²¹ “‘Do not give any of your children^(A) to be sacrificed to Molek,^(B) for you must not profane the name of your God.^(C) I am the Lord.^(D)

Punishments for Sin

20 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing in Israel who sacrifices any of his children to Molek is to be put to death.^(A) The members of the community are to stone him.^{(B) 3} I myself will set my face against him and will cut him off from his people;^(C) for by sacrificing his children to Molek, he has defiled^(D) my sanctuary^(E) and profaned my holy name.^{(F) 4} If the members of the community close their eyes when that man sacrifices one of his children to Molek and if they fail to put him to death,^{(G) 5} I myself will set my face against him and his family and will cut them off from their people together with all who follow him in prostituting themselves to Molek.

³ He followed the ways of the kings of Israel^(A) and even sacrificed his son^(B) in the fire, engaging in the detestable^(C) practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites.

³¹ They have built the high places of Topheth^(A) in the Valley of Ben Hinnom^(B) to burn their sons and daughters^(C) in the fire—something I did not command, nor did it enter my mind.^(D)

³⁷ for they have committed adultery and blood is on their hands. They committed adultery with their idols; they even sacrificed their children, whom they bore to me, as food for them.^(A)