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b-hebrew - RE: Molech or Molech a god or a sacrifice

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  • From: ben.crick AT argonet.co.uk (Ben Crick)
  • To: b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: RE: Molech or Molech a god or a sacrifice
  • Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 22:48:48 +0000


On Wed 19 Jan 2000 (22:55:59), navillusbpi AT primus.com.au wrote:
> Not a bite. Sorry.
>
> So, in the spirit of seek and ye shall find I once again ask: Alan Lloyd
> in his book 'Destroy Carthage - the death throes of an ancient culture
> claims that the term Molech/Moloch refers not to a god (the Carthaginian
> god Baal Hammon) but a sacrifice. Is this correct. What is the derivation
> of this phrase?

Dear Brian

The Biblical Molech or Moloch is the consonants of MeLeK (=king) with
the vowels of Bo$eT (=shame). Another variant is Milcom.

Solomon introduced this Ammonite cult to please one of his wives (1 Kings
11:5-8). This cult demanded the sacrifice of a couple's firstborn as an
atonement for their souls (Micah 6:7). The doomed baby was dropped into a
red-hot pot over a fire, and so "passed through the fire" to Molech. Chemosh
the abomination of Moab made a similar demand (2 Kings 3:27). The abomination
is that all that opens the womb belongs to the LORD (Exodus 13:2, etc).

I have not come across Alan Lloyd's /Destroy Carthage/, so I cannot guess
what relevance Molech has to Carthage, if any. Baal Hammon could be
construed as Ba`aL Ha`aMMoWN, the lord (or god) of (the tribe of) Ammon.

Josiah defiled Topheth (=Fireplace) where these abominations were offered
(2 Kings 23:10), and turned the place into the municipal "tip" or trash
heap for Jerusalem (the Valley of Hinnom). This was where the maggots
never stopped breeding, and the smudge-fires never stopped burning
(Isaiah 66:24): a ready metaphor for the eternal torments of the damned.

Shalom
Ben
--
Revd Ben Crick, BA CF
<ben.crick AT argonet.co.uk>
232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK)
http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm







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