Jeremiah 19:5

19:1-9 The prophet must give notice of ruin coming upon Judah and Jerusalem. Both rulers and ruled must attend to it. That place which holiness made the joy of the whole earth, sin made the reproach and shame of the whole earth. There is no fleeing from God's justice, but by fleeing to his mercy.

They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings to Baal, which I {c} commanded not, nor spoke it, neither came it into my mind: (c) By which is declared that whatever is not commanded by God's word concerning is service is against his word.

(5) The high places of Baal. —Baal, as in Jeremiah 2:23 , is identified with Molech, and the terms in which the guilt of the people and its punishment are described are all but identical with those of Jeremiah 7:31-32 . The fact that such sacrifices were offered is indicated in Psalm 106:37-38 .

This and the following verse contain another great sin of this people, with the punishment which God proportioneth to it. The sin in the general was idolatry, but a most barbarous species of it, mentioned also Jeremiah 7:31 32:35 , where it is said they made their sons and their daughters pass through the fire to Molech; the place where they did it is called Tophet , Jeremiah 19:6 , of which also mention is made Isaiah 30:33 Jeremiah 7:31-33 . For the opening of this text, as also of those other texts that mention this idolatry, we must open what is meant by Baal, Moloch, Tophet , and the valley of the son of Hinnom . There is no doubt but Baal and Molech, or Moloch, signify the same thing; Baal signifieth a lord, Molech a king . They ordinarily called their idols by these names; as also Malcham , Zephaniah 1:5 ; upon which account God would not be called Baal , Hosea 2:16 , though he was called Jehovah, Elohim , and Adonai , all which signified lord, as Baal did. Both Baal and Molech seem common names to all idols. There was more than one idol in the house of Baal, 2 Kings 10:26 . The Ammonites called their principal idol Milcom and Molech , as appears from 1 Kings 11:5 2 Kings 23:13 . To this idol they sacrificed their children. It was a very ancient idolatry, as appeareth by the very early law of God against it, Leviticus 20:3-5 .

Some say it was derived from Saturn, whom they make contemporary with Deborah and Barak, who, to appease the gods in an imminent danger, sacrificed his son. Others say it began in the time of Serug, the father of Nahor, of whom we read Genesis 11:20 , and that it had its original from the devil, speaking out of the belly of some dead persons, commanding this homage, possibly in imitation of God, who, Genesis 22:2 , to try Abraham’s obedience, commanded him to offer up Isaac upon the Mount Moriah. We must know there were other sacrifices they offered to Baal: they burnt incense to Baal , 2 Kings 23:5 ; they offered sacrifices and burnt-offerings of beasts , 1 Kings 18:26 2 Kings 10:24 ; only in some extraordinary straits, to show their great obedience to the devil, they offered their children.