a false god of the Ammonites, who dedicated their children to him, by making them pass through the fire, as the Scriptures express it. There are various opinions concerning this method of consecration. Some think that the children leaped over a fire sacred to Moloch; others are of opinion that they passed between two fires; and others conceive that they were really burned in the fire by way of sacrifice to this god. There is some foundation for each of these opinions. For, in the first place, it was usual amongst the Pagans to illustrate or purify with fire; and next, it is expressly said, that the inhabitants of Sepharvaim burned their children in the fire to Anamalech and Adramelech, deities similar to the Moloch of the Ammonites.

Moses, in several places, forbids the Israelites to dedicate their children to this god, as the Ammonites did, and threatens death and utter extirpation to such persons as should commit this abominable idolatry. There is great probability that the Hebrews were much addicted to the worship of this deity; since Amos, and after him St Stephen, reproaches them with having carried along with them into the wilderness the tabernacle of their god Moloch.

Solomon built a temple to Moloch upon Mount Olivet; and Manasseh, long afterwards, imitated his impiety by making his son pass through the fire in honour of Moloch. It was chiefly in the valley of Tophet and Hinnom, to the east of Jerusalem, that the Israelites paid their idolatrous worship to this false god of the Ammonites.

There are various sentiments concerning the relation which Moloch bore to the other Pagan divinities. Some believe that he was the same with Saturn, to whom it is well known that human sacrifices were offered; others suppose him to be Mercury; others confound him with Mars, Mithras, and Venus; and others, again, take Moloch for the Sun, or the king of heaven. Moloch was likewise called Milcom, as appears from what is said of Solomon, that he went after Ashtaroth the abomination of the Zidonians, and Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.