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The word Moloch occurs 8 times in the Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible; in one of these instances (1 Kings 11:7) it is possibly a mistake for Milcom, the god of the Ammonites. Five of the other references are in Leviticus, with one in 2 Kings and another in The Book of Jeremiah. Each mention of Moloch indicates the presence of the article ''ha''-, or "the", therefore reading "the Moloch." Likewise, when passages describe things coming or going "to Moloch," the prepositional ''lamedh'' is conjugated with a ''patach'' (la-Mōleḵ) to match the form of "...to the Moloch." | The word Moloch occurs 8 times in the Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible; in one of these instances (1 Kings 11:7) it is possibly a mistake for Milcom, the god of the Ammonites. Five of the other references are in Leviticus, with one in 2 Kings and another in The Book of Jeremiah. Each mention of Moloch indicates the presence of the article ''ha''-, or "the", therefore reading "the Moloch." Likewise, when passages describe things coming or going "to Moloch," the prepositional ''lamedh'' is conjugated with a ''patach'' (la-Mōleḵ) to match the form of "...to the Moloch." | ||
All of these texts condemn Israelites who engage in practices associated with Moloch, and most associate Moloch with the use of children as offerings. The activity of causing children "to pass over the fire" is mentioned, without reference to Moloch, in numerous other verses of the Bible. Leviticus repeatedly forbids the practice of offering children to Moloch in (Leviticus 18:21 and Leviticus 20:2–5). | All of these texts condemn Israelites who engage in practices associated with Moloch, and most associate Moloch with the use of children as offerings. The activity of causing children "to pass over the fire" is mentioned, without reference to Moloch, in numerous other verses of the [[Bible]]. Leviticus repeatedly forbids the practice of offering children to Moloch in (Leviticus 18:21 and Leviticus 20:2–5). | ||
===Septuagint and New Testament=== | ===Septuagint and New Testament=== | ||
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==As a rite of passage== | ==As a rite of passage== | ||
The notion that Moloch refers to a deity has been challenged for several reasons. Moloch is rarely mentioned in the Bible, is not mentioned at all outside of it, and connections to other deities with similar names are uncertain. | The notion that Moloch refers to a deity has been challenged for several reasons. Moloch is rarely mentioned in the [[Bible]], is not mentioned at all outside of it, and connections to other deities with similar names are uncertain. | ||
A minority of scholars, mainly scholars of Punic studies, have argued that the ceremonies to Moloch are in fact a non-lethal dedication ceremony rather than a sacrifice. These theories are partially supported by commentary in the Talmud and among early [[Judaism|Jewish]] commentators of the [[Bible]]. Rejecting such arguments, Paolo Xella and Francesca Stavrakopoulou note that the Bible explicitly connects the ritual to Moloch at the tophet with the verbs indicating slaughter, killing in sacrifice, deities "eating" the children, and holocaust. Xella also refers to Carthaginian and Phoenician child sacrifice found referenced in Greco-Roman sources. | A minority of scholars, mainly scholars of Punic studies, have argued that the ceremonies to Moloch are in fact a non-lethal dedication ceremony rather than a sacrifice. These theories are partially supported by commentary in the Talmud and among early [[Judaism|Jewish]] commentators of the [[Bible]]. Rejecting such arguments, Paolo Xella and Francesca Stavrakopoulou note that the Bible explicitly connects the ritual to Moloch at the tophet with the verbs indicating slaughter, killing in sacrifice, deities "eating" the children, and holocaust. Xella also refers to Carthaginian and Phoenician child sacrifice found referenced in Greco-Roman sources. | ||
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==Occult significance== | ==Occult significance== | ||
Éliphas Lévi's Conjuration of the Seven, an invocation used to consecrate a talisman, includes a banishing of Moloch: "By the holy Elolm and by the names of the ''genii'' Cassiel, Sebaltiel, Aphiel and Zarabiel, at the command of Orifiel, depart from us, Moloch! We deny thee our children to devour." He believed Moloch and Bael were personifications of [[Yahweh]] which had been dishonoured by barbarous attributes. | [[Éliphas Lévi]]'s ''[[Conjuration of the Seven]]'', an invocation used to consecrate a [[talisman]], includes a banishing of Moloch: "By the holy Elolm and by the names of the ''genii'' [[Cassiel]], Sebaltiel, Aphiel and Zarabiel, at the command of Orifiel, depart from us, Moloch! We deny thee our children to devour." He believed Moloch and [[Bael]] were personifications of [[Yahweh]] which had been dishonoured by barbarous attributes. | ||
In the ''[[Testament of Solomon]]'', [[King Solomon]] falls from [[Judaism]] when he becomes enamoured by a Shunammite woman and sacrifices five grasshoppers to Moloch on the advice of Moloch's priests. In the depression that follows, he builds temples to Bael, Raphan, and Moloch. | In the ''[[Testament of Solomon]]'', [[King Solomon]] falls from [[Judaism]] when he becomes enamoured by a Shunammite woman and sacrifices five grasshoppers to Moloch on the advice of Moloch's priests. In the depression that follows, he builds temples to [[Bael]], Raphan, and Moloch. | ||
In [[Kabbalah]], Moloch (alongside [[Satan]]) is the [[demon]] ruler over the [[qlippoth]] of [[Thaumiel]] on the [[Tree of Death]]. | |||
Moloch was a King of Edom, ruling as prince over the third kingdom. | Moloch was a King of Edom, ruling as prince over the third kingdom. | ||