Lexical Summary Nergal: Nergal Original Word: נֵרְגַּל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Nergal Of foreign origin; Nergal, a Cuthite deity -- Nergal. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof foreign origin Definition a heathen god NASB Translation Nergal (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs נֵרְגָ֑ל proper name, of a divinity (Phoenician נרגל CISi.119. 2) — worshipped by men of Cuth, 2 Kings 17:30 (see SchrCOT 2 Kings 17:30 JenKosmol. 476-490 Muss-ArnJBL xi (1892), 168). Topical Lexicon Historical Background Nergal was a prominent Mesopotamian deity, widely venerated in Babylon, Assyria, and across the ancient Near East as a god of war, plague, and the underworld. Archaeological texts from Nineveh and Babylon link him to the planet Mars and portray him as a bringer of pestilence whose favor was sought for military success and protection from disease. Iconography often showed him armed with a mace or accompanied by lion-like creatures, reinforcing his reputation as a fierce destroyer. By the eighth century BC his cult had spread through the Assyrian empire, and emigrant communities carried his worship wherever they were resettled by imperial policy. Biblical Occurrence and Context The name appears once in Scripture, in the catalogue of foreign gods imported into the Northern Kingdom after its fall: “The men of Avva made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima” (2 Kings 17:30). After Samaria’s capture (722 BC), the Assyrians repopulated the land with captives from distant provinces (2 Kings 17:24). These communities continued their native cults, producing a syncretistic environment where reverence for the LORD was blended with idolatry. The narrative highlights how this mixture incurred divine displeasure (2 Kings 17:33-41), underscoring the spiritual cause behind Israel’s exile. Theological Significance 1. Exclusive Lordship of God. The brief mention of Nergal powerfully contrasts the living God of Israel with the powerless idols of the nations. While newcomers feared “the lions” sent by the LORD (2 Kings 17:25), their resort to Nergal and other deities proved futile, amplifying the theme that “all the gods of the nations are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens” (Psalm 96:5). Lessons for Contemporary Ministry • Guard against Syncretism. The settlers of Samaria “feared the LORD, yet served their own gods” (2 Kings 17:33). Modern believers must resist blending biblical faith with cultural idols such as materialism, nationalism, or self-promotion. Related Passages 2 Kings 17:24-41; Exodus 15:3; Psalm 96:5; Isaiah 46:1-9; Romans 1:21-25; 1 John 4:1; Colossians 2:15 Forms and Transliterations נֵֽרְגַ֑ל נרגל nê·rə·ḡal nereGal nêrəḡalLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Kings 17:30 HEB: עָשׂ֖וּ אֶת־ נֵֽרְגַ֑ל וְאַנְשֵׁ֥י חֲמָ֖ת NAS: of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath KJV: made Nergal, and the men INT: of Cuth made Nergal the men of Hamath 1 Occurrence |