Moloch

MOLOCH, Molech, Milcom, or Melchom, a God of the Ammonites. The Word Moloch signifies King, and Melchom signifies their King, Moses in several Places forbids the Lev. xviii. 21. xx. 2, 3, 4, 5.Israelites to dedicate their Children to Moloch, by making them pass through the Fire in Honour of that God. He ordered those to be put to Death, who should offend against this Command; and God himself threatens to pour out his Wrath against such a Man, and to root him out from among his People. There is great Probability that the Hebrews were much addicted to the Worship of this Deity, even from before their coming out of Egypt, Am. v. 26. Acts vii. 43. 1 Kings xi. 7. 2 Kings xxi. 3, 4. Jerem. xix. 5, 6.since Amos, and after him St. Stephen, reproaches them with having carried along with them into the Wilderness, the Tabernacle of their God Moloch. Portâstis Tabernaculum Moloch vestro. Solomon built a Temple to Moloch upon the Mount of Olives, and Menasseh a long Time after imitated his Impiety, by making his Son pass through the Fire in Honour of Moloch. ‘Twas chiefly in the Valley of Tophet and Hinnom, to the East of Jerusalem, that this idolatrous Worship was paid to Moloch by the Jews, by consecrating their Children to him, and by making them to pass thro’ the Fire in Honour of him.

Some are of Opinion, that they contented themselves with making these Children leap over a Fire sacred to Moloch, in Order by this to consecrate them to this false Deity; and by this Lustration to purify them, being an usual Ceremony on other Occasions among the Pagans. Others believe that they made them pass between two Fires opposite to each other, for the same Intention. But others maintain that they really burnt their Children, by Way of Sacrifice to Moloch. The Scriptures will furnish several Proofs of this. See Psalm cvi. 37. Isaiah lvii. 5. Ezek. xvi. 20, 21. xxiii. 37, 39. where it is positively asserted, that the Hebrews sometimes sacrificed their Children to Devils, to Moloch, and to strange Gods. And in the second Book of Kings it is directly said, that the Inhabitants of Sepharvaim burnt 2 Kings xvii. 31.their Children in the Fire to Anammelech and Adrammelech their Gods, which without Doubt are the same as Moloch of the Ammonites. However I would not be understood to assert, that they always really burnt their Children in Honour of this Idol; and perhaps when it is only expressed that they made ‘em pass through the Fire, lustrare per ignem, or, transferre per ignem, this means in some Places, the leaping over the Flames, or passing nimbly between two Fires. But we are persuaded, that generally speaking the Worshippers of Moloch immolated or sacrificed their Children, and put them to Death in Honour of this false Deity.

The Rabbins assure us, that the Idol Moloch was of Brass, sitting upon a Throne of the same Metal, adorned with a royal Crown, having the Head of a Calf, and his Arms extended as if to embrace any one. When they would offer any Children to him, they heated the Statue within by a great Fire, and when it was burning hot, they put the miserable Victim within his Arms, which was soon consumed by the Violence of the Heat. And that the Cries of the Children might not be heard, they made a great Noise with Drums and other Instruments about the Idol. Others say that his Arms were extended, and reaching toward the Ground; so that when they put a Child within his Arms, it immediately fell into a great Fire which was lighted at the Foot of the Statue. Others relate that it was hollow, and that within it were contrived seven Partitions, one of which was appointed for Meal or Flower; in the second there were Turtles, in the third an Ewe, in the fourth a Ram, in the fifth a Calf, in the sixth an Ox, and in the seventh a Child. All these were burned together, by heating the Statue on the inside.

When David conquered the Ammonites¹, he took the Crown of their God Milcom, or more simply, he took the Crown of their King, which weighed a Talent of Gold, and made a Crown of it for himself. The Hebrew Talent weighed three Thousand Shekels, or one Hundred and twenty five Roman Pounds. This is an excessive Weight for a Crown Royal. Therefore ‘tis thought that this Prince did not wear it upon his Head, but caused it to be hung up upon his Throne, over his Head. Or lastly, that the Talent of Gold mentioned in Scripture, does not express the Weight but Value of the Crown. ‘Twas of Gold, and set with precious Stones, as is insinuated in the Book of Chronicles. Invenit in eâ auri pondo talentum, & pretiosissimas gemmas. These pretious Stones were a very considerable Addition to the Price; but its Weight might be that of an ordinary Royal Crown. This is the Opinion of some Commentators upon 2 Sam. xii. 30.

There are various Sentiments about the Relation that Moloch had to the other Pagan Divinities. Some believe that Moloch was the same as Saturn, to whom it is well known that human Sacrifices were offered. Others think it was the same as Mercury, others Venus, others Mars or Mithra. We have endeavoured to prove, that Moloch signified the Sun, or the King of Heaven. Our Dissertation upon Moloch may be consulted, printed before the Commentary upon Leviticus. See also Selden de Diis Syris, and Spencer, de legibus Hebræorum Ritualib.. ii. c. 10. And Vossius, de Origine & progressu Idolatriæ, l. ii. c. 5.

Read this article in its place on the printed pages