21 “You are not to sacrifice any of your children in the fire[a] to Molech.(A) Do not profane the name(B) of your God; I am the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. 18:21 Lit to make any of your children pass through the fire

Molech Worship and Spiritism

20 The Lord spoke to Moses: “Say to the Israelites: Any Israelite or alien residing in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech(A) must be put to death; the people of the country are to stone him.(B) I will turn[a] against that man and cut him off from his people, because he gave his offspring to Molech, defiling my sanctuary(C) and profaning my holy name.(D) But if the people of the country look the other way when that man[b] gives any of his children to Molech, and do not put him to death, then I will turn against that man and his family, and cut off from their people both him and all who follow[c] him in prostituting(E) themselves with Molech.

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Footnotes

  1. 20:3 Lit will set my face, also in vv. 5,6
  2. 20:4 Lit country ever close their eyes from that man when he
  3. 20:5 Lit prostitute themselves with

Punishments for Sin

20 The Lord said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing in Israel who sacrifices any of his children to Molek is to be put to death.(A) The members of the community are to stone him.(B) I myself will set my face against him and will cut him off from his people;(C) for by sacrificing his children to Molek, he has defiled(D) my sanctuary(E) and profaned my holy name.(F) If the members of the community close their eyes when that man sacrifices one of his children to Molek and if they fail to put him to death,(G) I myself will set my face against him and his family and will cut them off from their people together with all who follow him in prostituting themselves to Molek.

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31 They have built the high places of Topheth[a](A) in Ben Hinnom Valley[b](B) in order to burn their sons and daughters in the fire,(C) a thing I did not command; I never entertained the thought.

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Footnotes

  1. 7:31 Lit of the fireplace
  2. 7:31 A valley south of Jerusalem

31 They have built the high places of Topheth(A) in the Valley of Ben Hinnom(B) to burn their sons and daughters(C) in the fire—something I did not command, nor did it enter my mind.(D)

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