Scripture condemned the worship of heavenly bodies like the sun, moon, and stars (see Deuteronomy 4:15–19; 2 Kings 21:3; 23:12).
Milcom was the national god of the Ammonites. In some Old Testament passages, Milcom is closely connected with Molech, a pagan deity linked with child sacrifice. Because of this connection, some texts use these names in overlapping ways.
The law clearly forbade the worship of Molech and related practices (Leviticus 20:1–5). Even so, these forms of worship continued to tempt Israel, especially through contact with neighboring nations (2 Kings 16:3; 21:6).