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  • From: "Banyai Michael" <banyai AT t-online.de>
  • To: b-hebrew
  • Subject: Re: Isaiah 13-14
  • Date: Thu, 2 Mar 2000 7:29:47


George Athas wrote:

> Why can't the 'king of Babylon' be Merodach-baladan?

There are at least a couple of problems in the identification with
Merodach-Baladan II.
First one would be, he is the ally of Juda against Assyria, so one cannot
expect such harsh tones against him in a prophecy of Isaiah.

Second one is the reference in Isaiah 14,17 to his crime, not having
allowed the exiled to return. From the writers perspective could this exile
be but the SamarĂ­an nobility, so one must suppose, the king in cause is
Sargon II.

Third one is the reference in Isaiah 14,8 "even the Cyprus-trees and the
Lebanon
cedars are spotting on you: since you are strechted to the earth nobody
else comes here to cut us down.".

There is corresponding to this an explicite reference to the king of Assur
in Isaiah 10,33 and 10,28:
"Assur comes from Rimon... The mighty trees are cut down... the Libanon
(wood) falls by the hand of a mighty one."

An explanation, why Isaiah 14 preferrs to call Sargon king of Babel, can
remain but speculative. I can provide at least one, but so anybody else
too.

Best regards,

Banyai Michael




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