Bible Strands
2 Chronicles 33:6
He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Ben-hinnom. He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Chronicler records King Manasseh’s actions in Jerusalem, specifically detailing his idolatrous reforms in the temple courtyards and the Valley of Ben-hinnom.
The words — הֶעֱבִיר (he.'e.Vir) translates literally as "he made pass," describing the ritual transfer of children into fire. בְּגֵי בֶן־הִנּוֹם (be./Gei ven-/hi.Nom) identifies the Valley of Ben-hinnom as the geographic site of these acts.
The thread — The text catalogs practices explicitly forbidden in Leviticus 18:21, 19:26, and 19:31, while continuing the narrative of Manasseh’s temple desecration from 2 Chronicles 33:5 and 33:7.
Why it lands — The passage lists specific prohibited rites to establish a clear boundary between Yahweh worship and occult practices, demanding recognition of what provokes divine anger.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.
Cross-references
- 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.
- Leviticus 19:26 You must not eat anything with blood still in it. You must not practice divination or sorcery.
- Leviticus 19:31 You must not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out, or you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.
- Leviticus 20:6 Whoever turns to mediums or spiritists to prostitute himself with them, I will also set My face against that person and cut him off from his people.
- 2 Kings 21:6 He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.
- 2 Chronicles 28:3 Moreover, Ahaz burned incense in the Valley of Ben-hinnom and sacrificed his sons in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.
- 1 Chronicles 10:13 So Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance,
- Isaiah 8:19 When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists who whisper and mutter, shouldn’t a people consult their God instead? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?
- Isaiah 47:9 These two things will overtake you in a moment, in a single day: loss of children, and widowhood. They will come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the potency of your spells.
- Jeremiah 7:31 They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Ben-hinnom so they could burn their sons and daughters in the fire—something I never commanded, nor did it even enter My mind.