* Thou.
  4  18:9  Ex 23:2  Le 18:3,26-30  2Ki 17:15-17  21:2  2Ch 33:2 
  2Ch 36:14 
 * abomination to the.  Heb. abomination of the.  even their
   sons.
   The unnatural and horrid practice of offering human sacrifices
   not only existed, but universally prevailed among ancient
   nations.  We have already (Note on Lev 20:2) referred to the
   custom among the Phoenicians and Carthaginians, descendants
   from the Canaanitish nations, of sacrificing their children to
   Moloch, or Saturn; and we will now cite a passage from
   Diodorus Siculus, (lib. xx.) which immediately precedes that
   already produced relative to this barbarous custom.  He states
   that the Carthaginians imputed their being besieged by
   Agathocles to the anger of Saturn, because, instead of
   sacrificing the best of their own children, as formerly, they
   had sacrificed children bought for that purpose.  "In haste,
   therefore, to rectify their errors, they chose 200; of the
   noblest children, and publicly sacrificed them!  Others,
   accused of irreligion, voluntarily gave themselves up, to the
   number of no less than 300!"

  18:10  Le 18:21  20:2  Jer 7:31  32:35  Eze 20:31  23:27  Mic 6:7