Interesting Facts

• Moloch is listed as one of the four sons of Pildash, thereby establishing his place within the genealogy of Nahor, Abraham’s brother.
• The provided texts do not offer any specific actions, personal attributes, or life events for Moloch beyond his inclusion in a lineage.

Genealogy

• Moloch was a son of Pildash.
• Pildash was one of the three sons of Hazo.
• Hazo was a son of Nahor, who was the brother of Abraham. This familial link makes Moloch a great-nephew of Abraham.
• Milca, the daughter of Haran and sister to Sarah, Abraham’s wife, was married to Nahor. Thus, Moloch was a great-nephew by marriage of Sarah.
• Moloch had three brothers: Arud, Chamam, and Mered. The sources do not furnish any information regarding Moloch’s own marital status or descendants.

Historical Context

Moloch, being a grandson of Hazo and a great-grandson of Nahor, would have likely been part of the community residing in Haran alongside his extended family. This period followed Abraham’s departure for Canaan and encompassed significant events in Abraham’s life such as his sojourn in Gerar with King Abimelech and the birth of Isaac. The inclusion of Moloch in the genealogical records indicates the continued expansion of Nahor’s family within Mesopotamia. While certain other descendants of Nahor, such as Aram and Rechob, and the sons of Kesed, are mentioned as having migrated and founded their own settlements, the sources provide no indication that Pildash or his sons, including Moloch, participated in such movements. The cultural milieu of Haran at this time would have emphasized the importance of familial ties and the growth of clans, a common characteristic of Mesopotamian societies.

Narrative

The narrative pertaining to Moloch is solely within the genealogical enumeration of Nahor’s progeny. Unlike prominent figures such as Abraham, Isaac, or even other descendants of Nahor who are noted in connection with migrations and the establishment of new settlements, Moloch’s presence in the texts is limited to his name as one of the sons of Pildash. His inclusion in this lineage serves to further illustrate the proliferation of Abraham’s extended family in the region of Haran, distinct from the primary narrative focus on the lineage of Isaac in Canaan. The complete absence of any specific actions, dialogues, or personal details associated with Moloch suggests that his role in the broader patriarchal narratives, as presented in these sources, is fundamentally that of a link within the familial genealogy, highlighting the continuation of Nahor’s line. Consequently, his story, as far as these texts reveal, is one of familial connection and ancestral lineage rather than individual events or interactions within the historical accounts provided.