Isaiah 57:5
3 “But come here, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!
4 Whom are you mocking? At whom do you snarl and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, offspring of deceit,
who burn with lust among the oaks, under every luxuriant tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?
6 Your portion is among the smooth stones of the valley; indeed, they are your lot. Even to them you have poured out a drink offering and offered a grain offering. Should I relent because of these?
7 On a high and lofty hill you have made your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifices.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- who burn with lust among the oaks, under every luxuriant tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?
- KJV
- Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?
- WEB
- you who inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every green tree; who kill the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?
- ASV
- ye that inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every green tree; that slay the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?
- DARBY
- inflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clefts of the rocks?
- BLB
- those warming themselves among the Oaks, under every green tree, slaughtering the sons in the valleys, under the clefts of the cliffs?
- ÅB
- Dere som er tent opp av brynde ved terebintene, under hvert grønt tre, som slakter barn i dalene, under bergkløfters tak?
- OTB
- Dere brenner av lyst blant eikene og under hvert frodig tre; dere slakter deres barn i dalene, under klippenes kløfter.
- B1930
- I som er optendt av brynde ved terebintene, under hvert grønt tre, som slakter barn i dalene, under bergkløfters tak?
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
2 Kings 16:3–4
Instead, he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.
Read in contextIsaiah 1:29
Surely you will be ashamed of the sacred oaks in which you have delighted; you will be embarrassed by the gardens that you have chosen.
Read in contextEzekiel 16:20
You even took the sons and daughters you bore to Me and sacrificed them as food to idols. Was your prostitution not enough?
Read in contextJeremiah 7:31
They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Hinnom so they could burn their sons and daughters in the fire—something I never commanded, nor did it even enter My mind.
Read in context2 Kings 23:10
He also desecrated Topheth in the Valley of Ben-hinnom so that no one could sacrifice his son or daughter in the fire to Molech.
Read in contextLeviticus 18:21
You must not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
Read in contextJeremiah 2:20
“For long ago you broke your yoke and tore off your chains, saying, ‘I will not serve!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every green tree you lay down as a prostitute.
Read in contextJeremiah 3:13
Only acknowledge your guilt, that you have rebelled against the LORD your God. You have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every green tree and have not obeyed My voice,’” declares the LORD.
Read in context