Isaiah 57:5

Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?

Enflaming {H2552} yourselves with idols {H410} under every green {H7488} tree {H6086}, slaying {H7819} the children {H3206} in the valleys {H5158} under the clifts {H5585} of the rocks {H5553}?

You go into heat among the oak trees, under every spreading tree. You kill the children in the valleys under the cracks in the rocks.

who burn with lust among the oaks, under every luxuriant tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?

ye that inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every green tree; that slay the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?

Isaiah 57:5 delivers a powerful and unsettling indictment against the spiritual apostasy of ancient Israel, vividly depicting their deep-seated idolatry and the horrific practices associated with it. This verse is part of a larger prophecy where Isaiah contrasts the fate of the righteous with the judgment awaiting the wicked and unfaithful.

Context

This verse is found within a section of Isaiah (chapters 56-59) that addresses the moral decay and spiritual corruption prevalent in Judah during a period of unfaithfulness. The prophet Isaiah confronts the people for abandoning the true God and embracing the pagan customs of surrounding nations. The phrase "under every green tree" refers to the common practice of pagan worship, where sacred groves and high places were used for rituals, often involving fertility rites and illicit sexual acts. The most shocking accusation, "slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks," points directly to the abhorrent practice of child sacrifice, a detestable act strictly forbidden by God's law and a hallmark of Canaanite religion, often associated with the worship of Molech in the Valley of Hinnom.

Key Themes

  • Idolatry and Spiritual Adultery: The imagery of "enflaming yourselves with idols" speaks to the intense, passionate devotion Israel showed towards false gods, likening their unfaithfulness to a fervent, illicit affair. This highlights their spiritual betrayal of the covenant with Yahweh.
  • Moral Depravity: The inclusion of child sacrifice underscores the extreme depths of moral degradation to which the people had fallen. It reveals the dehumanizing and destructive consequences of abandoning the true God and His divine standards.
  • Divine Condemnation: The rhetorical question posed by God through Isaiah ("slaying the children...?") implies His full awareness and absolute condemnation of these abominable acts, signaling impending judgment for such gross violations of His commands.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word translated "enflaming yourselves" (ḥammāmîm) carries connotations of burning desire, lust, or intense passion, emphasizing the zealous, though misdirected, fervor with which the Israelites pursued their idols. The phrase "every green tree" is a potent symbol of widespread pagan worship sites, often associated with fertility cults and Asherah poles, indicating the pervasive nature of their apostasy. The horrifying act of "slaying the children" (shoḥatey ha-yeladim) refers to the ritualistic sacrifice of infants, a practice explicitly condemned throughout the Old Testament as an ultimate abomination against God and humanity (see Leviticus 18:21 and Deuteronomy 12:31).

Spiritual Significance and Application

Isaiah 57:5 serves as a timeless warning against the dangers of idolatry in all its forms. While modern idolatry may not involve literal child sacrifice or worship under green trees, anything that takes God's rightful place in our lives—be it wealth, career, relationships, pleasure, or self—can become an idol. The intensity of "enflaming yourselves" challenges believers to examine their own passions and allegiances. This verse calls for a singular devotion to the Lord, reminding us that spiritual unfaithfulness leads to moral decay and serious consequences. It underscores the importance of putting no other gods before the one true God, fostering a pure heart and unwavering commitment to His righteous ways.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Ezekiel 16:20

    Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. [Is this] of thy whoredoms a small matter,

  • 2 Kings 16:3

    But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel.

  • 2 Kings 16:4

    And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.

  • Isaiah 1:29

    For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.

  • Leviticus 18:21

    And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through [the fire] to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I [am] the LORD.

  • Jeremiah 7:31

    And they have built the high places of Tophet, which [is] in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded [them] not, neither came it into my heart.

  • Jeremiah 3:13

    Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.

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