### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **Niçrôk**, represented by `{{H5268}}`, refers to a Babylonian idol. This word, of foreign origin, appears only **2 times** in **2 unique verses**. Its limited use is highly specific, marking the name of a false god worshipped by an Assyrian king at the moment of his death.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The biblical narrative presents `{{H5268}}` in two identical accounts, which describe the downfall of a king. While he was in the act of worshipping in the house of **Nisroch** his god, his own sons, Adrammelech and Sharezer, "smote him with the sword" ([[Isaiah 37:38]]; [[2 Kings 19:37]]). The scene starkly portrays the idol's impotence, as it could not protect its devotee from assassination, even within its own temple.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words are central to the context in which `{{H5268}}` appears:
* `{{H7812}}` **shâchâh** (worship): A primitive root meaning to "bow (self) down, crouch, fall down (flat)... worship." The king is killed precisely while he is performing this act of devotion [[2 Kings 19:37]], an act which is elsewhere commanded to be directed only toward the Lord [[Psalms 95:6]].
* `{{H430}}` **ʼĕlôhîym** (god): A word that can mean "gods in the ordinary sense" but is specifically used for the "supreme God." In this context, it is applied to the idol **Nisroch** [[Isaiah 37:38]], contrasting with its typical use for the one true God who created the heavens and the earth [[Genesis 1:1]].
* `{{H5221}}` **nâkâh** (smote): This primitive root means to "strike... kill, make (slaughter), smite." It describes the violent action taken by the king's sons against him in the temple [[Isaiah 37:38]].
* `{{H2719}}` **chereb** (sword): Defined as "a cutting instrument... as a knife, sword, or other sharp implement." This is the instrument of judgment used to kill the king as he worshipped his false god [[2 Kings 19:37]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H5268}}` is found entirely in its dramatic context, which serves as a powerful polemic against idolatry.
* **The Impotence of Idols:** The story of **Nisroch** is a clear illustration of the vanity of worshipping false gods. The idol is shown to be utterly powerless, unable to prevent a violent death in its own house and at the height of a worship service [[Isaiah 37:38]].
* **Judgment in the Place of Worship:** The setting of the assassination is profoundly significant. The "house of **Nisroch** his god" [[2 Kings 19:37]], a place of supposed sanctuary and divine power, becomes a scene of judgment and death, highlighting the failure of the idol.
* **The Futility of Human Allegiance to False Gods:** The narrative demonstrates that allegiance to a false god `{{H430}}` like **Nisroch** ends not in deliverance but in destruction, carried out by the king's own sons with a sword `{{H2719}}`.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H5268}}` is not a complex theological term but a name tied to a single, stark event. The appearances of **Niçrôk** in the Bible are exclusively to provide the name of the idol whose worshipper was slain mid-worship. This brief account serves as an enduring scriptural example of the powerlessness of idols and the ultimate futility of placing faith in any god other than the LORD.
TRV