אֱוִיל מְרֹדַךְ
𐤀𐤅𐤉𐤋 𐤌𐤓𐤃𐤊
Evil Merodakhe
H192 adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name: Evil-Merodak (Akkadian: Amēl-Marduk), a historical king of Babylon who reigned c. 562–560 BCE, known chiefly for his act of releasing Jehoiachin, the exiled Judahite king, from prison. The name is a transliteration of a Babylonian royal name and denotes the individual as a person dedicated to, or serving, the Babylonian deity Marduk (Merodak). The meaning of the compound is generally understood as 'Man of Marduk' rather than the negative connotation suggested by the English word 'evil.'
Semantic Range
Evil-Merodak (Amēl-Marduk), king of Babylon, man/servant of Marduk, proper name for Babylonian royalty
Root / Etymology
The name is of Akkadian origin: Amēl-Marduk (𒀀𒈠𒀀𒀭𒀫𒌓), meaning 'man/servant of Marduk.' The Hebrew spelling אֱוִיל מְרֹדַךְ reflects an adaptation of the Babylonian name into Hebrew script and phonology. The initial element אֱוִיל is not the Hebrew word for 'fool' but a transliteration of Akkadian 'amēl' (man). 'Merodak' is the Hebrew form of the name of the Babylonian deity Marduk. Thus, the etymology is from the Akkadian 'Amēl-Marduk.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
Evil-Merodak is only mentioned in the biblical texts 2 Kings 25:27 and Jeremiah 52:31, referenced as the 'king of Babylon' who freed and treated favorably Jehoiachin, the exiled Judahite king. The name's negative association in English arises from phonetic resemblance between the English word 'evil' and the name, but this is entirely coincidental and not present in the Hebrew or Akkadian. The rendering 'Evil-merodach' in some English Bibles reflects an older transliteration and does not carry the meaning of 'wickedness.' His historical identification as the son and successor of Nebuchadrezzar II is supported by Babylonian sources. The form is not native to Hebrew and is borrowed directly as a proper name from Babylonian imperial usage. Later Jewish and Christian traditions sometimes expanded upon his character, but the Hebrew Bible records only his act of clemency toward Jehoiachin without moral judgment. In the texts, the use reflects imperial politics of Babylon and the status of exiled Israelite elites under Babylonian rule.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Aramaic derivation and probably meaning soldier of Merodak; Evil-Merodak, a Babylonian king; Evil-merodach.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
uncertain (Baleadan) — uncertain
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1002 | בִּירָה | the citadel |
| H105 | אֲגַרְטָל | bowls of |
| H1081 | בַּלְאֲדָן | Baladan |
| H1085 | בִּלְדַּד | Bildad |
| H1095 | בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר | Belteshatsar |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H192-01 |
אֱוִ֣יל | evil | HAamsa |
Evil | Evil-Merodak | Evil-Merodak | 2 |
H192-02 |
מְרֹדַךְ֩ | merodakhe | HNp |
merodach | Marduk | Evil Merodakhe | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H192-01 |
2 Kings 25:27 | אֱוִ֣יל | evil | HAamsa |
Evil | Evil-Merodak | Evil-Merodak |
H192-02 |
2 Kings 25:27 | מְרֹדַךְ֩ | merodakhe | HNp |
merodach | Marduk | Evil Merodakhe |
H192-01 |
Jeremiah 52:31 | אֱוִ֣יל | evil | HAamsa |
Evil- | Evil-Merodak | Evil Merodakhe |
H192-02 |
Jeremiah 52:31 | מְרֹדַךְ֩ | merodakhe | HNp |
merodach | Marduk | Evil Merodakhe |