Leviticus 18:21 · Bible study
Leviticus 18:21 Commentary: Child Sacrifice to Molech and Profaning God's Name
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Does Molech worship involve actual child sacrifice or a ritual? How offering children profanes God’s name. Scholarly, pastoral study.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Israel must not offer any child to Molech, whether by fire or dedication ritual, because it profanes God’s name.
- Key words: “seed” (offspring), “pass through” (Hiphil of העבר, cause to cross over), “Molech” (the Ammonite king-god), “profane” (חלל, to treat as common).
- Main debate: Did the ritual involve actual child sacrifice by fire, or a symbolic passing through fire? Both views have ancient support; the later kings’ actions show the practice became lethal.
- Theological theme: God’s exclusive claim on worship and His protection of children, linked to the covenant formula “I am Yahweh.”
- Best use: A warning against any form of devotion that harms the vulnerable, and a call to honor God’s name by reflecting His character.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
You must not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
WEB World English Bible 2000
“‘You shall not give any of your children as a sacrifice to Molech. You shall not profane the name of your God. I am Yahweh.
KJV King James Version 1769
And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And thou shalt not give any of thy seed to make them pass through the fire to Molech; neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am Jehovah.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`And of thy seed thou dost not give to pass over to the Molech; nor dost thou pollute the name of thy God; I am Jehovah.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And thou shalt not give of thy seed to let them pass through [the fire] to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am Jehovah.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Thou shalt not give any of thy seed to be consecrated to the idol Moloch, nor defile the name of thy God. I am the Lord.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y no des de tu simiente para hacerla pasar por el fuego á Moloch; no contamines el nombre de tu Dios: Yo Jehová.
E não dês de tua descendência para fazê-la passar pelo fogo a Moloque; não contamines o nome de teu Deus: Eu sou o SENHOR.
Tu ne livreras aucun de tes enfants pour le faire passer à Moloc, et tu ne profaneras point le nom de ton Dieu. Je suis l’ Éternel.
Du sollst auch nicht eines deiner Kinder dahingeben, daß es dem Moloch verbrannt werde, daß du nicht entheiligst den Namen deines Gottes; denn ich bin der HERR.
En van uw zaad zult gij niet geven, om voor den Molech door het vuur te doen gaan; en den Naam uws Gods zult gij niet ontheiligen; Ik ben de HEERE!
Non darai de’ tuoi figliuoli ad essere immolati a Moloc; e non profanerai il nome del tuo Dio. Io sono l’Eterno.
Z nasienia twego nie dopuszczaj ofiarować Molochowi, abyś nie splugawił imienia Boga twego; Jam Pan
Из детей твоих не отдавай на служение Молоху и не бесчести имени Бога твоего. Я Господь.
不可 使 你的兒女 經火 歸與摩洛，也不可 褻瀆你 神 的名。我是 耶和華。
And you may not make any of your children go through the fire as an offering to Molech, and you may not put shame on the name of your God: I am the Lord.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Leviticus 18:21
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree this verse absolutely prohibits offering children to Molech, a foreign god. The act is condemned as profaning the name of Yahweh. There is debate about exactly what the ritual involved. John Gill and Adam Clarke note two interpretations: some ancients believed children were sacrificed by burning, others that they were passed through fire as a consecration. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown describe a bronze statue heated and infants shaken over flames or passed through its arms. Keil and Delitzsch maintain that passing through fire to Molech originally meant a purifying ceremony, but later kings like Ahaz did burn children. All commentators agree that whether actual death or a dedication ritual, the act is forbidden because it treats children as offerings to a false god and profanes the name of the true God. The final clause, “I am Yahweh,” grounds the prohibition in God’s exclusive identity and covenant claim.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Actual child sacrifice by fire: Explicit parallels: 2 Kings 16:3, 21:6; 2 Chronicles 28:3; Jeremiah 7:31; Psalm 106:37–38. JFB and many modern scholars see the bronze statue and burning as literal.
- Symbolic consecration ritual (passing through fire): Rabbinic tradition, Gill, and some earlier commentators argue the phrase 'pass through the fire' means a purification or dedication rite, not death. Ahaz’s son Hezekiah succeeded him, so he was not killed.
