### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **Çargôwn**, represented by `{{H5623}}`, identifies **Sargon, an Assyrian king**. This name, noted as being of foreign derivation, appears only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the Bible. Its sole appearance serves to pinpoint a specific historical event involving the military power of the Assyrian empire.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The single reference to `{{H5623}}` is found in [[Isaiah 20:1]], which establishes a precise historical timeline for a prophecy. The verse states that in the year Tartan came to Ashdod, it was because "**Sargon** the **king** of **Assyria** **sent** him," leading to a battle where Ashdod was **fought** against and ultimately **taken**. This places **Sargon** as the commanding authority behind a significant military conquest in the region.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several words in the immediate context of [[Isaiah 20:1]] clarify Sargon's role and identity:
* `{{H4428}}` **melek** (a king): This title explicitly defines **Sargon's** position of supreme authority over the Assyrian empire. The term is used throughout scripture to identify both earthly rulers and God as the ultimate **King** [[Isaiah 44:6]].
* `{{H804}}` **ʼAshshûwr** (Assyria): This identifies the nation and empire that **Sargon** ruled. **Assyria** is frequently mentioned as a major world power that interacts with Israel, often as an instrument of judgment or as a place of exile [[Jeremiah 50:17]].
* `{{H7971}}` **shâlach** (to send away, for, or out): This verb describes **Sargon's** direct action of dispatching his commander Tartan to execute the military campaign. The same word is used to describe God's action of sending His word or His messengers [[Psalms 107:20]].
### Theological Significance
The mention of `{{H5623}}` carries weight by anchoring prophecy to a verifiable historical context and illustrating broader theological principles.
* **Historical Anchor:** Sargon's role as the **king** `{{H4428}}` of **Assyria** `{{H804}}` who **sent** `{{H7971}}` his army to **take** `{{H3920}}` **Ashdod** `{{H795}}` provides a specific, concrete event to which the prophetic message of Isaiah is attached [[Isaiah 20:1]].
* **Instrument of Power:** While Sargon exercises his royal authority, the scriptures elsewhere frame **Assyria** `{{H804}}` as a nation within God's sovereign control, referring to it as "the work of my hands" [[Isaiah 19:25]] and a force that ultimately serves a larger divine purpose.
* **Contrast in Kingship:** The presence of a powerful human **king** `{{H4428}}` like **Sargon** highlights the biblical distinction between earthly and divine rule. Other prophets declare that the LORD is the true **King** of Israel [[Isaiah 44:6]] and that He will one day be **king** over all the earth [[Zechariah 14:9]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H5623}}` **Çargôwn** is a name that refers to a specific Assyrian monarch whose authority is noted in a single biblical passage. His mention is not incidental; it firmly grounds the prophetic narrative of Isaiah in a tangible historical moment—the conquest of Ashdod. Through his role as the **king** `{{H4428}}` of **Assyria** `{{H804}}`, Sargon's actions exemplify the power of earthly empires, while the wider biblical context subordinates such powers to the ultimate sovereignty and kingship of God.
TRV