Biblical Lexicon

H4432 H4432

Art | N-proper-ms | 9× in 2 senses

Molek; a Canaanite deity associated with child sacrifice by fire, consistently condemned in Torah and Prophets.

The name of an abhorrent pagan deity to whom Israelites were forbidden to offer their children by fire. The vocalization deliberately echoes the vowels of boshet ('shame'), overlaid on the consonants of melek ('king'), signaling revulsion at this false god's claim to royal divine status. Leviticus 18:21 and 20:2-5 prescribe the death penalty for those who 'give their seed to Molek,' while Jeremiah 32:35 associates Molek worship with the Valley of Hinnom. In one debated instance (Amos 5:26), the same consonants may simply mean 'your king' rather than the deity name.

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Senses

1. Molek (pagan deity) — The proper name of a Canaanite/Ammonite deity to whom children were sacrificed by fire. Always appearing with the definite article (ha-Molek), this name is linked to the horrifying rite of 'passing through the fire' in the Valley of Ben-Hinnom (2 Kgs 23:10, Jer 32:35). The Levitical legislation (Lev 18:21; 20:2-5) treats dedication to Molek as both idolatry and murder. Spanish renders it 'Moloc,' French 'Molek,' and German 'der Molek,' all preserving the divine-name status. 8×

SUPERNATURAL › Supernatural Beings and Powers › Gods and Deities

AR["الْ-مُولِكِ","لِ-الْ-مُولِكِ","لِلْمَلِكِ","لِمُولِكَ","وَ-لِ-مُولَكَ"]·ben["-মোলকের-জন্য","এবং-মোলকের-জন্য","মোলককে","মোলকের","মোলকের-জন্য","মোলেখের-কাছে"]·DE["dem-Koenig","der-Molek","und-fuer-Molek","zu-der-Molek"]·EN["and-for-Molek","the-Molek","to-the-Molek"]·FR["au-roi","et-pour-Molek","le-Molek","à-le-Molek"]·heb["ה-מלך","ו-ל-מולך","ל-ה-למלך","ל-ה-מולך","ל-מולך"]·HI["और-मोलेक-के-लिए","को-मोलेक","मोलेक-के","मोलेक-के-लिए","मोलेक-को","ल-ह-मोलेक"]·ID["Molokh","dan untuk Molokh","kepada-Molokh"]·IT["a-il-Molek","al-re","e-per-Molek","il-Molek"]·jav["Molèkh","dhateng-Molèkh","kangge-Molèk","kangge-Molèkh","kanggé-Molèkh","lan-kanggé-Molèk"]·KO["그-몰렙","그리고-을-위하여-몰렉","몫록에게","몰렉에게","에게-그-몰렉","에게-그-몰렙"]·PT["ao-Molekh","e-para-Molech","o-Molekh","para-o-Molekh"]·RU["Молехом","Молеху","для-Молеха","для-Молоха","и-для-Молоха"]·ES["Moloc","a-Molej","a-Moloc","para-Moloc","para-el-Molek","y-para-Moloc"]·SW["Moleki","kwa-Moleki","na-kwa-Moleki"]·TR["-Molek-için","Molek'e","Molek'in","ve-Molek'e"]·urd["-مولک-کے","اور-مولک-کے-لیے","مولک-کو","مولک-کے-لیے","کے-لیے-مولک"]

Lev 18:21, Lev 20:2, Lev 20:3, Lev 20:4, Lev 20:5, 1 Kgs 11:7, 2 Kgs 23:10, Jer 32:35

2. your king (common noun) — A possible common-noun reading 'your king' at Amos 5:26, where the consonantal text malkekhem may be vocalized as a regular noun with a possessive suffix rather than as the deity name. English renders 'your-king' and Spanish 'su-rey,' suggesting a royal figure rather than a pagan god. This alternative reading fits the prophetic indictment of Israel's self-chosen leadership and idolatrous processions, though the Septuagint's Moloch shows early tradition already read it as the divine name. 1×

AUTHORITY_RULE › Control, Rule › Ruling and Reigning

AR["مَلِكِكُمْ"]·ben["তোমাদের-রাজার"]·DE["[מלככם]"]·EN["your-king"]·FR["Molek"]·heb["מלככם"]·HI["राजा-अपने"]·ID["rajamu"]·IT["[מלככם]"]·jav["lan-Kéwan"]·KO["너희의-왕의"]·PT["vosso-rei"]·RU["царя-вашего"]·ES["su-rey"]·SW["mfalme-wenu"]·TR["kralınızın"]·urd["تمہارے-بادشاہ-کو"]

Amos 5:26

BDB / Lexicon Reference

† מֹ֫לֶךְ n.pr.div. Molech (𝔊 Μολοχ, 𝔙 Moloch) ( = מֶלֶךְ i.e. (divine) King, with vowels of בֹּשֶׁת to denote abhorrence, HoffmZAW iii. 1883, 124 RSSem i. 353; 2nd ed. 372; cf. Hoffm GGAbh. xxxvi. 1890 (May, 1889), 25; Ph. n. pr. div. מלך Milk, in n.pr. cf. Bloch, Dr Dt 222 f.);—c. art. הַמּ׳:—the god to whom Isr. sacrif. children with fire (in valley of Hinnom); העביר בָּאֵשׁ לַמּ׳ 2 K 23:10;…