Must you also slaughter my children by sacrificing them 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?
- BSB You slaughtered My children and delivered them up through the fire to idols.
- 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.
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 caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, to provoke him to anger.
- Deut 18:10There shall not be found with you anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices sorcery, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer,
- Lev 18:21“‘You shall not give any of your children to sacrifice to Molech. You shall not profane the name of your God. I am Yahweh.
- 2 Kgs 21:6He made his son to pass through the fire, practiced sorcery, used enchantments, and dealt with those who had familiar spirits, and with wizards. He did much evil in Yahweh’s sight, to provoke him to anger.
- Jer 19:5and have built the high places of Baal, to burn their sons in the fire for burnt offerings to Baal; which I didn’t command, nor spoke it, neither came it into my mind:
- 2 Kgs 23:10He defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech.
- Ps 106:37Yes, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.
- Lev 20:1–5Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
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.