152. Adrammelek

Lexical Summary

Adrammelek: Adrammelech

Original Word: אֲדֹרָמֶלֶךְ
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Adrammelek
Pronunciation: ad-ram-meh'-lek
Phonetic Spelling: (ad-ram-meh'-lek)
KJV: Adrammelech
NASB: Adrammelech
Word Origin: [from H142 (אָדַר - majestic) and H4428 (מֶלֶך - king)]

1. splendor of (the) king
2. Adrammelek, the name of an Assyrian idol, also of a son of Sennacherib

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Adrammelech

From 'adar and melek; splendor of (the) king; Adrammelek, the name of an Assyrian idol, also of a son of Sennacherib -- Adrammelech.

see HEBREW 'adar

see HEBREW melek

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from adar and melek
Definition
"Adar is prince," an Assyr. idol, also a son of Sennacherib
NASB Translation
Adrammelech (3).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

אַדְרַמֶּ֫לֶךְ proper name, masculine (Adar is prince, Assyrian Adar-malik (?) see KAT²²⁸⁴, cf, ABK¹⁴⁰; or A. is Counsellor, Decider, compare Dl^{K 52 f}; otherwise Sayce^Rel. Babylonian 7; on Babylonian god Adar see Schr^{KSGW 1880, 19 f} Dl^{K 52 f}, but Sayce^Rel, Babylonian 151 f; Jen^{Ko 457 f} and others read Assyrian name Ninib; on Carthaginian יתנאדר see Bae^{Rel. 54})

1 a god of Sepharvaim 2 Kings 17:31.

2 parricidal son of Sennacherib 2 Kings 19:37; Isaiah 37:38.

אֲדֹרָם see אדנירם below אדון. above

אֲדַרְכּוֺן see דרכמון.

אֶדְרְעִי see דרע.

Topical Lexicon

Identity and Scope

Adrammelech designates two distinct entities in the Old Testament record: (1) a false deity worshiped by the people of Sepharvaim, and (2) a royal assassin, son of the Assyrian emperor Sennacherib. Although they share the same Hebrew form, Scripture treats them separately, and their respective contexts illuminate different facets of God’s dealings with idolatry and imperial arrogance.

Biblical Occurrences

• 2 Kings 17:31 – Adrammelech named as one of the gods of Sepharvaim.
• 2 Kings 19:37 – Adrammelech identified as a son of Sennacherib who murders his father.
• Isaiah 37:38 – Parallel to 2 Kings 19:37, repeating the historical notice.

Adrammelech the Idol of Sepharvaim (2 Kings 17:31)

1. Setting. The verse appears in the narrative explaining why the northern kingdom of Israel was exiled. Imported peoples brought their native gods into Samaria, producing a syncretistic worship that defied the covenant.
2. Nature of the worship. “The Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim” (2 Kings 17:31). The atrocity of child sacrifice is highlighted, confirming how far pagan religion could descend when unchecked by divine revelation.
3. Significance.
• Exposes the cruelty inherent in idolatry and underscores why the Law repeatedly condemned sacrifices “in the fire.”
• Demonstrates the futility of trying to mingle Yahweh‐worship with foreign cults; judgment fell on both Israel and the imported nations.
• Prefigures later prophetic declarations that God alone is Savior and demands exclusive allegiance.

Adrammelech the Son of Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:37; Isaiah 37:38)

1. Historical background. Sennacherib’s siege of Jerusalem (701 BC) ended in disaster for Assyria when the Angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 soldiers (2 Kings 19:35). Soon after returning to Nineveh, Sennacherib is assassinated while “worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch” (2 Kings 19:37). The conspirators are his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer.
2. Fulfillment of prophecy. Isaiah had foretold, “I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land” (2 Kings 19:7), and the event unfolds precisely. Adrammelech becomes an unwitting agent of divine recompense against blasphemy.
3. Aftermath. The assassins flee to Ararat, and another son, Esarhaddon, ascends the throne, shifting the power dynamics of the Near East and indirectly easing Judah’s political pressure for a time.
4. Theological emphasis. The episode rehearses a recurring biblical theme: proud rulers who challenge the Lord inevitably meet downfall, sometimes through betrayal within their own households (cf. Esther 7:9–10; Acts 12:23).

Historical and Cultural Considerations

• Sepharvaim likely corresponds to the Mesopotamian twin cities Sippar‐Amnanum and Sippar‐Yahrurum. Their astral cults explain the fire rituals mentioned in 2 Kings 17:31.
• The name Adrammelech in the royal context may reflect an Assyrian throne name assigned for dynastic prestige rather than a personal birth name.
• Ancient Near Eastern inscriptions confirm that Sennacherib was indeed killed by sons who fled, corroborating the biblical account.

Theological Insights

1. God’s Sovereignty. Whether dealing with international idols or imperial princes, the Lord orchestrates events to expose false worship and vindicate His glory.
2. Sanctity of Life. The burning of children to Adrammelech reveals the radical contrast between pagan cruelty and the protective heartbeat of God’s law (Deuteronomy 12:31).
3. Judgment and Mercy. The fall of Sennacherib through his own offspring demonstrates judgment, while Judah’s deliverance underscores mercy granted to those who trust in the Lord (2 Kings 19:15–19).

Practical Ministry Applications

• Confront Modern Idolatry. The account urges believers to identify and renounce contemporary substitutes for God, especially those costing future generations their well-being.
• Trust in Prophetic Promise. Isaiah’s precise foretelling and fulfillment encourage confidence in all divine promises, including those regarding Christ’s return.
• Warn against Pride. Leaders, whether in church, home, or society, are reminded that unchecked arrogance invites downfall (Proverbs 16:18).

Related Themes and Cross-References

• Child sacrifice prohibited – Leviticus 18:21; Jeremiah 7:31.
• God’s judgment on idols – Isaiah 46:1–2; Psalm 135:15–18.
• Downfall of proud rulers – Daniel 4:28–37; Acts 12:20–23.

Adrammelech thus serves as both a dark mirror reflecting the horrors of idolatry and a signpost pointing to the invincible governance of the one true God over nations, kings, and false gods alike.

Forms and Transliterations

וְֽאַדְרַמֶּ֨לֶךְ ואדרמלך לְאַדְרַמֶּ֥לֶךְ לאדרמלך lə’aḏrammeleḵ lə·’aḏ·ram·me·leḵ leadramMelech veadramMelech wə’aḏrammeleḵ wə·’aḏ·ram·me·leḵ

Englishman's Concordance

2 Kings 17:31
HEB: בְּנֵיהֶם֙ בָּאֵ֔שׁ לְאַדְרַמֶּ֥לֶךְ וַֽעֲנַמֶּ֖לֶךְ [אֱלֹהַּ
NAS: in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech
KJV: in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech,
INT: their children the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech God

2 Kings 19:37
HEB: נִסְרֹ֣ךְ אֱלֹהָ֗יו וְֽאַדְרַמֶּ֨לֶךְ וְשַׂרְאֶ֤צֶר (בָּנָיו֙
NAS: his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer
KJV: his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer
INT: of Nisroch his god Adrammelech and Sharezer his son

Isaiah 37:38
HEB: נִסְרֹ֣ךְ אֱלֹהָ֗יו וְֽאַדְרַמֶּ֨לֶךְ וְשַׂרְאֶ֤צֶר בָּנָיו֙
NAS: his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer
KJV: his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer
INT: of Nisroch his god Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons

3 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 152
3 Occurrences

lə·’aḏ·ram·me·leḵ — 1 Occ.
wə·’aḏ·ram·me·leḵ — 2 Occ.