Jeremiah 19:5
in Jeremiah 19They have built high places to Baal on which to burn their children in the fire as offerings to Baal—something I never commanded or mentioned, nor did it even enter My mind.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and have built the high places of Baal, to burn their sons in the fire for burnt-offerings unto Baal; which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind:
KJV
They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind:
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This verse in Jeremiah 19
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThe sin in the general was idolatry, but a most barbarous species of it, mentioned also chap. vii, 31; xxxii, 35, where it is said, they made their sons and their daughters pass thro' the fire to Molech; the place where they did it is called Tophet, ver. xix, 6, of which also mention is made, Isaiah xxx, 33.
This site's exposition
because they have abandoned Me and
on Jeremiah 19:4-5
They “have abandoned Me,” and “filled this place with the blood of the innocent.” Verse 5 names the worst, children burned, of which the LORD says, “I never commanded or mentioned, nor did it even enter My mind.” The threefold denial leaves the rite wholly of Judah’s own making.
This site's exposition
They have built high places to Baal
Adam Clarke takes Baal here as a general name for the popular idols, Molech and Ashtaroth among them. John Wesley ties the burning of children in the fire as offerings to Molech at 7:31 and 32:35. Matthew Henry calls it willful murder of the innocent.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verses 4-6.) Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring calamity (or evil) upon this place, such that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle, because they have forsaken me and have made this place a foreign land, and have burned incense in it to foreign gods, whom they and their fathers and the kings of Judah did not know.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
They also stand charged with murder, wilful murder, from malice prepense: They have filled this place with the blood of innocents. It was Manasseh's sin ( 2 Kings xxiv.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
He must endeavour to affect them with the greatness of the desolation that was coming upon them. He must tell them (as he had done before, ch. vii. 32 ) that this valley of the son of Hinnom shall acquire a new name, the valley of slaughter (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
They have also built the high places of Baal,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Offerings unto Baal - A general name for all the popular idols; Baal, Moloch, Ashtaroth, etc.
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּבָנ֞וּ | uvanu | and they have built | H1129 → | 376 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בָּמ֣וֹת | bamot | [the] high places of | H1116 → | 102 times |
| הַבַּ֗עַל | habaal | <the> Baal | H1168 → | 82 times |
| לִשְׂרֹ֧ף | lisrof | to burn | H8313 → | 117 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בְּנֵיהֶ֛ם | beneihem | children their | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| בָּאֵ֖שׁ | baesh | in the fire | H784 → | 378 times |
| עֹל֣וֹת | olot | burnt offerings | H5930 → | 287 times |
| לַבָּ֑עַל | labaal | to <the> Baal | H1168 → | 82 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֤ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| צִוִּ֙יתִי֙ | tziviti | I commanded | H6680 → | 494 times |
| וְלֹ֣א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| דִבַּ֔רְתִּי | dibarti | I spoke | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| עָלְתָ֖ה | ʾaltah | it came up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| לִבִּֽי׃ פ | libi | heart my | H3820 → | 595 times |
וּבָנ֞וּand they have built
uvanuH1129 →376 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בָּמ֣וֹת[the] high places of
bamotH1116 →102 times
הַבַּ֗עַל<the> Baal
habaalH1168 →82 times
לִשְׂרֹ֧ףto burn
lisrofH8313 →117 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בְּנֵיהֶ֛םchildren their
beneihemH1121 →4930 times
בָּאֵ֖שׁin the fire
baeshH784 →378 times
עֹל֣וֹתburnt offerings
olotH5930 →287 times
לַבָּ֑עַלto <the> Baal
labaalH1168 →82 times
אֲשֶׁ֤רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
צִוִּ֙יתִי֙I commanded
tzivitiH6680 →494 times
וְלֹ֣אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
דִבַּ֔רְתִּיI spoke
dibartiH1696 →1141 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
עָלְתָ֖הit came up
ʾaltahH5927 →890 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
לִבִּֽי׃ פheart my
libiH3820 →595 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Jeremiah 32:35They have built the high places of Baal in the Valley of Hinnom to make their sons and daughters pass through the fire to Molech—something I never commanded them, nor had it ever entered…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 7:31
They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Hinnom so they could burn their sons and daughters in the fire—something I never commanded, nor did it even enter My mind.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Leviticus 18:21
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.
- 2 Chronicles 33:6
He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Hinnom. He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking…
- Jeremiah 7:31
Through
Leviticus 18:21You 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.
it leads to
- Leviticus 20:2–5
“Tell the Israelites, ‘Any Israelite or foreigner living in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech must be put to death. The people of the land are to stone him.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Deuteronomy 12:31
You must not worship the LORD your God in this way, because they practice for their gods every abomination which the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as…
- Deuteronomy 18:10
Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery,
- Leviticus 19:12
You must not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
- Leviticus 20:2–5
Through
Deuteronomy 12:31You must not worship the LORD your God in this way, because they practice for their gods every abomination which the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 32:35
They have built the high places of Baal in the Valley of Hinnom to make their sons and daughters pass through the fire to Molech—something I never commanded them, nor had it ever entered…
- Jeremiah 32:35
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Jeremiah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Jeremiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.