And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.
They built worship sites for the false god Baal in the valley of Ben Hinnom, where they sacrificed their sons and daughters by fire to the god Molech. I never commanded them to do this, and it never even entered my thoughts that they would commit such a horrible act, causing all of Judah to sin.
God is expressing his shock and grief that his people would sacrifice their own children to false gods, something so evil that it never even occurred to him they would do it.
📚 Historical Context
During the time of the prophet Jeremiah, the people of Judah had turned away from God and adopted the worship of false gods like Baal and Molech, which involved building altars in the Valley of Hinnom. They even practiced child sacrifices as part of these rituals, which were strictly forbidden in God's law and represented a deep moral and spiritual corruption. This idolatry was a key factor in God's impending judgment on Judah, as it led the nation into widespread sin and rebellion.
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