Molech
One of the gods of the nations named in the Bible.
King, the name of the national god of the Ammonites, to whom children were sacrificed by fire. He was the consuming and destroying and also at the same time the purifying fire.
From Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897).
- Tagged in
- 8 verses
Computed from the data.
Places
Places named in the same verses as Molech, with the number of verses they share; a larger marker means more. Locations follow OpenBible.info, which grades each identification. A dashed ring on the map marks a region, river, or mountain rather than a town.
- location not graded: Valley of the Son of Hinnom2
- likely location: Jerusalem1
- location not graded: Moab1
- location not graded: Topheth1
Timeline
The strip runs from Creation to AD 100; the shaded part, 1714–363 BC, is drawn below at a larger scale around these mentions. Years are traditional (Jones), shown as recorded, not as settled fact.
Mentions
8 tagged verses in 4 books. Select a book to read its verses.
The name in each translation
| Text | Occurrences of each name |
|---|---|
| BSB | Molech 10 |
| KJV | Molech 8 |
| ASV | Molech 8 |
Whole-word, case-sensitive count of the name string (regex \bName\b, so possessives like "Abraham's" count) across the whole Bible text of each translation; this counts the string, not the person, so other people who share the name are included and pronoun references are not. How Begat counts
Every verse
All 8 tagged verses, by book, in canonical order. The Berean Standard Bible is shown; switch to the King James or American Standard Version.
Leviticus5 verses
- 18:21
You must not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
- 20:2
“Tell the Israelites, ‘Any Israelite or foreigner living in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech must be put to death. The people of the land are to stone him.
- 20:3
And I will set My face against that man and cut him off from his people, because by giving his offspring to Molech, he has defiled My sanctuary and profaned My holy name.
- 20:4
And if the people of the land ever hide their eyes and fail to put to death the man who gives one of his children to Molech,
- 20:5
then I will set My face against that man and his family and cut off from among their people both him and all who follow him in prostituting themselves with Molech.
1 Kings1 verse
- 11:7
At that time on a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites.
2 Kings1 verse
- 23:10
He also desecrated Topheth in the Valley of Ben-hinnom so that no one could sacrifice his son or daughter in the fire to Molech.
Jeremiah1 verse
- 32:35
They have built the high places of Baal in the Valley of Ben-hinnom to make their sons and daughters pass through the fire to Molech—something I never commanded them, nor had it ever entered My mind, that they should commit such an abomination and cause Judah to sin.
Easton’s Bible Dictionary
The full entry, public domain, as printed in 1897.
King, the name of the national god of the Ammonites, to whom children were sacrificed by fire. He was the consuming and destroying and also at the same time the purifying fire. In Amos 5:26, “your Moloch” of the Authorized Version is “your king” in the Revised Version (comp. Acts 7:43). Solomon (1 Kings 11:7) erected a high place for this idol on the Mount of Olives, and from that time till the days of Josiah his worship continued (2 Kings 23:10, 13). In the days of Jehoahaz it was partially restored, but after the Captivity wholly disappeared. He is also called Molech (Lev. 18:21; 20:2-5, etc.), Milcom (1 Kings 11:5, 33, etc.), and Malcham (Zeph. 1:5). This god became Chemosh among the Moabites.