You slaughtered My children and delivered them up through the fire to idols.
Parallel translations
- WEB that you have slain my children, and delivered them up, in causing them to pass through the fire to them?
- KJV That thou hast slain my children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire for them?
- NKJV that you have slain My children and offered them up to them by causing them to pass through the fire?
- NASB You slaughtered My children and offered them to idols by making them pass through the fire.
- NLT Must you also slaughter my children by sacrificing them to idols?
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
She slew God's children, passing them through the fire to idols. Such bloodshed is an unspeakable abomination.
Overview
The rhetorical question of verse 20 is answered with horror: her harlotry was no 'small matter' but led to murdering 'my children.' 'Passing through the fire' refers to the cult of Molech. The verse exposes the lethal end of idolatry and the depth of guilt Jerusalem incurred against the God who gave her life.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- 2 Kgs 17:17They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire and practiced divination and soothsaying. They devoted themselves to doing evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.
- Deut 18:10Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery,
- Lev 18:21You must not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
- 2 Kgs 21:6He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.
- Jer 19:5They have built high places to Baal on which to burn their children in the fire as offerings to Baal—something I never commanded or mentioned, nor did it even enter My mind.
- 2 Kgs 23:10He also desecrated Topheth in the Valley of Ben-hinnom so that no one could sacrifice his son or daughter in the fire to Molech.
- Ps 106:37They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.
- Lev 20:1–5Then the LORD said to Moses,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 16:21 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.