Isaiah 57:5

“Inflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, &c.] Or, “inflamed with or among oaks”f1122; with images made of oaken wood, such as the Papists worship, (<660920>Revelation 9:20) expressing a burning zeal for their idols, and being as hot upon them, as impure persons burn in lust one towards another: or “with mighty ones”f1123; the kings and potentates of the earth, with whom the whore of Rome commits her fornication, even in every flourishing kingdom and state in Europe, compared to a green tree; alluding to the custom of the Heathens, who used to set up their idols under green trees and groves, and there worship them, which were pleasing to the flesh; and I wish, says Musculus on…”

“Enflaming yourselves--burning with lust towards idols [GESENIUS]; or else (compare Margin), in the terebinth groves, which the Hebrew and the parallelism favor (see on Isa 1:29) [MAURER]. under . . . tree-- (Kg2 17:10). The tree, as in the Assyrian sculptures, was probably made an idolatrous symbol of the heavenly hosts. slaying . . . children--as a sacrifice to Molech, &c. (Kg2 17:31; Ch2 28:3; Ch2 33:6). in . . . valleys--the valley of the son of Hinnom. Fire was put within a hollow brazen statue, and the child was put in his heated arms; kettle drums (Hebrew, toph) were beaten to drown the child's cries; whence the valley was called Tophet (Ch2 33:6; Jer 7:3). under . . . clifts--the…”

“Inflaming yourselves - Burning, that is, with lust. The whole language here is derived from adulterous intercourse. The sense is, that they were greatly addicted to idolatry, and that they used every means to increase and extend the practice of it. The Vulgate, however, renders this, ‘Who console yourselves.’ The Septuagint renders it, ‘Invoking (παρακαλοῦντες parakalountes) idols.’ But the proper meaning of the Hebrew word חמם châmam is, “to become warm; to be inflamed, or to burn as with lust.” With idols - Margin, ‘Among the oaks.’ Hebrew, באלים bā'ēlı̂ym. Vulgate, In diis - ‘With the gods.’ Septuagint, Εἴδωλα Eidōla - ‘Idols.’ So the Chaldee and Syriac. The Hebrew may denote ‘with…”

“Enflaming - Lusting after them, and mad upon them. Slaying - In way of sacrifice to their idols. Valleys - He seems to allude to the valley of Hinnom in which these cruelties were practised. Clifts - Which they chuse either for shade, or for those dark vaults, in rocks, which were convenient for idolatrous uses. Isaiah 57:6”

“57:5 beneath the oaks and under every green tree: Tree groves were commonly used as places of pagan worship (see 1:29-30). • sacrifice your children: The horrible practice of child sacrifice was occasionally practiced in Israel (see Ps 106:37-38).”

“Enflaming: Exo 32:6; Num 25:1, Num 25:2, Num 25:6; Jer 50:38, