CHILD SACRIFICE IN THE BIBLE

“There is no question that during certain periods of early Hebrew history, children were routinely sacrificed to Yahweh or (more often) competing gods or idols.” This startling statement is made by Brian Bolton in his article “God Hates Children” in a 2017 issue of American Atheist magazine. I would like to briefly review all the examples of child sacrifice found in the OT to see if his statement holds up. Some of these are enumerated in the article above, but I have actually added to his list.

However, first let's consider the logic behind Bolton's statement. As an example of God hating children (as in the title to his article), he cites the fact that some people of Hebrew origin at some time in history took it upon themselves to sacrifice their children to God or gods. This lack of overall logic follows Bolton in all of the articles I have read by him. The only way in which his reasoning would hold together is if he considers (which I know he does from his other writings) that everything in the Bible is made up anyway, so anything mentioned in it that is uncomfortable to readers is due to the immoral authors who fabricated it. Of course, that brings up another contradiction, for how can he declare anything immoral without an absolute standard by which to judge it?

Genesis 22:1-12 Bolton explains that God first demanded that Isaac be made a human sacrifice to Him, but then changed His mind at the last minute. The nonsensical nature of that assertion is disproved by the facts that (a) it is clearly explained in the text (vv. 12,16) that the whole thing was a test of Abraham's obedience, (b) a substitute animal sacrifice was in readiness nearby (v. 13), and (c) God had clearly told Abraham in the previous chapter that Isaac was to be the son of promise (unless, of course, that was another thing that God had second thoughts about and then changed his mind back).

Also, since according to Bolton it was at this point in history that God “had doubts about the advisability of child sacrifice,” then it is certainly impossible to blame God for his hatred of children by citing subsequent human sacrifices in biblical history.

Exodus 13 As another supposed example of God changing his mind regarding child sacrifice, Bolton cites this chapter in which God lays down the general rule saying that after the people have entered Canaan they are to dedicate their firstborn to Him. In the first place, it is not clear what kind of dedication is in mind for their children. Then the passage goes into more detail to explain that the firstborn sons have to be redeemed (presumably with an animal sacrifice). This is not a change of God's mind since this pattern of starting with an overview and only then proceeding to the details is found elsewhere in the Bible. For example, look at the three-fold description of Creation (Gen. 1:1; 1:2-2:3; 2:4-25), the instructions regarding the number of animals to bring aboard the ark, or teachings on mutual submission in Ephesians 5:21; 5:22-6:9.

Leviticus 27:28-29 is then quoted by Bolton to demonstrate that apparently God has changed His mind back again regarding dedication of the firstborn since now it states that things dedicated to the Lord cannot be redeemed. We have merely to point out that this passage concerns the practice of herem when conducting certain holy wars in which God specifically states that all the inhabitants are to be killed. It has nothing to do with commanding the Israelites to kill their own children. And if we follow the story further we will see that even dedication of children for service in God's house is satisfied by the service of the levites instead.

Judges 11:29-39 This is the well-known story of Jephthah making a rash vow to sacrifice whatever or whomever greets him as he returns from battle. It turns out to be his daughter, and he has to fulfill his oath. As mitigating factors here, Jephthah is half-Canaanite; God nowhere blesses his actions; the actions of any human characters in the Bible, especially in the Book of Judges, are given as examples of what happened, not what should have happened; and finally it is not really clear what his daughter's ultimate fate is since she bewails, not her upcoming death, but her virginity. The last comment may indicate that she has to dedicate her subsequent life entirely to God in service rather than ever getting married and having children. If this interpretation is true, it may be another example of God redeeming someone from the death penalty, as a type of our redemption from the penalty of ultimate death by Christ's own sacrifice.

II Kings 16:3-4 // II Chronicles 28:3 King Ahaz of Judah is introduced as one who did not do right in God's sight. And as an example, it states that he followed the pagan custom of neighboring lands by making his son walk through fire. This has been variously explained as some sort of fire ritual, branding of the skin, or actual burnt offering to a pagan god. Again, I am not sure what Bolton is trying to point out by citing this example of obvious disobedience to God's commands.

I Kings 16:34 There are two ways of looking at this story, and in neither one is child sacrifice taught. The context is events that happened during the reign of Ahab, who according to verses 31-32 was a Baal worshiper, and displeased God more than any king of Israel before him (v. 33). This leads directly to the short story of the rebuilding of Jericho despite the fact that Joshua had placed a curse on whomever would attempt it. Apparently, a man named Hiel of Bethel did rebuilt it but lost his two sons in the process. In the first place, Bethel was not known as being a very pious town (see the mocking of Elisha by inhabitants near Bethel in II Kings 2:23-25). Secondly, his loss of two children is cited as a result of Joshua's curse rather than a statement of Hiel's purposeful sacrifice of them. Thirdly, even if Hiel did practice child sacrifice (to whom it is not stated), it is quite a stretch to cite that God approved of the action.

II Kings 17:17 This chapter is merely a litany of all the evil practices of the people of Judah at the time, including “making their children pass through the fire.” Several times in the passage it is made quite clear that God was punishing them for their actions, certainly not approving of them.

II Kings 21:6 // II Chronicles 33:6 Similarly, King Manasseh of Judah is condemned for his pagan practices.

II Kings 23:10 In marked contrast to the kings cited above, the pious King Josiah actually defiled the place where ritual child sacrifices had been conducted. And in this verse, we even learn that those sacrifices had been made not to Yahweh, but to Molech.

Zechariah 13:2-3 This is a restatement of the teaching in Deuteronomy 13 regarding sons and daughters who are false prophets and must suffer the death penalty. The only new wrinkle here is that it is the parents who will execute the death sentence, not the community. But the more important issues are given below:

No matter how one may wish to interpret this passage, it cannot be construed as a commanded child sacrifice to God, but an execution instead to stop false prophecies.

This “command” is in the context of Zechariah 12-14 which is an eschatological prophecy of all the things that will transpire on “that day,” the Day of the Lord. It is not a teaching intended for the here and now.

In light of the many occasions in the Bible where “sword” is used in a metaphorical sense rather than a literal one, and in view of the fact that we are reading a portion of Scripture that engages in poetic, hyperbolic, symbolic language – it is best not to consider it a literal description of what will happen. Thus, Ellis says that it is “inconceivable that the prophet is actually condoning homicide. Some kind of decisive denunciation must be meant...”

Similarly, Higginson feels that it refers to “parental correction” to “chastise him for the folly of his ways and the error into which he would lead the nation.” And Pao and Schnabel feel that these words predict “the breakdown of family solidarity in the last days.”

The most decisive argument against taking a literal interpretation of Zechariah 13:2-3 is the fact that the immediately following verses show that the result of the parents chastising their sons who are false prophets is that they “will be ashamed,” quit pretending to be prophets, and explain to those who ask concerning their “wounds” that it was due to those who loved them (my paraphrase).

In closing, one should look at Jeremiah 7:31, Ezekiel 16:20-22, Ezekiel 20:30-31, and Ezekiel 23:37-39. It is impossible to say that God hates children after reading His denunciation of those who sacrifice them.