12:31 they even burn their sons and their daughters. Child sacrifice was common in ancient times, especially in the Phoenician colony of Carthage in North Africa. In ancient pagan cultures, children were sometimes sacrificed in times of great need as an expression of devotion to a god (2 Kin. 3:27). Even some Israelites at times engaged in this detestable practice (Judg. 11:30–40; Ps. 106:34–39; Jer. 7:31).