Molech (Noun)
Meaning
God of the Canaanites and Phoenicians to whom parents sacrificed their children.
Classification
Nouns denoting people.
Examples
- The ancient Canaanites and Phoenicians worshiped Molech, a god who demanded the ultimate sacrifice of children to appease his bloodlust.
- Molech's altar was often a massive bronze statue with outstretched arms that ended in a fiery pit, where parents would place their screaming children as an offering.
- In the biblical book of Leviticus, God strictly forbids the Israelites from worshiping Molech and sacrificing their children to this pagan deity.
- Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of Molech worship in the ancient city of Carthage, where the remains of thousands of children were found in burial grounds near the temple of Molech.
- The worship of Molech was so abhorrent to God that He specifically warned the Israelites against it, threatening to cut off from His people anyone who engaged in this detestable practice.