נֵרְגַּל
Nergal, a Cuthite deity
Definition
Nergal is the name of a Mesopotamian deity, specifically a god of war, plague, and the underworld, worshipped by the Cuthites (people from Cuthah) who were resettled in Samaria by the Assyrians (2 Kings 17:30). In the biblical context, Nergal is presented not as a legitimate god but as a foreign idol, representing the false worship that led to the downfall of the northern kingdom of Israel. The single biblical mention serves as a historical record of the syncretistic idolatry that corrupted the people after the Assyrian exile.
Biblical Usage
The word Nergal is used only once in the Old Testament, in 2 Kings 17:30. It appears in a list of foreign gods that the various peoples resettled in Samaria brought with them, illustrating the specific idolatrous practices of the Cuthites. Its usage is purely as a proper noun identifying a pagan deity, with no variation in meaning.
Etymology
The word is of foreign (Akkadian) origin, borrowed into Hebrew. It derives from the Akkadian 'Nergal,' a compound name likely meaning 'Lord of the Great City,' referring to the underworld. As a loanword, it has no Hebrew root and entered the biblical lexicon solely to name this foreign god.
Semantic Range
The mention of Nergal highlights the severe theological consequences of idolatry and syncretism—mixing the worship of Yahweh with foreign gods. It underscores the biblical theme that God's judgment (the Assyrian exile) was a direct result of covenant unfaithfulness. Understanding this foreign name enriches reading by concretely identifying one of the specific false gods that led Israel astray, emphasizing the exclusivity of Yahweh's claim to worship.
In its original Mesopotamian setting, Nergal was a major deity associated with war, destruction, pestilence, and the sun's scorching heat, later becoming a ruler of the underworld. The Cuthites, being Mesopotamian colonists, brought this worship to Israel. The biblical author mentions Nergal not to validate its power but to document the profound cultural and religious pollution introduced into the land, which was utterly contrary to the worship of Yahweh commanded in the Torah.
There are no direct Hebrew synonyms for this proper name of a foreign deity. Other pagan gods listed in the same context include: Succoth Benoth (H5524), Ashima (H625), Nibhaz (H5026), and Tartak (H8662).
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
Full methodology & sources →