Old Testament

Merodach-baladan

A Babylonian king who sent envoys to Hezekiah after the king's recovery from a life-threatening illness.

Merodach-baladan, also known as Marduk-apla-iddina II, was a Chaldean king of Babylon who sought an alliance with Hezekiah of Judah. His embassy to Jerusalem served as a test of Hezekiah's heart and a precursor to the eventual Babylonian exile. The prophet Isaiah used this visit to warn Hezekiah that the treasures he displayed would one day be carried off to Babylon.