2 Kings 17:31

17:31 the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, 1  and the Sepharvites burned their sons in the fire as an offering to Adrammelech and Anammelech, 2  the gods of Sepharvaim.

2 Kings 19:37

19:37 One day, 3  as he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, 4  his sons 5  Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword. 6  They escaped to the land of Ararat; his son Esarhaddon replaced him as king.

1 sn Nibhaz and Tartak were two Elamite deities. See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 212.

2 sn Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of the Sepharvaim are unknown in extra-biblical literature. See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 212.

3 sn The assassination probably took place in 681 b.c.

4 sn No such Mesopotamian god is presently known. Perhaps the name is a corruption of Nusku.

5 tc Although “his sons” is absent in the Kethib, it is supported by the Qere, along with many medieval Hebrew mss and the ancient versions. Cf. Isa 37:38.

6 sn Extra-biblical sources also mention the assassination of Sennacherib, though they refer to only one assassin. See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 239-40.