"Swearing to Yahweh, but Swearing by Molek-Sacrifices": Zephaniah 1:5b
Zephaniah 1:5b, which refers to "swearing to Yahweh, and/but swearing by mlkm," represents an interpretative crux. Scholars have offered a variety of suggestions concerning who or what this "mlkm" is. After surveying previous proposals, this essay suggests that "mlkm" s...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
[2019]
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| In: |
Vetus Testamentum
Year: 2019, Volume: 69, Issue: 4/5, Pages: 737-741 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Bible. Zefanja 1,5b
/ Jahwe
/ Juggernaut
/ Victim (Religion)
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| IxTheo Classification: | BC Ancient Orient; religion HB Old Testament |
| Further subjects: | B
Zephaniah
B molek B Child Sacrifice B vows / oaths |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Zephaniah 1:5b, which refers to "swearing to Yahweh, and/but swearing by mlkm," represents an interpretative crux. Scholars have offered a variety of suggestions concerning who or what this "mlkm" is. After surveying previous proposals, this essay suggests that "mlkm" should be understood as "molek-sacrifices." This meaning fits the context well, as rites with the same name were bound up with vows in the Punic colonies of the central Mediterranean. In addition to clarifying the meaning of Zeph 1:5b, understanding "mlkm" as "molek-sacrifices" is also significant in that it would provide our first piece of native corroborating evidence that molek-sacrifices were bound up with vows in Israel, just as they were in the Punic colonies. |
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| ISSN: | 1568-5330 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Vetus Testamentum
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1163/15685330-12341378 |