Anammelech (Anammelek, Anat-Melech) in the Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Context
Anammelech is one of the lesser-known deities mentioned in the Bible, recorded in 2 Kings 17:31 as a god worshiped by the people of Sepharvaim, who were resettled in Samaria by the Assyrians. Alongside Adrammelech, this figure is associated with child sacrifice, a practice that Scripture consistently condemns. The obscurity of the name invites exploration into its linguistic roots, cultural associations, and the theological contrast between such deities and the Lord, who alone gives life.
1. Anammelech in the Biblical Record
Anammelech appears only once in Scripture, yet even this brief reference provides several insights:
Context of 2 Kings 17: After the northern kingdom of Israel fell to Assyria, foreign peoples were brought into Samaria. Each group continued to worship its own gods, blending their practices with local traditions.
Association with Adrammelech: Anammelech is paired with Adrammelech, suggesting that the two were part of a shared pantheon or cultic practice.
Child sacrifice: The text specifies that the Sepharvites “burned their children in the fire” to these gods, connecting Anammelech with the abominable practices often linked to Molech (Leviticus 18:21; Jeremiah 32:35).
This portrayal sets Anammelech firmly in opposition to the covenant God of Israel, who forbids such acts and identifies them with the corruption of the nations.
2. The Name and Its Possible Meanings
The divine name Anammelech has provoked considerable scholarly discussion. Several interpretations have been proposed:
Rejected view: Anu + Melek
Some earlier scholars suggested that the name combined the Babylonian sky-god Anu with the Semitic word melek (“king”), giving the meaning “Anu is king.”
This has been widely dismissed because Anu’s name does not appear with a guttural consonant in Semitic transcriptions, and no real evidence of such syncretism exists.
Preferred view: Anat + Melek
The more persuasive explanation links the first element of the name to the male counterpart of the well-known West Semitic goddess Anat.
The form “ʿn” appears in personal names from the early second millennium BCE onward, though the deity behind it remains obscure.
On this view, Anammelech may reflect the fusion of Anat with melek (“king”), creating “Anat-Melech,” similar to Anat-Yahu attested in the Elephantine papyri.
A hidden figure
Whatever its exact origin, Anammelech stands as one of those shadowy deities preserved only in passing mentions and in names, with no surviving myth or cultic description beyond the biblical polemic.
3. Cultic Practices and Association with Molech
The only detail given about Anammelech’s cult is chilling: children were burned in the fire to this god. Scholars debate whether this reflects actual practice or a polemical shorthand. Still, the link to Molech is strong:
Parallels with Molech worship
Like Molech, Anammelech is tied to burning children, whether as a rite of devotion or a symbolic accusation of ultimate cruelty.
The shared root melek (“king”) may indicate a common ideological or ritual framework.
Deuteronomistic polemic
Some argue that such descriptions exaggerate or symbolize foreign worship to underscore Israel’s distinctiveness.
Others maintain that genuine practices of child sacrifice did exist in certain Canaanite or imported cults.
In either case, the biblical narrative uses Anammelech as an emblem of the destructive worship that Israel was called to reject.
4. Theological Contrasts: Idols That Destroy vs. the God Who Saves
The story of Anammelech is not simply about an obscure foreign god; it sets up a theological confrontation:
Idolatry leads to death
Whether through actual sacrifice or symbolic indictment, Anammelech represents gods who demand the destruction of life, particularly of the vulnerable.
The Lord gives life
By contrast, the God of Israel forbids child sacrifice and identifies Himself as the protector of the fatherless and defender of the weak (Deuteronomy 10:18; Psalm 68:5).
The Gospel’s reversal
In the fullness of time, the Father gives His own Son—not as a coerced offering to appease capricious deities, but as a willing sacrifice to bring life.
Where Anammelech devours children, Christ embraces them and declares, “to such belongs the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14).
The mention of Anammelech thus underscores the radical difference between false gods that destroy and the true God who redeems.
5. Eschatological Perspective: False Gods Cast Down
The fleeting mention of Anammelech also carries eschatological weight when viewed in light of biblical themes:
Judgment on the nations: Just as Assyria and its gods were destined to fall, so every false deity is exposed as powerless before the Lord (Isaiah 19:1; Jeremiah 46:25).
The Gospel and the end of idols: The apostolic message proclaims that idols are “nothing in the world” (1 Corinthians 8:4) and that Christ has triumphed over rulers and authorities (Colossians 2:15).
Final vision: Revelation anticipates a world where no idol remains, and the nations walk in the light of God’s glory (Revelation 21:23–24).
In this perspective, Anammelech serves as a reminder of the futility of idols and the coming victory of the living God.
Conclusion
Anammelech, though obscure and mentioned only once in Scripture, offers a profound lesson. His name may mask the fusion of Anat and melek, his cult echoes the horrors associated with Molech, and his worship represents the destructive allure of idolatry. Yet the biblical witness sets this shadowy figure in sharp relief against the Lord who gives life, redeems His people, and will ultimately abolish all idols. In Christ, the one true King, the Gospel overturns the destructive powers of false gods and brings the hope of life eternal.
Bible Verses Related to Anammelech, Idolatry, and God’s Saving Power
“They burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech.” (2 Kings 17:31)
“You shall not give any of your children to offer them to Molech.” (Leviticus 18:21)
“They built the high places of Baal… to offer up their sons and daughters to Molech.” (Jeremiah 32:35)
“Cursed be the man who makes a carved or cast metal image.” (Deuteronomy 27:15)
“The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands.” (Psalm 135:15)
“Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.” (Psalm 115:8)
“The Lord is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King.” (Jeremiah 10:10)
“You turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” (1 Thessalonians 1:9)
“Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.” (1 Corinthians 10:14)
“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ.” (Revelation 11:15)
