156. He answers that the Holy One, blessed be He, calls all the deities of the idolatrous nations, NOT ONLY MALKAM, by this name, as it is written, "And you have seen their abominations, and their idols" (Devarim 29:16). What of the verse, "And he took the crown of Malkam" the idol Milkom? HE ASKS, HOW COULD DAVID SET IT ON HIS HEAD? Assuredly, IT WAS THE CROWN OF AN IDOL, but before Itai the Gittite became a proselyte, THAT IS, WHILE HE WAS STILL A HEATHEN, he broke Milkom's heathen crown, destroying the image engraved on it. He thereby made it permissible for use. THEN DAVID put it on his head. Come and behold, the abomination of the children of Amon was a serpent deeply engraved on the crown. It was therefore called an 'abomination,' WHICH MEANS filth. THIS IS THE SECOND ANSWER FOR THE QUESTION THAT RABBI CHIZKIYAH ASKS RABBI YEHUDA: WHY IS THIS IDOL CALLED AN ABOMINATION?