The Meaning of Isaiah 57:5 Explained

Isaiah 57:5

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

YLT: Who are inflamed among oaks, under every green tree, Slaughtering the children in valleys, Under 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?

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?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Isaiah 57:5 Mean?

Verse Meaning

They were rebellious and deceitful in that they practiced fertility worship and child sacrifice. They believed connection with nature, rather than a spiritual relationship with the Creator, would yield fertility. They also believed that sacrificing the next generation would guarantee the preservation of the present generation. Of course, the opposite is true. God"s people burned with lust as they carried out these pagan rites in the places thought to be most conducive to their success. "Oaks" (terebinths, Heb. "elim) may refer to large trees, not a particular variety of tree. These trees were the places and objects of idol worship. [1] How different a relationship with Yahweh based on trust would have been.

Context Summary

Isaiah 57:1-21 - No Peace To The Wicked
A terrible portrayal is given here of the idolatries and impurities into which the Chosen People had fallen. These scenes under "the oaks" (r.v.) and in the valleys remind us of the invariable evils associated with idolatry which the great Apostle has recorded in Romans 1:23-28. They refused to retain God in their knowledge, and He gave them over to a reprobate mind; that is, He ceased to restrain them.
But amid the degenerate nation, there was a handful of elect souls; God is always careful against rooting up the tares, lest one stalk of wheat perish. Amid the destruction that must overtake the guilty land they that trusted in Him, would not be overlooked. See Isaiah 57:13-14.
With what comfort the chapter closes! Isaiah 57:15, etc. We may have been covetous and froward, and have deserved wrath and chastisement, but God will not always chide. Only return to Him! He will revive your heart, and "restore comfort" to you. He will heal where He has wounded, and will bring you near, through the blood of the Cross. See Ephesians 2:16-17. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 57

1  The blessed death of the righteous
3  God reproves the People for their idolatry
13  He gives promises of mercy to the penitent

What do the individual words in Isaiah 57:5 mean?

Inflaming yourselves with the oaks under every tree green Slaying the sons in the valleys the clefts of the rocks
הַנֵּֽחָמִים֙ בָּֽאֵלִ֔ים תַּ֖חַת כָּל־ עֵ֣ץ רַעֲנָ֑ן שֹׁחֲטֵ֤י הַיְלָדִים֙ בַּנְּחָלִ֔ים סְעִפֵ֥י ؟ הַסְּלָעִֽים

הַנֵּֽחָמִים֙  Inflaming  yourselves 
Parse: Article, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: חָמַם  
Sense: to be hot, become warm.
בָּֽאֵלִ֔ים  with  the  oaks 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.
תַּ֖חַת  under 
Parse: Preposition
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
כָּל־  every 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
עֵ֣ץ  tree 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵץ  
Sense: tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows.
רַעֲנָ֑ן  green 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רָעַן 
Sense: (Palel) to be or grow luxuriant or fresh or green adj.
שֹׁחֲטֵ֤י  Slaying 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: שָׁחַט 
Sense: to kill, slaughter, beat.
הַיְלָדִים֙  the  sons 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: יֶלֶד  
Sense: child, son, boy, offspring, youth.
בַּנְּחָלִ֔ים  in  the  valleys 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: נַחַל 
Sense: torrent, valley, wadi, torrent-valley.
סְעִפֵ֥י  the  clefts 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: סָעִיף 
Sense: cleft, branch.
؟ הַסְּלָעִֽים  of  the  rocks 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: סֶלַע  
Sense: crag, cliff, rock.