Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
He also burned incense in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, and sacrificed his own children by burning them in the fire, copying the disgusting practices of the pagan nations that the LORD had driven out ahead of the Israelites.
This verse describes how King Ahaz practiced child sacrifice, following the evil customs of the nations God had removed from the land before Israel arrived.
📚 Historical Context
This refers to King Ahaz of Judah (735-715 BC), who abandoned worship of the true God and adopted pagan religious practices. The Valley of Ben Hinnom (later called Gehenna) became notorious as a place where some kings practiced child sacrifice to foreign gods like Molech. These were the same detestable practices that had caused God to drive out the Canaanite nations when Israel first entered the Promised Land.
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