There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.
Don't let anyone among you sacrifice their children by burning them alive, or practice fortune-telling, or try to predict the future by watching signs, or cast spells, or practice witchcraft.
God is commanding His people to completely avoid all forms of occult practices and child sacrifice that were common among pagan nations.
📚 Historical Context
In the time of Moses, the Israelites were preparing to enter the Promised Land of Canaan, where the local inhabitants engaged in pagan rituals including child sacrifices and various forms of occult practices to honor their false gods. God issued this command in Deuteronomy as part of the Mosaic Law to set His people apart from the surrounding cultures, emphasizing holiness and loyalty to Him alone. This prohibition helped preserve the nation's spiritual identity amid the temptations of idolatry prevalent in the ancient Near East.
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