What does the Bible say about human sacrifice?

Top passages, ranked by readers

Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible

• 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 practices sorcery, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer,

• Leviticus 18:21

  "'You shall not give any of your children to sacrifice to Molech; neither shall you profane the name of your God: I am Yahweh.

• 2 Kings 21:6

  He made his son to pass through the fire, and practiced sorcery, and used enchantments, and dealt with those who had familiar spirits, and with wizards: he worked much evil in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger.

• Deuteronomy 12:31

  You shall not do so to Yahweh your God: for every abomination to Yahweh, which he hates, have they done to their gods; for even their sons and their daughters do they burn in the fire to their gods.

• 2 Kings 3:27

  Then he took his eldest son who would have reigned in his place, and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall. There was great wrath against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.

• Genesis 22:1-24

  [1] It happened after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" He said, "Here I am." [2] He said, "Now take your son, your only son, whom you love, even Isaac, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of." [3] Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son. He split the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went to the place of which God had told him. [4] On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place far off. [5] Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go yonder. We will worship, and come back to you. [6] Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. He took in his hand the fire and the knife. They both went together. [7] Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and said, "My father?" He said, "Here I am, my son." He said, "Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" [8] Abraham said, "God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So they both went together. [9] They came to the place which God had told him of. Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, on the wood. [10] Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to kill his son. [11] The angel of Yahweh called to him out of the sky, and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" He said, "Here I am." [12] He said, "Don't lay your hand on the boy, neither do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me." [13] Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and saw that behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son. [14] Abraham called the name of that place Yahweh-Jireh. As it is said to this day, "In Yahweh's mountain it will be provided. [15] The angel of Yahweh called to Abraham a second time out of the sky, [16] and said, "I have sworn by myself, says Yahweh, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, [17] that in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is on the seashore. Your seed will possess the gate of his enemies. [18] In your seed will all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice." [19] So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba. [20] It happened after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, "Behold, Milcah, she also has borne children to your brother Nahor: [21] Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, [22] Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel." [23] Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham's brother. [24] His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bare Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

• Jeremiah 7:31

  They have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I didn't command, neither came it into my mind.

• Leviticus 27:28-29

  [28] "'Notwithstanding, no devoted thing, that a man shall devote to Yahweh of all that he has, whether of man or animal, or of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is most holy to Yahweh. [29] "'No one devoted, who shall be devoted from among men, shall be ransomed; he shall surely be put to death.

• Judges 11:31

  then it shall be, that whatever comes forth from the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, it shall be Yahweh's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.

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