It is hard to figure out if child sacrifice was actually condoned or commanded, originally. I know it was later stated (unambiguously) that the Levites were to take the place of firstborn sacrifices.If you are interested in the theme of child sacrifice, I recommend reading Jon Levenson's "The Death and Resurrection of the Beloved Son: The Transformation of Child Sacrifice in Judaism and Christianity". Levenson finds quite a few instances of "sacrificing" (in one sense or another) one's beloved son and then "receiving" him back (in one sense or another). From the cover:
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