- pass through:
- Molech signifies a king, or governor, of similar import with Baal, lord, or governor; and it is generally supposed that the sun was worshipped under this name; and more particularly as the fire appears to have been so much employed in his worship. It seems clear that children were not only consecrated to him by passing through the fire, which appears to be alluded to here, but that they were actually made a burnt offering to him (see the parallel passages). That the several abominations afterwards mentioned were actually practised by many heathen nations is abundantly attested by their own writers. "Again, thou shalt sayª° to¹ the childrenª of Israel,ª Whosoeverª [he be] of the childrenª¹ of Israel,ª or of¹ the strangersª that sojournª° in Israel,ª that¹ givethª° [any] of his seedª¹ unto Molech;ª he shall surely²° be put to death:ª° the peopleª of the landª shall stoneª° him with stones.ª" {Lev 20:2} + "Thou shalt not¹ doª° so¹ unto the LORDª thy God:ª for¹ every¹ abominationª to the LORD,ª which¹ he hateth,ª° have they doneª° unto their gods;ª for¹ even¹¹ their sonsª and their daughtersª they have burntª° in the fireª to their gods.ª" {Deu 12:31} + "There shall not¹ be foundª° among you [any one] that maketh his sonª or his daughterª to pass²° through¹ the fire,ª [or] that usethª° divination,ª [or] an observer of times,ª° or an enchanter,ª° or a witch,ª°" {Deu 18:10} + "But he walked²°¹ in the wayª of the kingsª of Israel,ª yea,¹ and made¹ his sonª to pass throughª° the fire,ª according to the abominationsª of the heathen,ª whom¹¹ the LORDª cast outª° from beforeª¹ the childrenª of Israel.ª" {2Kg 16:3} + "And he made¹ his sonª pass²° through¹ the fire,ª and observed times,ª° and used enchantments,ª° and dealtª° with familiar spiritsª and wizards:ª he wroughtª° muchª° wickednessª in the sightª of the LORD,ª to provoke [him] to anger.ª°" {2Kg 21:6} + "And he defiledª°¹ Topheth,ª which¹ [is] in the valleyª of the childrenª° of Hinnom,ª that no¹ manª might make¹ his sonª or his daughterª to pass throughª° the fireª to Molech.ª" {2Kg 23:10} + "Yea, they sacrificedª°¹ their sonsª and their daughtersª unto devils,ª ... And shedª° innocentª blood,ª [even] the bloodª of their sonsª and of their daughters,ª whom¹ they sacrificedª° unto the idolsª of Canaan:ª and the landª was pollutedª° with blood.ª" {Psa 106:37-38} + "And they have builtª° the high placesª of Tophet,ª which¹ [is] in the valleyª of the sonª of Hinnom,ª to burnª°¹ their sonsª and their daughtersª in the fire;ª which¹ I commandedª° [them] not,¹ neither¹ cameª° it into¹ my heart.ª" {Jer 7:31} + "They have builtª° also¹ the high placesª of Baal,ª to burnª°¹ their sonsª with fireª [for] burnt offeringsª unto Baal,ª which¹ I commandedª° not,¹ nor¹ spakeª° [it], neither¹ cameª° [it] into¹ my mind:ª" {Jer 19:5} + "For when ye offerª° your gifts,ª when ye make your sonsª to pass¹ through²° the fire,ª ye¹ pollute²° yourselves¹ with all¹ your idols,ª even unto¹ this day:ª and shall I¹ be enquired²° of¹ by you, O houseª of Israel?ª [As] I¹ live,ª saithª° the Lordª GOD,ª I will not¹ be enquired²° of¹ by you." {Ezk 20:31} + "That¹ they have committed adultery,ª° and bloodª [is] in their hands,ª and with¹ their idolsª have they committed adultery,ª° and have also¹ caused¹ their sons,ª whom¹ they bareª° unto me, to pass for them throughª° [the fire], to devourª [them]." {Ezk 23:37}
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