Principle
God specifically forbid Israel from sacrificing their children.
Explanation
GOD specifically forbid Israel from sacrificing their children:
1 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Again, you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘Whoever of the children of Israel, or of the resident aliens dwelling in Israel, gives any of his children to worship a ruler, let him be put to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones. 3 I will set My face against that man and will destroy him from among his people, because he gave his children to a ruler, to defile My holy things and profane the name of those sanctified for Me. 4 But if the natives of the land disregard that man, taking no notice of him when he gives his children to a ruler, and they do not kill him, 5 then I will set My face against that man and those of his kind. For since he and those in agreement with him prostituted themselves to rulers, I will destroy them from among their people.
Leviticus 20:1-5 OSB
In the Hebrew Masoretic Text (MT) Old Testament, instead of “a ruler,” the word Molech is used:
1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Again, you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘Whoever of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell in Israel, who gives any of his descendants to Molech, he shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones. 3 I will set My face against that man, and will cut him off from his people, because he has given some of his descendants to Molech, to defile My sanctuary and profane My holy name. 4 And if the people of the land should in any way hide their eyes from the man, when he gives some of his descendants to Molech, and they do not kill him, 5 then I will set My face against that man and against his family; and I will cut him off from his people, and all who prostitute themselves with him to commit harlotry with Molech.
Leviticus 20:1-5 NKJV
Remember that, in the second world, when GOD divided the nations at Babel, He appointed angels to rule over the Gentile nations, while preserving Israel for Himself as a special people. The Canaanites were among these Gentile nations. Thus, it seems clear that the “ruler” in the Septuagint referred to one of these ruling angels, perhaps named Molech.
Molech is indeed mentioned in the Septuagint, as well as the MT, in 2 Kings 23:10 and elsewhere:
10 [King Josiah] defiled Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, so no man might make his son or his daughter pass through the fire as an offering to Molech.
2 Kings 23:10 OSB
Sadly, Israel eventually participated in child sacrifice, which brought great wrath upon them, just as GOD promised.
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