20, 21. sons and . . . daughters borne unto me--Though
"thy children," yet they belong "unto Me," rather than to thee, for
they were born under the immutable covenant with Israel, which even
Israel's sin could not set aside, and they have received the sign of
adoption as Mine, namely, circumcision. This aggravates the guilt of
sacrificing them to Molech.
to be devoured--not merely to pass through the fire, as
sometimes children were made to do
(Le 18:21)
without hurt, but to pass
through so as to be made the food of the flame in honor of idols
(see on
Isa 57:5;
Jer 7:31;
Jer 19:5;
Jer 32:35).
Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter, that thou hast slain my
children--rather, "Were thy whoredoms a small matter (that is, not
enough, but) that thou hast slain
(that is, must also slay)," &c. As if thy unchastity was not enough,
thou hast added this unnatural and sacrilegious cruelty
(Mic 6:7).
JFB.
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