The verse ends with God's powerful indictment: 'which I commanded not, neither came it into my mind.' Commentators like Calvin and Gill stress this is the core issue. The people's horrific act of child sacrifice wasn't just immoral; it was an illegitimate form of worship they invented. This serves as a timeless principle: true worship is rooted in obedience to God's commands found in Scripture, not in human traditions or zealous acts that He has not authorized.