SAKKUTH

(Sakʹkuth).

Possibly an astral deity, as suggested by the fact that “Sakkuth” is put in a parallelism with the phrase “the star of your god.” (Am 5:26) This name was purposely vocalized in the Hebrew Masoretic text to correspond to shiq·qutsʹ, meaning “disgusting thing.” Perhaps Sakkuth is to be identified with “Sakkut,” this being the Babylonian designation for Saturn (a star-god). However, in the Greek Septuagint the expression “Sakkuth your king” reads “the tent of Moloch,” and Stephen, who probably quoted the Septuagint, also used the words “the tent of Moloch.” (Ac 7:43) This suggests that “Sakkuth” may have been a portable shrine, a tent or booth, in which the idol image of Moloch was housed.​—See ASTROLOGERS (Molech and Astrology in Israel).