Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Barker, the name of an idol, supposed to be an evil demon of the Zabians. It was set up in Samaria by the Avites (2 Kings 17:31), probably in the form of a dog.
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1863)
(the barker), a deity of the Avites, introduced by them into Samaria in the time of Shalmaneser. (2 Kings 17:31) The rabbins derived the name from a Hebrew root nabach, “to bark,” and hence assigned to it the figure of a dog, or a dog-headed man. The Egyptians worshipped the dog. Some indications of this worship have been found in Syria, a colossal figure of a dog having formerly stood at a point between Berytus and Tripolis.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898) & Schaff's Bible Dictionary
NIB'HAZ(barker), an idol-god of the Avites. 2 Kgs 17:31. The name being derived from a word meaning "to bark," it is supposed that the god was represented by the figure of a dog. It would therefore be allied to Anubis of the Egyptians. A large figure of a dog was found on the road from Beirout to Tripolis.
Hitchcock's Bible Names (1869)
budding; prophesying