What is clear: Whether the ritual killed the child or not, God absolutely forbids giving any offspring to Molech in any form; doing so profanes His name and violates the covenant.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the Molech ritual | All traditions agree that offering children to Molech is strictly forbidden and considered an abomination. | Some scholars (JFB, Keil & Delitzsch) hold that it originally involved actual child sacrifice by burning; others (Clarke, Gill citing rabbis) argue it could be a dedication ritual of passing through fire. The later biblical evidence (Ahaz, Manasseh) shows actual burning occurred. |
| How the act profanes God's name | It misrepresents God to outsiders and breaks the covenant by giving to an idol what belongs to God. | Jamieson-Fausset-Brown emphasize the foreign perception angle: pagans would think God demands cruelty. Calvin and others focus on the internal covenant violation: treating God as if He were like Molech. |
| Connection to surrounding sexual prohibitions | The placement within marriage and sexual laws is intentional, linking idolatry to spiritual unfaithfulness. | Cambridge Bible sees it as an interjection due to the marriage metaphor for covenant. Others (Wesley) see it as a distinct but related category of prohibited devotion. |
| Identity of Molech | Molech was the god of the Ammonites, associated with fire and child sacrifice. | Clarke and others connect Moloch to the sun and to Saturn; Gill identifies him with Milcom (1 Kings 11:5); Keil & Delitzsch link him to Melkarth and Baal. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Molech (also spelled Moloch) was the national god of the Ammonites, closely related to Baal and the Phoenician Melkarth. His name means “king” or “ruler.” Ancient sources describe a bronze statue with a bull’s head and outstretched arms, heated from within. Children were placed into those burning arms, a practice the Phoenicians and Carthaginians also performed. The valley of Hinnom, later called Gehenna, became notorious as the site for such sacrifices (Jeremiah 7:31, 32:35).
This verse appears in a chapter mostly concerned with sexual prohibitions (incest, adultery, homosexuality, bestiality). Its sudden insertion likely connects idolatry to spiritual unfaithfulness, as the Cambridge Bible notes: the marriage metaphor for God’s covenant makes child sacrifice the ultimate violation of that bond. Moses wrote to a people surrounded by Canaanite and Egyptian customs, where such practices were common. The surrounding nations “defiled the land” through these abominations (vv. 24, 28), and God warns Israel that the land will vomit them out if they follow suit. The prohibition of Molech worship thus protects both the covenant community and the most vulnerable, children.
The Hebrew verb leha’avir (“to make pass through”) can indicate either causing to pass through fire as a test or consecration, or causing to be consumed. Deuteronomy 18:10 uses the same phrase in a list of forbidden practices. By the time of the later kings (Ahaz, Manasseh), the practice clearly included burning children alive (2 Chronicles 28:3, 33:6).
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The key interpretive issue is lexical and historical, not textual. The phrase “pass through the fire” is not present in the Hebrew of this verse (the word “fire” is supplied from Deuteronomy 18:10), but the context and parallel passages make the reference to fire certain.
Reception History
Early Christian writers (e.g., Tertullian, Augustine) cited this verse to condemn the pagan practice of child sacrifice and to distinguish Christian worship. In the Reformation, Calvin treated it as a warning against any syncretism that dishonors God. Jewish interpretation (Rashi, Ibn Ezra) focused on the prohibition of even dedicating a child to Molech through fire, not only killing them. In modern scholarship, the verse is studied in the context of ancient Near Eastern cultic practices and the ethical development of Israel’s religion. The passage continues to shape Christian ethics around children’s welfare and the seriousness of idolatry, and it undergirds the modern rejection of any form of child sacrifice or exploitation in the name of religion.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The prohibition: Do not give your children to Molech. God protects children from being used for religious or any other purpose that harms them.
- The profanation: Offering children to Molech profanes God’s name. It misrepresents God as demanding cruelty and treats the covenant with contempt.
- The claim: “I am Yahweh.” The prohibition stands on God’s exclusive identity and His right to define worship.
Five-point outline
- The specific sin: offering “seed” (offspring) to Molech.
- The debated method: sacrifice by fire or ritual passing through fire, both are forbidden.
- Profaning God’s name: causing outsiders to associate God with child sacrifice (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown).
- Profaning God’s name: breaking the covenant by giving to an idol what belongs to God.
- “I am Yahweh”, the foundation of every law: God’s character and relationship with His people.
Illustration hooks
- A parent who pushes a child into elite sports or academic success to the point of harm, sacrificing the child on the altar of ambition.
- A church that prioritizes its programs or reputation over the safety and nurture of children.
- Any cultural practice that treats children as means to an end (e.g., child labor, exploitation in media).
