⁴And he built altars in the house of the Lord, whereof the Lord said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.
4. shall my name be for ever] Compare vii. 16.
⁵And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.
5. the two courts] Compare iv. 9 (note).
⁶He also made his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: and he practised augury, and used enchantments, and practised sorcery, and dealt with them that had familiar spirits, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.
6. He also made] In the Hebrew there is stress on the pronoun “He” (that wicked one!).
to pass through the fire] Compare xxviii. 3 (note).
in the valley of the son of Hinnom] Compare Jeremiah vii. 31, 32.
practised augury] The precise meaning of the Hebrew word (‘ōnēn) is quite uncertain, so that we cannot be sure what form of divination is meant. “Augury” among the Romans consisted chiefly in observing birds and interpreting the observations made, but auguries were also taken from other natural phenomena.
practised sorcery] The Hebrew word (kishshēph) probably means “to make a magic brew with shredded herbs.”