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What is Molech in the Bible?

A male deity in the Old Testament

Molech, also known as Milcom or Moloch, was a Canaanite deity worshipped by the Ammonites and others in the ancient Near East. The Bible strongly condemns the worship of Molech, particularly the practice of child sacrifice associated with this deity (Lev. 18:21; 20:2-5; 2Ki. 23:10; Jer. 32:35). Molech appears in 8 verses across 4 books of the Bible.

Molech
Molech · By Charles Foster, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

What does the Bible say about Molech?

Molech, also known as Milcom or Moloch, was a Canaanite deity worshipped by the Ammonites and others in the ancient Near East. The Bible strongly condemns the worship of Molech, particularly the practice of child sacrifice associated with this deity (Lev. 18:21; 20:2-5; 2Ki. 23:10; Jer. 32:35). In Leviticus, God warns the Israelites against giving their children to Molech, stating that those who do so will be cut off from the people (Lev. 20:2-5). King Solomon built a high place for Molech on the Mount of Olives (1Ki. 11:7), which was later destroyed by King Josiah during his religious reforms (2Ki. 23:13). The prophet Jeremiah condemns the practice of child sacrifice to Molech in the Valley of Hinnom near Jerusalem (Jer. 32:35). Molech is also mentioned in Amo.5.26 and Act.7.43, where it is associated with idolatry and the worship of heavenly bodies. The name Molech is believed to derive from the Hebrew word "melek," meaning "king," and may have been a title rather than a proper name.

Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.

Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.

Where does Molech appear in the Bible?

Molech is referenced in 8 verses across 4 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.

Leviticus 52 Kings 1Acts 1Jeremiah 1

What else appears in these passages?

These turn up in the same passages as Molech.

FaceTophethDaughterBabylonBaalForeigner

Common questions

How many times does the Bible mention Molech?

Molech appears in 8 verses across 4 books, most often in Leviticus, which accounts for 5 of them.

Which books of the Bible mention Molech?

Leviticus, 2 Kings, Acts, Jeremiah.

Where can I read every verse about Molech?

This page lists 8 of them. Protos carries all 8, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.

Read it in context

Read Leviticus with Molech explained on the verse.

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