Isaiah 20:1
In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, (when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him,) and fought against Ashdod, and took it; In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, (when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him,) and fought against Ashdod, and took it;
The verse stands among the historical accounts in the first section of Isaiah, which set forth events from the prophet's active years and public ministry. It names Sargon as king of Assyria and records that he sent Tartan to fight against Ashdod and take it. Tartan is the commander-in-chief, dispatched to besiege and capture Ashdod. This is the Old Testament's only mention of Sargon, and the naming is a distinctive historical reference, not proof that he was mythical or the product of scribal error.
The Sargon named here was also the Assyrian king who carried Israel captive. The capture of Ashdod took place during his reign, around 711 B.C., when he sent Tartan to attack and take the city. Those holding this dating alongside the Assyrian evidence identify the attack and capture with the account in the Assyrian inscriptions of Sargon's campaign in 710 B.C., when he overran Judea and razed Ashdod.
His existence, once doubted, was confirmed by the discovery of his palace. The siege itself is confirmed by Sargon's own annals found in his palace, upholding the historical accuracy of the account. Assyrian archaeological discoveries, including Sargon's palace, inscriptions, and accounts of the siege, confirm both the king and the event named in the verse. His existence and Assyrian military history are confirmed by contemporary inscriptions, including a record of the campaigns fought during each year of his reign. In this way the verse confirms the historical account of Sargon besieging and capturing Ashdod.