Molech

Molech, often spelled Molekh or Moloch in English, is the name used in the Hebrew Bible for a deity or cult object associated with child sacrifice. The historical identity of Molech is uncertain: some scholars treat Molech as a distinct god worshipped by certain groups in the ancient Near East, while others view Molech as a title or designation linked to a ritual practice or statue. The name itself may reflect a term meaning “king” or function as a label applied to a disturbing rite, and there is no consensus on a single, unified cult.

Biblical sources present Molech as an abhorrent form of worship that the Israelites were explicitly commanded to avoid. Leviticus 18:21 and 20:2–5 prohibit giving one’s child to pass through the fire to Molech and prescribe punishment for those who do so. Solomon’s reign is described in 1 Kings 11:7 as including high places for Molech on the hill before Jerusalem, alongside other deities. 2 Kings 23:10 reports the destruction of the Topheth sanctuary in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, where children were said to be offered, and Jeremiah 32:35 references altars in the Valley of Hinnom used for such practices, condemning the ritual.

Etymology and interpretation remain debated among scholars, and archaeological evidence for a unified Molech cult is limited. In broader literary and theological usage, Molech has come to symbolize a powerful, relentless force that consumes the vulnerable, a metaphor that has appeared in various works of literature and modern discourse.

See also Topheth, Valley of Hinnom, and Moloch in later literature.