Bible Encyclopedia: Tartan

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

TARTAN

tar'-tan (tartan): For a long time the word was interpreted as a proper name, but the Assyrian inscriptions have shown it to be the title of a high official. From the eponym lists it would seem that it was the title of 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 Isaiah 20:1 it is used of the officer sent by Sargon, king of Assyria, against Ashdod; according to 2 Kings 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

Strong's Hebrew

8661. Tartan -- general, commander (title of an Assyr. general)
... 8660, 8661. Tartan. 8662 . general, commander (title of an Assyr. general).
Transliteration: Tartan Phonetic Spelling: (tar-tawn') Short Definition: commander ...
/hebrew/8661.htm - 6k

Library

On Certain Modern Writers and the Institution of the Family
... The men of the clan live together because they all wear the same tartan or are all
descended from the same sacred cow; but in their souls, by the divine luck ...
//christianbookshelf.org/chesterton/heretics/xiv on certain modern writers.htm

How Sennacherib Made an Expedition against Hezekiah; What
... with great forces, to destroy Jerusalem. The names of the two other
commanders were Tartan and Rabsaris. 2. Now as soon as they ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 1 how sennacherib made.htm

Sennacherib (705-681 BC )
... Sennacherib was encamped at Lachish; but the Tartan and his two lieutenants received
the overtures of peace, and proposed a parley near the conduit of the ...
/.../chapter isennacherib 705-681 b c.htm

A Miracle of Grace
... A few words will suffice to describe it. The Assyrian king sent his captain, one
Tartan, who besieged the city till it was devastated, and the king fled. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 62 1916/a miracle of grace.htm

Sargon of Assyria (722-705 BC )
... Sargon despatched the Tartan,** and the rapidity with which that officer carried
out the campaign prevented the movement from spreading beyond Philistia. ...
/.../chapter iiisargon of assyria 722-705.htm

The Rise of the Assyrian Empire
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 6. <. ...
/.../chapter iithe rise of the.htm

The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 8. <. ...
/.../chapter iithe power of assyria 2.htm

Babylonia and Assyria
... unchecked. Under him was the Turtannu or Tartan, the commander-in-chief,
who commanded the army in the absence of the king. The ...
/.../early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter vi babylonia and assyria.htm

The Assyrian Revival and the Struggle for Syria
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7. <. ...
/.../chapter ithe assyrian revival and.htm

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7. <. ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Tartan

a general (official title)

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Tartan

which occurs only in (2 Kings 18:17) and Isai 20:1 Has been generally regarded as a proper name; like Rabsaris and Rabshakeh, it is more probably an official designation, and indicates the Assyrian commander-in-chief.

ATS Bible Dictionary

Tartan

An Assyrian general, sent to Jerusalem with Rabshakeh, by Sennacherib, 2 Kings 18:17; and perhaps the same who captured Ashdod in the reign of Sargon, Isaiah 20:1.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

An Assyrian word, meaning "the commander-in-chief."

(1.) One of Sennacherib's messengers to Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:17).

(2.) One of Sargon's generals (Isaiah 20:1).

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) Woolen cloth, checkered or crossbarred with narrow bands of various colors, much worn in the Highlands of Scotland; hence, any pattern of tartan; also, other material of a similar pattern.

2. (n.) A small coasting vessel, used in the Mediterranean, having one mast carrying large leteen sail, and a bowsprit with staysail or jib.

Thesaurus

Tartan (2 Occurrences)
... Woolen cloth, checkered or crossbarred with narrow bands of various colors, much
worn in the Highlands of Scotland; hence, any pattern of tartan; also, other ...
/t/tartan.htm - 8k

Rabshakeh (15 Occurrences)
... Rabshakeh was one of the officers sent by Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, with
the Tartan and the Rabsaris to demand the surrender of Jerusalem, which was ...
/r/rabshakeh.htm - 14k

Rab-saris (3 Occurrences)
... The passage would be translated properly, `And the king of Assyria sent the Tartan
and the Rab-saris (the chief eunuch) and the Rabshakeh from Lachish to king ...
/r/rab-saris.htm - 9k

Rabsaris (3 Occurrences)
... The passage would be translated properly, `And the king of Assyria sent the Tartan
and the Rab-saris (the chief eunuch) and the Rabshakeh from Lachish to king ...
/r/rabsaris.htm - 10k

Sargon (1 Occurrence)
... Sargon is mentioned but once by name in the Old Testament (Isaiah 20:1), when he
sent his Tartan (turtannu) against Ashdod, but he is referred to in 2 Kings 17 ...
/s/sargon.htm - 10k

Commander (111 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 18:17 And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rab-saris and Rab-shakeh
from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great army unto Jerusalem. ...
/c/commander.htm - 37k

Washerman's (3 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 18:17 Then the king of Assyria sent the Tartan and the Rab-saris and the
Rab-shakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem, to King Hezekiah, with a strong force. ...
/w/washerman's.htm - 7k

Fighteth (23 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 20:1 In the year of the coming in of Tartan to Ashdod, when Sargon king of
Asshur sendeth him, and he fighteth against Ashdod, and captureth it, (YLT). ...
/f/fighteth.htm - 13k

Fullers (4 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 18:17 And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rab-saris and Rabshakeh
from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great army unto Jerusalem. ...
/f/fullers.htm - 7k

Fuller's (4 Occurrences)
... Fuller's (4 Occurrences). 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. ...
/f/fuller's.htm - 11k

Bible Concordance

Tartan (2 Occurrences)

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 were come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller's field.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

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;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT)

Subtopics

Tartan

Tartan: An Assyrian General

Related Terms

Rabshakeh (15 Occurrences)

Rab-saris (3 Occurrences)

Rabsaris (3 Occurrences)

Sargon (1 Occurrence)

Commander (111 Occurrences)

Washerman's (3 Occurrences)

Fighteth (23 Occurrences)

Fullers (4 Occurrences)