At that time Merodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah: for he had heard that he had been sick, and was recovered.
At that time, Merodach-Baladan, son of Baladan and king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah because he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick and had gotten better.
The king of Babylon sent congratulatory letters and gifts to King Hezekiah after hearing about his recovery from illness.
📚 Historical Context
This event occurred around 703-702 BC after Hezekiah's miraculous healing from a life-threatening illness. Merodach-Baladan was a Babylonian ruler who had been fighting against Assyrian control and saw an opportunity to form an alliance with Judah against their common Assyrian enemies. What appeared to be a friendly diplomatic gesture was actually a strategic political move to build opposition against Assyria.
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