Moloch

Moloch
モロク
MT2SMTNDeSum ChemoshP5XDCW Artwork from Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei II Artwork from Shin Megami Tensei: Nine Chemosh artwork from Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner Artwork from Persona 5: The Phantom X Artwork from Devil Children White Book
Other Name(s)	MolechRonde Sacrificial PyrekeeperPersona 5 Persona 5 Royal
Origin	Levantine culture Abrahamic religion
Race(s)	AkumaDevil Children White Book TyrantDigital Devil Story: Megami Tensei II Kyūyaku Megami Tensei Shin Megami Tensei: Nine Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux Shin Megami Tensei V Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2 Majin Tensei Majin Tensei: Blind Thinker Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers (Nintendo 3DS) Devil Survivor 2 Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker VileGiten Megami Tensei: Tokyo Revelation
Alignment(s)	Dark-ChaosShin Megami Tensei V Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance
Arcana	Hanged Man

Moloch is a Demon in the Megami Tensei franchise.

Profile

Origin

Molech, also known as Moloch, is a term in the Bible that has traditionally been interpreted as a Canaanite god to whom children were sacrificed. In the Hebrew-language Masoretic text of the Bible, the term always has a definite article except for in 1 Kings 11:7.

Following Abraham Geiger (1857), historically the majority of scholars had believed that the instances of מֹלֶךְ Mōleḵ were originally the word for king, מֶלֶךְ meleḵ, which was a common epithet for deities in West Semitic, and the Masoretic Text's vocalization of Mōleḵ would be an intentional distortion to resemble the word בֹּשֶׁת bōšeṯ ("shame"). Tsevat (1975), however, says that this explanation for the vowel pointings cannot be reconciled with the Septuagint's spelling Μόλοχ Móloch, and that there is cuneiform evidence of a word muluk (also possibly read molok). If Mōleḵ indeed refers to a deity, it is likely Baal, or, in some instances, YHWH.

In a departure from the consensus at the time, Eissfeldt (1935) proposed that the word Mōleḵ actually refers to the type of sacrifice rather than to a deity, comparing the term to the Punic word molk, and many scholars have followed him in this; said sacrifices would be offered specifically to YHWH.

Note that the instance of Molech in the Masoretic text of 1 Kings 11:7 corresponds to "their king" or to "Melchom" (i.e. Milcom, the Ammonite god) in the Septuagint, the latter being in the Lucian recension. Both "their king" and "Milcom" would be written mlkm in unvocalized Hebrew. Given this textual evidence and the word's surrounding context, it is likely that Molech in this verse should read Milcom.

Design

Moloch in Oedipus Aegyptiacus (1652)

All designs of Moloch in the Megami Tensei franchise feature a bull's head. Depictions of Moloch idols as having a bull's head, raised arms, and a furnace are common since the Early Modern period.

Moloch's design in Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey and Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2 is taken from the design of Chemosh from Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner, which itself is based on illustrations depicting Moloch idols.

Gameplay

For complete gameplay information, see Gameplay:Moloch.

Compendium

Compendium Entries
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey	A Canaanite god of fire. It is said that a bronze statue of a man with a bull's head was placed at the altar. The statue's hollow insides were heated and the sacrificial children were thrown in. His name is mentioned in the Bible as the god of an atrocious sect.
Shin Megami Tensei V	A Canaanite god of fire. Tradition states that a bronze statue of a human with the head of a female ox would be placed at the altar as its vessel. It is said that the statue would first be heated with fire, then children would be put inside as a sacrifice. The Bible mentions its name as a cruel pagan god.
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance	A Middle-Eastern Canaanite god of fire. Tradition states that a bronze statue of a human with the head of a bull would be placed at their altars as an object of worship. It is said that the hollow cavity of the statue would first be heated with fire, then children would be put inside of it as a sacrifice. The Bible mentions him as a cruel pagan god.
Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers (3DS)	A Canaanite god of fire. It is said that a bronze statue of a man with a bull's head was placed at the altar. The statue's hollow insides were heated and sacrificial children were thrown in. His name is mentioned in the Bible as the god of an atrocious sect.
Persona 5	A Canaanite god of fire. A bronze statue of a man with a bull's head stands at his alter. The statue was heated and sacrificial children were thrown inside.
Persona 5 Royal
Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth	A Canaanite god of fire. A bronze statue of a man with a bull's head stands at his alter. The statue was heated and sacrificial children were thrown inside.
Persona 5 Tactica	A Canaanite god of fire. A bronze statue of a man with a bull's head stands at his altar. The statue used to be heated so that children could be sacrificed within it.
Persona 5: The Phantom X	A Canaanite god of fire. A bronze statue of a man with a bull's head stands at his alter. The statue was heated and sacrificial children were thrown inside.
Devil Children White Book	あたまがウシで　オウカンを　かぶっている　きょうふの　おう　ともいわれる　アクマ Translation: The king of terror with a cow's head who wears a crown. Also known as the devil.
Devil Survivor 2	A Canaanite god of fire. It is said that a bronze statue of a man with a bull's head was placed at the altar. The statue's hollow insides were heated and sacrificial children were thrown in. His name is mentioned in the Bible as the god of an atrocious sect.
Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker

