סַרְגוֹן (sar.gon)
sar.gon
Sargon
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The proper noun Sargon (Hebrew: סַרְגוֹן) refers to an Assyrian king who ruled from 721 to 705 BC and is best known for conquering Samaria. In the Hebrew Bible, he appears in two distinct contexts: as a historical figure in 2 Kings 18:13 and as the subject of Isaiah’s prophetic sign-act in Isaiah 20:1.
Most scholars identify this Sargon with Sargon II, who succeeded Shalmaneser IV. The name itself likely means "prince of the sun." His appearance in Isaiah is notable because he is also referred to as Sennacherib in other passages, suggesting a possible scribal tradition or textual variant where the names were used interchangeably or confused by later copyists.
This single lexical entry highlights the intersection of biblical prophecy and ancient Near Eastern history. The brief mention in Isaiah serves as a tangible reminder of the geopolitical pressures facing Judah during the Divided Monarchy, grounding spiritual messages in real-world events involving powerful empires.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Sargon appears in Isaiah 20:1 as a historical marker rather than a theological concept. It identifies an Assyrian king whose military campaigns created real fear for the people of Judah. This reminder shows that God’s messages were not abstract ideas but responses to actual political crises and human anxiety.
When we read about ancient empires rising and falling, it helps us see that history is under God’s sovereignty. The brief mention of Sargon grounds the prophetic word in tangible reality. It invites us to trust that the same God who guided His people through geopolitical turmoil is present in our own uncertain times.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Sargon1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- סַֽרְג֖וֹן1×
Key Verses
-
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;
This verse anchors the prophecy in a specific historical moment, showing how divine messages addressed immediate political threats from Assyria.