It is possible that he originated further south, as Ugaritic texts indicate he was worshiped in cities located in the northern part of the Transjordan region.
[2] Manfred Krebernik argues that the vocalization remains uncertain due to the large number of cognates in various Semitic languages, such as Akkadian and Hebrew, which can be used for comparative purposes.
"[5] Since the words are not identical, Krebernik suggests that the god originated outside the city, though also in an area where another northwest Semitic language was spoken.
[4] He notes that the use of a word referring to a king to an underworld deity has a parallel in the etymology of the name of the Mesopotamian god Nergal, the "lord of the great city.
"[6] Based on the etymology of Milku's name, Dennis Pardee goes as far as suggesting that in Ugarit he might have functioned as the divine king of the underworld.
[13] According to Aicha Rahmouni, there is no indication that epithets including the later word necessarily implied a deity was understood as a high ranking member of the pantheon.
[24] It has been suggested that ‘Aṯtartu and Hidrayu correspond to the place names Aštarot and Edrei (modern Daraa[25]), associated with biblical king Og of Bashan.
[9] While it is agreed that Milku appears in some theophoric names from Ugarit, it is sometimes difficult to tell when mlk designates the deity rather than the ordinary word "king.
[32] He also most likely appears as the theophoric element in the name of queen Ahatmilku,[30] a member of Amurru's ruling house[33] who married Niqmepa, a king of Ugarit.
[4] According to Piotr Taracha [de], Milku was introduced to a number of settlements in Hittite territories during the reign of Tudḫaliya IV.
[46] Additionally, he is also attested in texts from Emar,[30][1] where according to Gary Beckman he is exclusively present in rituals of Anatolian origin, most likely "irrelevant to the religious life of the indigenous population.
"[47] In an offering list from the Ur III period, a deity named Malkum is attested alongside the goddess Ḫabūrītum.
[48] However, Tonia Sharlach argues that it is not impossible that this god was a Mesopotamian deity in origin and simply belonged to a sparsely attested local pantheon.