Questions your congregation is asking
- Did people really burn their own children to Molech, or was it symbolic?
- Why is this law placed among sexual laws? How are idolatry and sexual sin connected?
- What does it mean to “profane the name of God” today? How might we do it without realizing?
Leading a Discussion
This verse confronts us with one of the most disturbing practices in the ancient world. Yet it also reveals God’s heart for children and for His own reputation among the nations. As you work through the questions, look carefully at what the text says and how it connects worship, family, and God’s name.
Discussion questions
- What does the phrase “give any of your children” suggest about the nature of this offering? (Observation)
- The Hebrew verb for “make pass through” (leha’avir) is ambiguous. How does this ambiguity affect how we understand the ritual? (Interpretation)
- How does offering a child to Molech “profane the name of your God”? (Interpretation, see Leviticus 19:12, 22:32)
- Why do you think this law is placed among laws about sexual purity? What does it suggest about the seriousness of idolatry? (Interpretation)
- In what ways might parents today “offer their children” to lesser gods, career, appearance, ideology? (Application)
- How does the final declaration “I am Yahweh” ground this command? What does it say about God’s identity and relationship to His people? (Interpretation)
- How can our church community better protect and value children as gifts from God? (Application)
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Leviticus 19:12 | “‘You shall not swear by my name falsely, and profane the name of your God. I am Yahweh. |
| Leviticus 20:2 | “Moreover, you shall tell the children of Israel, ‘Anyone of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners in Israel, who gives any of his offspring to Molech shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone that person with stones. |
| Leviticus 20:5 | then I will set my face against that man and against his family, and will cut him off, and all who play the prostitute after him to play the prostitute with Molech, from among their people. |
| Leviticus 21:6 | They shall be holy to their God, and not profane the name of their God, for they offer the offerings of Yahweh made by fire, the bread of their God. Therefore they shall be holy. |
| Leviticus 22:2 | “Tell Aaron and his sons to separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, which they make holy to me, and that they not profane my holy name. I am Yahweh. |
| Leviticus 22:32 | You shall not profane my holy name, but I will be made holy among the children of Israel. I am Yahweh who makes you holy, |
| Deuteronomy 12:31 | You shall not do so to Yahweh your God; for every abomination to Yahweh, which he hates, they have done to their gods; for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods. |
| Deuteronomy 18:10 | There shall not be found with you anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who tells fortunes, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer, |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that scholars disagree on what passing through the fire to Molech meant. Some believe children were actually burnt alive as offerings; others argue it was a consecration ritual of walking between two fires. He leans toward the consecration view, citing Hezekiah as a king who underwent this rite yet survived to reign.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that God's self-identification as "Jehovah, the God of Israel" directly opposes all false idols. Any practice like sacrificing children to Moloch or consulting spirits is not just forbidden but defiles the worshiper, because God demands exclusive, pure devotion from His chosen people.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentary suggests the verse appears abruptly because the writer connects idolatry to marital unfaithfulness as a metaphor. The sudden placement makes sense when understood as condemning worship of the Ammonite god Molech, using the same language of betrayal found in the surrounding laws.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Also thou shalt not giue thy children to offer them vnto Molech, neither shalt thou defile the name of thy God: for I am the Lord.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that the phrase "pass through the fire to Molech" may not always mean burning the child alive. Jewish tradition describes it as making the child walk between two fires as a form of dedication or purification. But Gill acknowledges that both the symbolic passing and actual burning occurred, sometimes the one leading to the other, so the practice ultimately profaned God's name by giving children meant for Him to an idol.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the superstitious belief behind child sacrifice to Molech held that any child not purified by fire would die in infancy. He interprets the command not to profane God's name as a warning that such practices would give foreigners reason to accuse God of demanding cruel human sacrifices.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch draws a careful distinction: the phrase “passing through the fire to Molech” does not necessarily mean slaughtering and burning children. They argue it originally described a rite of purification or fire-baptism, a consecration without sacrifice, citing ancient Jewish and Christian interpreters.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry sees these laws as falling into two groups: those protecting the honor of the marriage bed from misuse or invasion by adultery, and the command against the most unnatural idolatry of sacrificing children to Molech. Such sins defile the land and provoke God's judgment.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley explains that passing through fire was a form of consecration to the Ammonite idol Molech, either by burning children or making them walk between two fires. He identifies Molech with the pagan god Saturn, to whom children were sacrificed, and notes that this single warning against one idolatry implicitly forbids all others.