Bible dictionaries

Malcam

What Bible dictionaries say about “Malcam”, one article after the other.

Easton’s Bible Dictionary & Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

Malcam - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)

(2 Sam. 12:30, Heb., R.V., "their king;" Jer. 49:1, 3, R.V.; Zeph. 1:5), the national idol of the Ammonites. When Rabbah was taken by David, the crown of this idol was among the spoils. The weight is said to have been "a talent of gold" (above 100 lbs.). The expression probably denotes its value rather than its weight. It was adorned with precious stones.

Matthew George Easton, Easton’s Bible Dictionary; Noah Webster, American Dictionary of the English Language (1828)

The article in Easton + Webster 1828

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE 1915)

mal'-kam (malkam, "their king"; the King James Version Maleham):

(1) A chief of the Benjamites, son of Shaharaim (1Ch 8:9).

(2) The name of an idol as well as the possessive pronominal form of melekh, "king" (2Sa 12:30 the Revised Version margin; Jer 49:1,3 Septuagint Melchol); Ze 1:5). In Am 1:15 it appears to be best translated "their king," as in both the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American). Only a careful examination of the context can determine whether the word is the proper name of the idol (Moloch) or the 3rd personal possessive pronoun for king. The idol is also spelt "Milcom" and "Molech."

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia — James Orr, general editor and contributors; CrossWire SWORD module ISBE 2.2

The article in ISBE 1915