Isaiah 57:5
Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?
Original Language Analysis
בָּֽאֵלִ֔ים
yourselves with idols
H410
בָּֽאֵלִ֔ים
yourselves with idols
Strong's:
H410
Word #:
2 of 12
strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the almighty (but used also of any deity)
תַּ֖חַת
H8478
תַּ֖חַת
Strong's:
H8478
Word #:
3 of 12
the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc
כָּל
H3605
כָּל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
4 of 12
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
רַעֲנָ֑ן
under every green
H7488
רַעֲנָ֑ן
under every green
Strong's:
H7488
Word #:
6 of 12
verdant; by analogy, new; figuratively, prosperous
בַּנְּחָלִ֔ים
in the valleys
H5158
בַּנְּחָלִ֔ים
in the valleys
Strong's:
H5158
Word #:
9 of 12
a stream, especially a winter torrent; (by implication) a (narrow) valley (in which a brook runs); also a shaft (of a mine)
תַּ֖חַת
H8478
תַּ֖חַת
Strong's:
H8478
Word #:
10 of 12
the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc
Cross References
Isaiah 1:29For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.Ezekiel 16:20Moreover 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,Jeremiah 3:13Only 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.Jeremiah 7:31And 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 2:20For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.Leviticus 18:21And 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.2 Kings 23:10And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech.
Historical Context
Archaeological excavations have uncovered evidence of child sacrifice in Canaanite culture, including burial jars containing infant remains at sites like Carthage (a Phoenician colony). The "green trees" were sacred groves associated with Asherah worship, the Canaanite mother goddess. The "valleys" specifically reference the Valley of Hinnom (Gehenna) south of Jerusalem, where apostate Israelite kings like Ahaz and Manasseh offered their own children to Molech (2 Kings 16:3, 21:6). These practices, which God utterly abhorred, had infiltrated Judah despite explicit Mosaic prohibitions (Leviticus 18:21, 20:2-5).
Questions for Reflection
- How does the sacrifice of children to false gods contrast with God's sacrifice of His own Son?
- What contemporary practices might parallel the ancient substitution of false religion for true worship?
- How does total depravity manifest when societies reject God's moral law?
Analysis & Commentary
This verse graphically depicts the two most heinous aspects of Canaanite idolatry: sexual immorality and child sacrifice. "Enflaming yourselves" (neechamim) carries sexual connotations, describing ritual orgies associated with fertility cult worship. The phrase "under every green tree" became a standard prophetic expression for idolatrous practices (Deuteronomy 12:2, Jeremiah 2:20, 3:6). Most horrifying is "slaying the children in the valleys"—a clear reference to child sacrifice, particularly the burning of children to Molech in the Valley of Hinnom (Jeremiah 7:31, 32:35). The Hebrew shochatei ("slaying") is the same word used for ritual animal sacrifice, indicating these murders were performed as religious acts. From a Reformed perspective, this demonstrates the ultimate depravity of unregenerate humanity: when people reject God's revelation, they descend into the most grotesque immorality, calling evil good and good evil. This also prefigures the innocent suffering of Christ, the true child given for sacrifice.