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Adrammelech Adramelech

Archimandrite Nikifor’s Biblical Encyclopedia

— the name of a person, and of a pagan god (Assyrian word: glorious king) — a) (Isa. 37:38) son of Sennacherib, king of Assyria. Together with his brother Sharezer, he killed his father while he was worshiping in the house of his god Nisroch. The reason for this parricide is unknown. Both brothers then fled to Armenia (the land of Ararat), and his son Esarhaddon reigned in his place. b) (2 Kings 17:31) a deity of Sepharvaim, worshiped by the inhabitants of Sepharvaim after their resettlement in the cities of Samaria.

It appears to have represented the sun, just as another deity, Anammelech, represented the moon. The inhabitants of Sepharvaim sacrificed their children to these idols, burning them in fire. It may be supposed that this was the well-known idol Moloch.

Scripture cited

Esaias 37:384 Kingdoms 17:31

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