Jeremiah 32:35
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God explicitly states that this horrific practice of child sacrifice "did not enter into my mind," highlighting how radically this pagan ritual was not just unauthorized, but utterly alien to God's very nature and thoughts. This emphasizes that "will-worship," or any religious practice devised by humans rather than commanded by God, is not merely a mistake, but an abomination that stands in direct opposition to Him.
They built the high places of Baal in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to offer up their sons and daughters to Molech, though I did not command them, nor did it enter into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.
English Standard Version (ESV)
In this passage, Jeremiah is witnessing the utter corruption of God's people, even in the face of God's judgment. Despite the impending destruction of Jerusalem, the people have continued their detestable idolatrous practices, particularly the horrific child sacrifice to Molech in the Valley of Hinnom. God declares His abhorrence, emphasizing that He never commanded such atrocities, which originated solely from human depravity and led Judah into sin.
Why did God pick a specific, disturbing location for this horrific practice? And what does it tell us about His perspective on worship?
Jeremiah 32:35 points to the "Valley of the Son of Hinnom" as the site for the abominable worship of Baal and Molech. This valley later became known as Gehenna, a symbol of judgment and hell. God explicitly forbade such practices in His Law, stating that sacrifices were only to be offered in the place He designated (Deuteronomy 12:4-5). The Jews' choice of this valley was a deliberate act of defiance, turning a place associated with death and judgment into a temple for their idolatrous rites. It wasn't just a mistake; it was a perversion of worship that desecrated the very land.
Imagine God saying something 'never entered His mind.' What does this powerful statement reveal about His holiness and our inventive sin?
The phrase "nor did it enter into my mind" is God's emphatic declaration that this abomination was utterly foreign to His will and nature. It wasn't just something He didn't command; it was so contrary to Him that it couldn't even conceive of it. This is a profound way of showing that such horrific acts—especially sacrificing children to Molech—are not just errors in judgment but are fundamentally opposed to God's character. It cuts off any excuse that people might invent, showing that true worship must align with God's revealed will, not human ingenuity or tradition.
Who is ultimately responsible when sin spreads? This verse reveals a chilling chain reaction of spiritual corruption.
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The verse concludes by stating the purpose of this idolatry was 'to cause Judah to sin.' This highlights the communal and infectious nature of sin. The act of building high places and sacrificing children wasn't just a personal failing; it was a deliberate effort to lead others astray. It points to a leadership—kings, priests, or influential figures—who were not only sinning themselves but actively promoting sin among the people. This serves as a stark reminder that our actions in worship and obedience (or disobedience) have consequences that ripple outwards, potentially leading others into sin and incurring God's judgment.
Understand the original words
bamah · Hebrew Noun
High places were elevated sites, often natural or constructed mounds, used for religious worship. While originally meant for God, they became centers for idolatrous worship and syncretism in Israel’s history.
Ba'al · Hebrew Noun
Baal was the primary storm and fertility god of the Canaanite pantheon. Worship of Baal represented a major spiritual snare for Israel, as it involved ritualized immorality and the abandonment of Yahweh.
Molek · Hebrew Noun
Molech was an Ammonite deity associated with child sacrifice. Scripture consistently identifies the sacrifice of children to Molech as one of the most heinous abominations against the God of Israel.
chata' · Hebrew Verb
Sin is the failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature. It is characterized by rebellion, missing the mark of righteousness, and a turning away from the Creator.
The verse highlights the extreme depth of idolatry in Judah, particularly the horrific practice of child sacrifice to Molech, which persisted despite Josiah's reforms and ultimately led to Jerusalem's destruction. God's vehement denial of ever commanding such acts underscores His absolute opposition to any worship not rooted in His explicit Word.
c. 7th century BC— this verse
Widespread idolatry in Judah
During Jeremiah's prophetic ministry, the people of Judah were deeply entrenched in various forms of idolatry, including the worship of Baal and Molech, often involving horrific child sacrifices. This religious corruption was a primary reason for God's impending judgment.
c. 621 BC
Josiah's religious reforms
King Josiah initiated a major reform to purge Judah of idolatrous practices, destroying high places and enforcing worship at the Jerusalem Temple. However, these reforms proved to be only a temporary setback for the deeply ingrained paganism.
597 BC
First Babylonian deportation
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquered Jerusalem and deported a significant portion of the population, including King Jehoiachin and many of the elite. This event signaled the escalating power of Babylon and the impending doom of Jerusalem.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and destruction of the Temple
After a prolonged siege, Nebuchadnezzar's forces destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the remaining population to Babylon. This marked the end of Judah as an independent kingdom and the fulfillment of much of Jeremiah's prophecy.
This passage explicitly forbids the practice of passing children through the fire, directly contradicting the actions described in Jeremiah, highlighting the abomination God detested.
Leviticus 18:21This verse directly addresses the sin of giving one's children to Molech, showing that this 'abomination' was a known and forbidden act within the Law given to Israel.
Ezekiel 20:25-26Ezekiel echoes Jeremiah's lament, describing God giving Israel 'statutes that were not good' and making them 'profane themselves through their offerings,' emphasizing God's judgment on their idolatrous practices.
Jeremiah 7:31This earlier passage from Jeremiah also condemns the practice of offering children in the Valley of Hinnom, reinforcing the persistent and deeply rooted nature of this sin.
calvinJeremiah 32:35: "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."
- 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, ne…
pooleJeremiah 32:35: "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."
See Poole "Jeremiah 19:5" , See Poole "Jeremiah 19:6" , where all passages we meet with here are fully opened.
God explicitly states that this horrific practice of child sacrifice "did not enter into my mind," highlighting how radically this pagan ritual was not just unauthorized, but utterly alien to God's very nature and thoughts. This emphasizes that "will-worship," or any religious practice devised by humans rather than commanded by God, is not merely a mistake, but an abomination that stands in direct opposition to Him.
In this passage, Jeremiah is witnessing the utter corruption of God's people, even in the face of God's judgment. Despite the impending destruction of Jerusalem, the people have continued their detestable idolatrous practices, particularly the horrific child sacrifice to Molech in the Valley of Hinnom. God declares His abhorrence, emphasizing that He never commanded such atrocities, which originated solely from human depravity and led Judah into sin.
In this passage, Jeremiah is witnessing the utter corruption of God's people, even in the face of God's judgment. Despite the impending destruction of Jerusalem, the people have continued their detestable idolatrous practices, particularly the horrific child sacrifice to Molech in the Valley of Hinnom. God declares His abhorrence, emphasizing that He never commanded such atrocities, which originated solely from human depravity and led Judah into sin.
"They built the high places of Baal in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to offer up their sons and daughters to Molech, though I did not command them, nor did it enter into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to si…" — God explicitly states that this horrific practice of child sacrifice "did not enter into my mind," highlighting how radically this pagan ritual was not just unauthorized, but utterly alien to God's v…
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Last reviewed October 2026
