Jeremiah 32:35
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)
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This verse powerfully reveals that God's perfect, loving mind never conceived of such a horrific act as child sacrifice. The phrasing "neither came it into my mind" emphasizes that this abomination is not just against His commands, but entirely outside His character and will.
Here, God is detailing the depth of Judah's sin and rebellion, specifically their abhorrent practice of child sacrifice to idols like Molech. This verse highlights their extreme departure from His commands, emphasizing that these abominations took place in the Valley of Hinnom, a place that would later become synonymous with utter desolation and judgment. It serves as a stark example of how far they had strayed, choosing idolatry and horrific rituals over the Lord's clear guidance.
Imagine dedicating sacred ground to something utterly vile. That's precisely what happened in Jerusalem. God's people took a place meant for something else and turned it into a stage for their worst sins.
Jeremiah 32:35 paints a grim picture: the Jews built 'high places of Baal' in the 'Valley of the Son of Hinnom.' This valley later became synonymous with hell itself, a place of utter defilement. God had specific places and ways for His people to worship Him – and He forbade worship anywhere else. Deuteronomy 12:4-5 makes this crystal clear: 'You shall not do so to the LORD your God, but you shall seek the place that the LORD your God will choose...' By setting up altars to foreign gods in forbidden locations, they weren't just worshipping wrongly; they were desecrating the very land God had given them for His own worship.
It wasn't just a minor slip-up. God describes this act with words that convey utter disgust and disbelief. What made this particular sin so deeply offensive to Him?
The core of this verse lies in God's absolute rejection of what the people did. They offered their sons and daughters to Molech by making them 'pass through the fire.' This practice, whether literal burning or a form of purification, was a horrific act of child sacrifice. God's reaction is emphatic: 'I did not command them, nor did it enter into my mind, that they should do this abomination.' This isn't just a statement of prohibition; it's an expression of divine astonishment. It was so contrary to His nature and His revealed will that it was unthinkable. The word 'abomination' signifies something detestable, something that elicits utter revulsion. For God, whose love is perfectly expressed in giving life, allowing children to be sacrificed was the ultimate betrayal of His character and His covenant love.
This wasn't just about a few misguided individuals. The verse concludes by stating the ultimate consequence of these actions. What does this tell us about the ripple effect of sin?
The verse ends with the devastating impact: 'to cause Judah to sin.' God identifies the ultimate purpose and outcome of these idolatrous practices. It wasn't merely an isolated ritual performed by a fringe group; it was an act designed to corrupt the entire nation. The leaders and the people who engaged in these sacrifices were actively leading others astray, pulling the whole nation deeper into sin against God. This highlights a crucial biblical principle: sin, especially the kind that masquerades as worship, doesn't stay contained. It spreads, corrupts, and ultimately leads to widespread rebellion against God. The pursuit of false gods and the performance of detestable rituals were not private matters but public acts that endangered the spiritual well-being of the entire community.
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
Jeremiah condemns the abominable practice of child sacrifice in the Valley of Hinnom, highlighting how deeply ingrained this sin had become despite Josiah's reforms and the impending judgment of exile.
c. 7th century BC— this verse
Idolatrous Worship in Hinnom Valley
High places dedicated to Baal and practices involving child sacrifice to Molech become prevalent in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, near Jerusalem.
c. 622 BC
Josiah's Religious Reforms
King Josiah purges the land of idolatry, including defiling the high places in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, as described in 2 Kings 23.
597 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar deports King Jehoiachin and many citizens of Jerusalem to Babylon, marking the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the remaining population to Babylon.
This passage explicitly forbids passing one's children through the fire to Molech, directly highlighting the abomination Jeremiah is condemning. It shows this practice was a clear violation of God's established law.
Deuteronomy 12:31This verse reiterates the prohibition against practicing the detestable things of the surrounding nations, specifically mentioning not doing 'so to the Lord your God.' It reinforces that the Molech worship was an unacceptable foreign abomination, not a matter of God's indifference.
Jeremiah 7:31This passage from the same prophet describes the same practice of building high places for Baal and sacrificing children in the Valley of Hinnom, underscoring the persistent and widespread nature of this sin. It's a powerful parallel showing the depth of Judah's apostasy.
Ezekiel 20:25-26Here, God directly rebukes Israel for giving their children to foreign gods, stating He gave them 'statutes that were not good and rules by which they could not live.' This confirms that such practices were not merely human error but a departure from God's intended way, leading to destruction.
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.
This verse powerfully reveals that God's perfect, loving mind never conceived of such a horrific act as child sacrifice. The phrasing "neither came it into my mind" emphasizes that this abomination is not just against His commands, but entirely outside His character and will.
Here, God is detailing the depth of Judah's sin and rebellion, specifically their abhorrent practice of child sacrifice to idols like Molech. This verse highlights their extreme departure from His commands, emphasizing that these abominations took place in the Valley of Hinnom, a place that would later become synonymous with utter desolation and judgment. It serves as a stark example of how far they had strayed, choosing idolatry and horrific rituals over the Lord's clear guidance.
Here, God is detailing the depth of Judah's sin and rebellion, specifically their abhorrent practice of child sacrifice to idols like Molech. This verse highlights their extreme departure from His commands, emphasizing that these abominations took place in the Valley of Hinnom, a place that would later become synonymous with utter desolation and judgment. It serves as a stark example of how far they had strayed, choosing idolatry and horrific rituals over the Lord's clear guidance.
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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.
"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…" — This verse powerfully reveals that God's perfect, loving mind never conceived of such a horrific act as child sacrifice. The phrasing "neither came it into my mind" emphasizes that this abomination i…
