תַּרְתָּק
Tartak, a deity of the Avvites
Definition
Tartak is the name of a deity worshipped by the Avvites, a people group resettled in Samaria by the Assyrian king after the exile of the northern kingdom of Israel. The name appears only in 2 Kings 17:31, where it is listed alongside the god Nibhaz as an idol of the Avvites. As a proper noun, it refers exclusively to this specific foreign god. The biblical text presents Tartak as part of the syncretistic pagan worship that led to God's judgment on the people of Samaria.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the entire Old Testament, in 2 Kings 17:31. It appears in a historical narrative listing the various gods and idols that the foreign settlers in Samaria brought with them, demonstrating their disobedience to the God of Israel. The context is a catalog of idolatry that explains why the Lord was angry with the inhabitants of the land.
Etymology
The etymology of Tartak is explicitly noted as 'of foreign derivation' in standard lexicons, indicating it is not a native Hebrew word. Its exact origin is uncertain, but scholars have proposed possible connections to Aramaic or other ancient Near Eastern languages. Some suggest it may be related to a word meaning 'prince of darkness' or derive from a Persian root, but these remain speculative.
Semantic Range
Tartak serves as a potent example in Scripture of the idolatry and syncretism that provoked God's wrath. Its mention underscores the biblical theme of exclusive worship of Yahweh and the severe consequences of adopting the gods of surrounding nations. Understanding this foreign deity's name enriches the reading of 2 Kings by highlighting the stark contrast between the true God and the false gods the people chose to serve, a central conflict in Israel's history.
In the ancient Near Eastern cultural context, Tartak was likely a local or tribal deity of the Avvite people. The practice of resettling conquered peoples, as done by the Assyrians, involved bringing one's household gods to a new land. The biblical author includes Tartak in a list to illustrate the depth of pagan worship that defiled the land of Israel, which was meant to be dedicated solely to Yahweh. The exact nature and mythology of Tartak are lost to history, as no extra-biblical references have been conclusively identified.
Nibhaz (Nibhaz, H5026) — Another Avvite deity mentioned alongside Tartak in 2 Kings 17:31. | Ashtoreth (ʿAštōret, H6253) — A Canaanite goddess, representing a different but equally condemned form of foreign idolatry.
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.
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