Game Appearances

Shin Megami Tensei II

After Zayin detects a strange signal in Holytown, Aleph investigates the area and finds the massive tail of a demon sticking out of the ground. Residents of the district also describe being drained of energy and later have had all the power sapped from their bodies. In Roppongi, Aleph hears from the Mutant Elder that this tail most likely belongs to Moloch, who resides in the Makai. He can be directly found by the Yesod-Yetzirah Corridor, and according to the Makai's residents, Moloch is absorbing Magnetite to burn it as fuel. Later, Lucifer reveals that he had Moloch gather Magnetite on the orders of YHVH, in order to funnel that energy into Kuzuryu.

Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey

Moloch appears as a mid-boss in Sector Fornax. He ambushes the player as Morax, before transforming into Moloch, claiming it to be his true form. He attempts to kill the protagonist as revenge for his defeat in Sector Antlia, but is ultimately defeated once again. Before disappearing, he states that Mother will birth demons so long as humans exist.

Ronde

Molech is awakened at the start of the game and is the first boss.

Persona 5: The Phantom X

Moloch is a fixed encounter during the prologue.

Trivia

• Moloch (モーロック) is the name of a band in Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner whose concert at the Yahigashi Building was canceled after the death of the band member Mikiya.

Nomenclature

Moloch's name comes from Greek: Μόλοχ, romanized Móloch, which is a transliteration of Molech or Molek, from Hebrew מֹלֶךְ, romanized mōleḵ.

MolochEnemy-only

Names in Other Languages

Language	Name	Meaning
English	Moloch
Japanese	モロク Moroku	Moloch
	モレクRonde Moreku	Molech
	モーロックDevil Children White Book Mōrokku	Moloch
Simplified Chinese	摩洛 Móluò	Moloch
Traditional Chinese	摩洛 Móluò	Moloch
French	Moloch
German	Moloch
Italian	Moloch
Korean	몰록 Mollok	Moloch
Polish	Moloch
Brazilian Portuguese	Moloch
Russian	Молох Molokh	Moloch
Peninsular Spanish	Moloch
Turkish	Molek	Moloch

Names in Other Languages

Language	Name	Meaning
English	Sacrificial PyrekeeperPersona 5 Royal
Japanese	贄を焼く牛面鬼Persona 5 Royal Nie o Yaku Gyūmenki	Ox-Faced Demon Who Burns Sacrifices
Simplified Chinese	焚烧活祭品的牛头鬼Persona 5 Royal Fénshāo Huójìpǐn de Niútóuguǐ	Ox-Headed Demon Who Burns Living Sacrifices
Traditional Chinese	焚燒活祭品的牛頭鬼Persona 5 Royal Fénshāo Huójìpǐn de Niútóuguǐ	Ox-Headed Demon Who Burns Living Sacrifices
French	Gardien du bûcherPersona 5 Royal	Guardian of the Pyre
German	ScheiterhaufenwächterPersona 5 Royal	Pyre Guardian
Italian	Custode rogo sacrificalePersona 5 Royal	Keeper of the Sacrificial Pyre
Korean	제물祭物을 태우는 우면귀牛面鬼Persona 5 Royal Jemur-eul Tae'uneun Umyeon'gwi	Ox-Faced Demon Who Burns Sacrifices
Peninsular Spanish	Guarda del fuego tributoPersona 5 Royal	Guardian of the Tribute Fire

Gallery

See Gallery

References

General

• "Burning Issues: mlk revisited", Anthony J. Frendo. Journal of Semitic Studies, 61(2), pp. 347-364. Published August 27, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1093/jss/fgw020
• "Molech, Moloch", Encyclopedia of the Bible and its Reception (2021), Brian B. Schmidt. Published by De Gruyter. Vol. 19: Midrash and Aggada – Mourning pp. 656-677. ISBN-13: 978-3-11-031336-9. https://doi.org/10.1515/ebr.molechmoloch

Specific