Tartak
The Idol Called Tartak
Tartak is mentioned in 2 Kings 17:31 as one of the gods worshiped by the Avvites (also called Avvim), a people group that was resettled in the cities of Samaria by the Assyrian empire after the conquest of the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC. Beyond this single reference, virtually nothing is known about this deity from the biblical text itself. The name and precise nature of Tartak remain obscure.
The Assyrian Resettlement Policy
After the Assyrian king Shalmaneser V (and his successor Sargon II) conquered Samaria, the Assyrians deported the Israelite population and replaced them with peoples from various conquered territories (2 Kings 17:24). This was a deliberate imperial strategy designed to prevent revolts by uprooting conquered peoples from their homelands. The resettled groups included people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim. Each group brought its own gods and religious practices.
A Mix of Religions in Samaria
The text of 2 Kings 17:29-31 catalogs the various deities these foreign peoples worshiped: the Babylonians made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children to Adrammelech and Anammelech. This religious diversity transformed Samaria into a center of pagan syncretism, a stark contrast to its intended identity as part of God's covenant land.
Attempts to Identify Tartak
Scholars have proposed various identifications for Tartak, though none is certain. Some have connected the name to Atargatis, a Syrian goddess, while others have linked it to various Mesopotamian or Elamite deities. Rabbinic tradition associated Tartak with the image of a donkey, though this may be a later interpretation without historical basis. The obscurity of Tartak actually underscores the biblical point: the gods of the nations were forgotten and powerless, while the God of Israel endures forever.
The Theological Lesson
The catalog of foreign gods in 2 Kings 17 serves a clear theological purpose. The chapter explains why Israel fell: the people had sinned against the Lord their God, served other gods, and followed the practices of the nations (2 Kings 17:7-8). The irony is devastating — the land God gave Israel was now occupied by foreigners who openly worshiped the very kinds of gods that led to Israel's destruction. Tartak and the other idols stand as monuments to the consequences of covenant unfaithfulness.
Biblical Context
Tartak appears only in 2 Kings 17:31, within a passage describing the religious practices of foreign peoples resettled in Samaria after Assyria's conquest of the northern kingdom. The broader chapter (2 Kings 17) provides a theological explanation for the fall of Israel, connecting it directly to idolatry and covenant violation.
Theological Significance
Tartak illustrates the futility of idol worship and the consequences of abandoning the true God. The replacement of Israelite inhabitants with idol-worshiping foreigners served as a powerful visual judgment: the land of promise became filled with the very idolatry that had caused Israel's downfall. The forgotten nature of Tartak itself testifies that false gods are ultimately powerless and transient.
Historical Background
The Assyrian resettlement policy is well documented in Assyrian royal inscriptions, particularly those of Sargon II, who completed the conquest of Samaria in 722/721 BC. The Avvites likely came from the region of Avva, though the exact location is debated. Assyrian records confirm the practice of deporting conquered peoples and resettling them in other territories. Archaeological evidence from Samaria shows significant cultural changes during this period, consistent with the biblical account of foreign population influx.