Idol of the Avvite colonists planted by Esarhaddon in Samaria (2 Kings 17:31). Worshipped under the form of a donkey (Talmud Bab. Sanhedrin, 63 b.). In Egyptian hieroglyphics the donkey symbolizes Tartak (Plutarch Isaiah and Os. 14). Tartak may be of Persian origin, meaning "the prince of darkness", belonging to the under world or some planet of ill fortune. The Carmanians worshipped Mars with a donkey (2 Kings 17:31). In Ρehlevi tar thakh means "deep darkness", "hero of darkness".
From the co-author of the classic Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary, Fausset's Bible Dictionary stands as one of the best single-volume Bible encyclopedias ever written for general use. The author's writing style is always clear and concise, and he tackles issues important to the average student of the Bible, not just the Biblical scholars. This makes Fausset an excellent tool for both everyday Bible study and in-depth lesson or sermon preparation.Wikipedia
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