Tartan תַּרְתָּן
Title of an Assyrian military commander
Biography
The Tartan is mentioned in 2Ki.18.17 and Isa.20.1 as a title of a high-ranking Assyrian military commander. In 2 Kings, the Tartan, along with the Rabsaris and the Rabshakeh, was sent by King Sennacherib of Assyria to Jerusalem to intimidate King Hezekiah and demand his surrender. In Isaiah, the Tartan was sent by Sargon king of Assyria to attack the city of Ashdod. The Tartan was likely second in command to the king and led major military campaigns. The title is of Akkadian origin and refers to the commander-in-chief of the Assyrian army.
In Scripture
2 biblical books ; 1 with study content2 Kings 1 verse
- 2 Kings 18:17
"The king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great army to Jerusalem. They went up and came to Jerusalem. When they had come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller’s field."
Isaiah 1 verse
- Isaiah 20:1
"In the year that Tartan came to Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him, and he fought against Ashdod and took it;"
Study Isaiah →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Strong's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | תַּרְתָּן | H8661 |
| (same form as previous) | Hebrew | תַּרְתָּן | H8661 |
Tartan
the highest official next to the king, which in a military empire like Assyria would be the "commander-in-chief." The Assyrian form of the name is tartanu or turtanu. In both Old Testament passages the reference is to a military officer. In Isa 20:1 it is used of the officer sent by Sargon, king of Assyria, against Ashdod; according to 2Ki 18:17, Sennacherib sent Tartan and RAB-SARIS (which see) and RABSHAKEH (which see) with a great host against Jerusalem. The names of the-two officials are not known.
F. C. Eiselen
task'-mas-ter. (sar mac, "chief of the burden" or "levy" (Ex 1:11); noghes, "distress," "driver," "oppressor," "raiser of taxes," "taskmaster" (Ex