָ֗ר אֲ֠שֶׁר לֹֽא־הֶרְאָ֧ם חִזְקִיָּ֛הוּ בְּבֵית֖וֹ וּבְכָל־מֶמְשַׁלְתּֽוֹ׃
Isaiah Questions Hezekiah
The prophet Isaiah came to Hezekiah and asked who these men were and where they had come from. Hezekiah told him that they came from the distant land of Babylon.
14Then the prophet Isaiah came to King Hezekiah and asked him, "What did those men say, and where did they come from?" "They came from a distant land," Hezekiah said, "from Babylon."
וַיָּבֹא֙ יְשַֽׁעְיָ֣הוּ הַנָּבִ֔יא אֶל־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלָ֜יו מָ֥ה אָמְר֣וּ ׀ הָאֲנָשִׁ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה וּמֵאַ֙יִן֙ יָבֹ֣אוּ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ חִזְקִיָּ֔הוּ מֵאֶ֧רֶץ רְחוֹקָ֛ה בָּ֖אוּ מִבָּבֶֽל׃
15"What did they see in your palace?" the prophet asked. "They saw everything in my palace," Hezekiah said. "There is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them."
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מָ֥ה רָא֖וּ בְּבֵיתֶ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר חִזְקִיָּ֗הוּ אֵ֣ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֤ר בְּבֵיתִי֙ רָא֔וּ לֹא־הָיָ֥ה דָבָ֛ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־הִרְאִיתִ֖ם בְּאֹצְרֹתָֽי׃
3Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah and asked him, "What did these men say, and where did they come from?" Hezekiah answered, "They came to me from a distant land, from Babylon."
וַיָּבֹא֙ יְשַׁעְיָ֣הוּ הַנָּבִ֔יא אֶל־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלָ֜יו מָ֥ה אָמְר֣וּ ׀ הָאֲנָשִׁ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה וּמֵאַ֙יִן֙ יָבֹ֣אוּ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ חִזְקִיָּ֔הוּ מֵאֶ֧רֶץ רְחוֹקָ֛ה בָּ֥אוּ אֵלַ֖י מִבָּבֶֽל׃
4"What did they see in your palace?" Isaiah asked. "They saw everything in my palace," Hezekiah said. "There is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them."
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מָ֥ה רָא֖וּ בְּבֵיתֶ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר חִזְקִיָּ֗הוּ אֵ֣ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֤ר בְּבֵיתִי֙ רָא֔וּ לֹֽא־הָיָ֥ה דָבָ֛ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־הִרְאִיתִ֖ים בְּאוֹצְרֹתָֽי׃
Isaiah's Judgment and Prophecy
Isaiah prophesied that all that Hezekiah had shown the Babylonians would one day be carried off to Babylon, and that some of his descendants would be taken as eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.
16Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the LORD:
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְשַׁעְיָ֖הוּ אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ שְׁמַ֖ע דְּבַר־יְהוָֽה׃
17The days are coming when everything in your palace, and all that your fathers have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD.
הִנֵּה֮ יָמִ֣ים בָּאִים֒ וְנִשָּׂ֣א ׀ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּבֵיתֶ֗ךָ וַאֲשֶׁ֨ר אָצְר֧וּ אֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ עַד־הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה בָּבֶ֑לָה לֹֽא־יִוָּתֵ֥ר דָּבָ֖ר אָמַ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃
18And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you yourself will father, will be taken away to serve as eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.
וּמִבָּנֶ֜יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֵצְא֧וּ מִמְּךָ֛ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תּוֹלִ֖יד *יקח **יִקָּ֑חוּ וְהָיוּ֙ סָֽרִיסִ֔ים בְּהֵיכַ֖ל מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶֽל׃
5Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the LORD of hosts:
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְשַׁעְיָ֖הוּ אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ שְׁמַ֖ע דְּבַר־יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃
6"Look, the days are coming when everything in your palace, and all that your fathers have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD.
הִנֵּה֮ יָמִ֣ים בָּאִים֒ וְנִשָּׂ֣א ׀ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּבֵיתֶ֗ךָ וַאֲשֶׁ֨ר אָצְר֧וּ אֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ עַד־הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה בָּבֶ֑ל לֹֽא־יִוָּתֵ֥ר דָּבָ֖ר אָמַ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃
7And some of your own sons, your own flesh and blood, whom you will father, will be taken away to serve as eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon." [Footnote: The Hebrew word can also mean court officials or royal stewards.]
וּמִבָּנֶ֜יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֵצְא֧וּ מִמְּךָ֛ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תּוֹלִ֖יד יִקָּ֑חוּ וְהָיוּ֙ סָרִיסִ֔ים בְּהֵיכַ֖ל מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶֽל׃
Hezekiah's Reaction to the Prophecy
Hezekiah replied that the Lord's word was good, and thought that there would at least be peace and security during his lifetime. His response reveals a mixture of humility and relief.
19Hezekiah answered, "The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good." For he thought, "Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?"
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר חִזְקִיָּ֙הוּ֙ אֶֽל־יְשַֽׁעְיָ֔הוּ ט֥וֹב דְּבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבַּ֑רְתָּ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הֲל֛וֹא אִם־שָׁל֥וֹם וֶאֱמֶ֖ת יִהְיֶ֥ה בְיָמָֽי׃
8Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good." For he thought, "There will be peace and security in my lifetime."
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר חִזְקִיָּ֙הוּ֙ אֶֽל־יְשַׁעְיָ֔הוּ ט֥וֹב דְּבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבַּ֑רְתָּ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר כִּ֥י יִהְיֶ֛ה שָׁל֥וֹם וֶאֱמֶ֖ת בְּיָמָֽי׃ פ