2 Kings 21:6

6 1And he burned his son as an offering[a] and 2used fortune-telling and 3omens and dealt 4with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger.

2 Kings 21:6 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 21:6

And he made his son pass through the fire
To Molech, after the manner of the old Canaanites and Phoenicians; his son Amon, that succeeded him, and other children, as appears from ( 2 Chronicles 33:6 ) , where mention is made of the place where it was done, the valley of the son of Hinnom:

and observed times;
lucky or unlucky, which was judged of by omens, and by the position of the stars:

and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards;
to get knowledge of things to come; all which are forbid and condemned by the law of Moses; see ( Deuteronomy 18:10-12 ) ,

he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to
anger;
in all those evils before mentioned, which were very abominable in the sight of God.

2 Kings 21:6 In-Context

4 And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, "In Jerusalem will I put my name."
5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.
6 And he burned his son as an offering and used fortune-telling and omens and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger.
7 And the carved image of Asherah that he had made he set in the house of which the LORD said to David and to Solomon his son, "In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever.
8 And I will not cause the feet of Israel to wander anymore out of the land that I gave to their fathers, if only they will be careful to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the Law that my servant Moses commanded them."

Cross References 4

  • 1. See Leviticus 18:21
  • 2. See Leviticus 19:26
  • 3. 2 Kings 17:17
  • 4. 2 Kings 23:24; See Leviticus 19:31

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Hebrew made his son pass through the fire
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.