They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind:
They have built worship places for the false god Baal, where they burn their own children alive as sacrifices to Baal. I never commanded this, never spoke about it, and it never even entered my thoughts.
God is expressing horror and disgust that His people are sacrificing their own children to false gods, something He never asked for and finds completely abhorrent.
📚 Historical Context
In the historical context of ancient Judah during the 7th century BC, the people had turned away from God's covenant and embraced the idolatrous practices of surrounding Canaanite cultures, including building high places dedicated to Baal. This involved the horrific ritual of child sacrifice by fire, which was explicitly condemned in the Mosaic Law as an abomination. Through the prophet Jeremiah, God emphasized that such acts were entirely contrary to His divine will and had never been part of His instructions.
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