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תַּרְתָּק

𐤕𐤓𐤕𐤒

Taretaq

H8662 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain uncertain, possible proper name of foreign deity

Definition

Tartak is the proper name of a deity worshipped by the Avvites, a people group resettled in Samaria during the Assyrian period. The specific identity and characteristics of this deity remain obscure due to lack of further biblical or extrabiblical information. The term appears only as a foreign god's name rather than a common noun.

Semantic Range

foreign deity name, Avvite god, proper noun referring to a non-Israelite divinity

Root / Etymology

Etymology uncertain; not derived from any recognized Hebrew root. The name is considered foreign, likely reflecting the language of the Avvites or another related culture. There are no convincing connections to known Semitic roots, suggesting direct importation or transliteration of a non-Hebrew divine name.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Tartak appears only in 2 Kings 17:31 as one of the gods worshipped by groups relocated into Samaria following the Assyrian conquest (late 8th century BCE). The passage highlights religious diversity among these peoples, distinguishing their practices from Israelite tradition. There is no evidence to support later identifications (e.g., with a demon or with mythology from later Jewish literature)—these derive from much later traditions. English translations usually preserve the foreign name, 'Tartak,' since its meaning and attributes are otherwise unknown. The word has no broader lexical meaning in Hebrew beyond serving as a proper name in this context.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

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

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

תרתק (uncertain foreign form) (t-r-t-q (uncertain)) — uncertain, foreign deity name

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H8662-01 תַּרְתָּ֑ק taretaq HNp Tartak Tartak 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H8662-01 2 Kings 17:31 תַּרְתָּ֑ק taretaq HNp Tartak Tartak
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