2 Kings 17:30

“And the men of Babylon made Succothbenoth, etc.] That is, those that came from Babylon made and served an idol of this name, which, according to the Jewish writers f215, were the figures of an hen and chickens; but others suppose them to be the Pleiades, or seven stars, the stars being had in great veneration by the Babylonians; though others rather think those Succothbenoth, “tabernacles”, or “booths of the daughters”, as the words may be rendered, have respect to the apartments in the temple of Venus, or Mylitta with the Babylonians and Assyrians, in which women once in their lives prostituted themselves to whomsoever asked them, in honour of Venus; of which filthy practice of theirs…”

“Succoth-benoth--that is, the "tents" or "booths of the daughters," similar to those in which the Babylonian damsels celebrated impure rites (Amo 2:8). Nergal--The Jewish writers say this idol was in the form of a cock, and it is certain that a cock is often associated with a priest on the Assyrian monuments [LAYARD]. But modern critics, looking to the astrological character of Assyrian idolatry, generally consider Nergal as the planet Mars, the god of war. The name of this idol formed part of the appellation of two of the king of Babylon's princes (Jer 39:3). Ashima--an idol under the form of an entirely bald he-goat.”

“Succoth-benoth probably represents a Babylonian goddess called Zir-banit, the wife of Merodach. She and her husband were, next to Bel and Beltis, the favorite divinities of the Babylonians. Nergal, etymologically “the great man,” or “the great hero,” was the Babylonian god of war and hunting. His name forms an element in the Babylonian royal appellation, Nergal-shar-ezar or Neriglissar. The Assyrian inscriptions connect Nergal in a very special way with Cutha, of which he was evidently the tutelary deity. Ashima is ingeniously conjectured to be the same as Esmun, the AEsculapius of the Cabiri or “great gods” of the Phoenicians. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Babylon: Kg2 17:24 Succoth benoth: Succoth benoth, literally "the tents of the daughters." Cuth: Cuth is probably the Cush watered by the Gihon, or Araxes, now Aras ( Gen 2:13), the ancient country of the Scythians, where we meet with the Quitians, Coethians, or Coete, and Cytheans, and the cities of Cotatis, Cetemane, Cythanum, Cyta, Cethena, etc. Nergal: Supposed to denote the solar orb; the emblem of which, according to the Rabbins, was a cock. Ashima: Jarchi says this idol was of the form of a goat. 4 Kings (2 Kings) 17:31”