יחזקאל, פרק ט״ז, פסוק כ״א

The prophet delivers a severe rebuke against the cruelty of idolatry, focusing specifically on the horrific practice of child sacrifice. The shock of this act is magnified by a deep, double betrayal. The people took children who rightfully belonged to God and handed them over to a foreign cult. God considers these children as His own special sons, brought into the world with the intended purpose of learning in school. Tragically, instead of receiving an education, they were slaughtered for the sake of idol worship [מצודת דוד].

The act of handing the children over to these false deities echoes the ancient biblical prohibition against giving one's offspring to Molech [מלבי״ם]. This surrender was meant to be a literal offering, bringing the children before the idols as if serving them as food [מצודת דוד]. The mechanics of this shocking ritual involved physically leading the victims forward [מצודת ציון]. The children were deliberately marched and passed directly through the fire as a dark offering to these idols [ביאור שטיינזלץ].