MERODACH (me-ro'dak), (Heb. mer-o dawk', death, slaughter).
In conformity with the general character of Babylonian idolatrk, Merodach is supposed to be the name of a planet ; and, as the Tsabian and Arabic names for Mars are Nerig and Mirrich, 'arrow' (the latter of which Gesenius thinks may be for Mirdich, which is very nearly the same as Merodach), there is some presumption that it may be Mars. As for etymologies of the word, Gesenius has suggested that it is the Persian mardak, the diminutive of mard, 'man,' used as a terM of endearment; or, rather, that it is from thc Persian and Indo-Germanic mord, or mort (which means death, and is so far in harmony with the conception of Mars, as the lesser star of evil omen), and the affix och, which is found in many Assyrian names, as Nisroch, etc.
In Jer. 1:2 we read : "Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces. Her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces." Bel Merodach is one of the Babylonian deities, which is not only spoken of in the Scriptures, but which also finds frequent mention on the tab lets. According to the inscriptions of Nebuchad nezzar, Marduk or Merodach was the favorite deity of that king. These inscriptions begin by declaring Nebuchadnezzar to be the "King of Babylon, the exalted prince, the worshiper of Marduk, the prince supreme, the beloved of the god Nebo."
Nebuchadnezzar is never weary of extolling his own achievements and the glories of his cap ital city. The thirty or forty inscriptions of this king which are now in the British Museum all reflect the spirit of the boast : "Is not this great Babylon that I have built, for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power and for the honor of my majesty ?" (Dan. iv :3o).
He also describes the splendid temple which he built for Marduk or Bel Merodach, with its costly woods, "its silver and molten gold, and precious stones," and "sea clay" (amber), "with its seats of splendid gold, with lapis-lazuli, and alabaster blocks"; and these have been found in the ruins of Babylon.
And the king made the great festival Lilmuku when the image of Merodach was brought into his temple (4th Col., lines 1-6, Cun. Ins. West. Asia. Rcc. of the Past).
The inscription also speaks of this idol temple as receiving "within itself the abundant tribute of the kings of the nations, and of all peoples." This portion of Nebuchadnezzar's inscription is confirmed by the following statement in the book of Daniel : "And the Lord gave the King of Judah into his (Nebuchadnezzar's) hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god" (Dan. i :2).