Original Word: תַּרְתָּק
Part of Speech: Proper Name
Transliteration: Tartaq
Pronunciation: tar-tawk'
Phonetic Spelling: (tar-tawk')
KJV: Tartak
NASB: Tartak
Word Origin: [of foreign derivation]

1. Tartak, a deity of the Avvites

Tartak

Of foreign derivation; Tartak, a deity of the Avvites -- Tartak.

Word Origin
of foreign origin
Definition
a god of the Avvites
NASB Translation
Tartak (1).

תַּרְתָּ֑ק proper name, of a divinity of הָעַוִּים, 2 Kings 17:31; Θαρθακ; not identified, compare Pinches^{Hast. DB TARTAK}.

תְּשׂוּמֶת see שׂום. [תְּשֻׁאָה] see II. שׁוא.

תּשָׁב see תּוֺשָׁב below ישׁב. תִּשְׁבִּי see שׁבה.

תַּשְׁבֵּץ see [שׁבץ]. [תְּשׁוּבָה] see שׁוב.

תשׁוה Job 30:22 see [תְשֻׁאָה] below II. שׁוא.

תְּשׁוּעָה, תְּשֻׁעָה see ישׁע.

תְּשׁוּקָה see III. שׁוק.

תְּשׁוּרָה see I. תֻּשִׁיָּה see תּוּשִׁיָּה below ישִׁה.

Biblical Occurrence

Tartak is mentioned once in Scripture, in the list of foreign deities brought into Samaria after the Assyrian deportation of the northern kingdom: “the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak” (2 Kings 17:31). His placement among other pagan gods underscores the religious syncretism that followed Israel’s exile.

Historical Background

The Avites were one of five peoples transplanted by the Assyrians (2 Kings 17:24). Archaeology connects “Avva” with regions along the Euphrates, an area saturated with Mesopotamian religion. Though Tartak’s precise identity is debated, contemporaneous iconography suggests a deity with animal features, possibly donkey- or dog-headed, fitting the grotesque nature of many Mesopotamian idols. Monarch-controlled resettlements routinely exported local gods, believing the divine entourage would secure prosperity in new lands. Thus Tartak traveled with the Avites into Israel’s vacated cities.

The Avites and Their Gods

2 Kings 17 records a spectrum of idols: Succoth-Benoth (from Babylon), Nergal (from Cuth), Ashima (from Hamath), Nibhaz and Tartak (from Avva), and Adrammelech and Anammelech (from Sepharvaim). Each name epitomized the polytheistic worldview that Israel had been warned to shun (Deuteronomy 12:31). Tartak’s inclusion illustrates how quickly idolatry returned to a land once dedicated to the LORD (2 Kings 17:34-35).

Theological Implications

1. Idolatry’s Persistence: Even after divine judgment, the human heart gravitates to replacement deities (Jeremiah 17:9). Tartak serves as a historical marker of that tendency.
2. The Inadequacy of Syncretism: The settlers “worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods” (2 Kings 17:33). Scripture exposes the futility of dual allegiance (Matthew 6:24; James 4:4).
3. Demonic Associations: Paul teaches that “what pagans sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons” (1 Corinthians 10:20). Tartak, therefore, was not merely a cultural artifact but a spiritual counterfeit opposing the living God.

Ministry Applications

• Discernment in Missions: Modern gospel workers often encounter local deities syncretized with nominal Christianity. Tartak’s account cautions against permitting cultural idols to coexist with biblical faith.
• Catechesis on Exclusive Worship: Teaching new believers the Shema’s call—“The LORD our God, the LORD is One” (Deuteronomy 6:4)—guards against a Tartak-style compromise.
• Spiritual Warfare: Recognizing idols as demonic strongholds informs intercessory prayer and pastoral counseling, urging total renunciation of former allegiances (Acts 19:18-19).

Christological Harmony

Where Israel faltered, Christ triumphed. In the wilderness He repudiated Satan’s offer of idolatrous power (Matthew 4:9-10), fulfilling the command Israel—and later the Samaritans—had ignored. By His cross He “disarmed the powers and authorities” (Colossians 2:15), ensuring that gods like Tartak hold no authority over those in Him.

Related Scriptures

• Exodus 20:3-5; Deuteronomy 6:14; Psalm 115:4-8 – Foundational prohibitions against idols
• 2 Kings 17:24-41 – Context of foreign resettlement and syncretism
• Isaiah 44:9-20 – Prophetic exposure of idolatry’s folly
• 1 Corinthians 10:19-22; 1 John 5:21 – New-Testament warnings to flee idols

Tartak’s lone biblical appearance thus magnifies enduring themes: the deceitfulness of idols, the necessity of pure worship, and the ultimate victory of the one true God.

תַּרְתָּ֑ק תרתק tar·tāq tarTak tartāqInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts