Original Word: תַּרְתָּן
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: Tartan
Pronunciation: tar-tan'
Phonetic Spelling: (tar-tawn')
KJV: Tartan
NASB: commander, Tartan
Word Origin: [of foreign derivation]

1. Tartan, an Assyrian

Tartan

Of foreign derivation; Tartan, an Assyrian -- Tartan.

Word Origin
of foreign origin
Definition
general, commander (title of an Assyr. general)
NASB Translation
commander (1), Tartan (1).

תַּרְתָּן noun masculine title of Assyrian General = field-marshal (loan-word from Assyrian tartânu, turtânu Dl^{WB 716} Tiele^{Geschichte. 495 f.} Pinches^{Hast. DB TARTAN} Johns^{Ency. Bib. ID}.); — Isaiah 20:1; 2 Kings 18:17 (+ רַבסָֿרִיס, רַבשָֿׁקֵה; only this last in "" Isaiah 36:2).

Meaning and Role

Tartan designates the highest field commander in the Assyrian military hierarchy, roughly equivalent to a modern chief-of-staff who leads armies on behalf of the king. The title underscores Assyria’s centralized power and its reliance on trusted officers to execute royal policy far from the throne.

Occurrences in Scripture

• 2 Kings 18:17 – “Then the king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh, along with a great army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem.”
• Isaiah 20:1 – “In the year that the supreme commander came to Ashdod—when Sargon king of Assyria sent him—and fought against Ashdod and captured it—”

Historical and Cultural Background

Assyria’s eighth- and seventh-century campaigns depended on professional officers who could compel surrender through intimidation and siegecraft. The Tartan answered directly to the monarch (first Sargon II, then Sennacherib) and wielded broad civil authority over conquered territories. Archaeological records from Nineveh list “turtānu” immediately after the crown prince, confirming the high dignity implied by Scripture.

Interactions with Israel and Judah

• Against Samaria: Although not named, a Tartan likely oversaw operations culminating in the Northern Kingdom’s fall (2 Kings 17).
• Against Judah: The Tartan marched from Lachish toward Jerusalem (2 Kings 18) during Sennacherib’s 701 B.C. invasion. His presence accentuated the threat, yet Hezekiah’s prayer and Isaiah’s prophecy proved that a pagan commander is no match for the Angel of the LORD (2 Kings 19:35).
• Against Philistia: Isaiah 20:1 records the Tartan’s assault on Ashdod, fulfilling the prophet’s earlier warnings (Isaiah 14:29-32) and illustrating that the same instrument God used to chasten Judah also disciplined her neighbors.

Theological Significance

1. Sovereignty of God: The Tartan’s campaigns, though planned by Assyrian kings, ultimately served divine purposes of judgment and deliverance (Isaiah 10:5-15).
2. Reliability of Prophecy: Isaiah foretold both Assyria’s might and its limits. The historical arrival of the Tartan validates prophetic detail and encourages trust in all biblical promises.
3. Human Pride versus Divine Power: The Tartan embodied imperial arrogance; yet one night of angelic intervention erased an army (2 Kings 19:35-37), reminding believers that “the battle belongs to the LORD” (1 Samuel 17:47).

Lessons for Ministry

• Crisis leadership: Hezekiah’s reliance on prayer and prophetic counsel offers a model for confronting seemingly invincible opposition.
• Holiness of witness: Isaiah’s enacted sign of walking barefoot three years (Isaiah 20:2-4) shows that God may call His servants to uncomfortable testimony so that nations understand His message.
• Global mission perspective: God engages geopolitical powers to advance His redemptive plan; therefore believers can minister confidently in any cultural context, knowing that Christ’s authority exceeds every earthly commander.

Related Biblical Themes

Assyrian titles—Rabsaris (2 Kings 18:17), Rabshakeh (2 Kings 18:17); Divine use of foreign rulers—Cyrus (Isaiah 45:1); Prophetic signs—Ezekiel’s symbolic acts (Ezekiel 4–5).

See Also

Assyria; Hezekiah; Isaiah, Book of; Sargon II; Sennacherib; Lachish; Ashdod

תַּרְתָּ֥ן תַרְתָּן֙ תרתן tar·tān ṯar·tān tarTan tartān ṯartānInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts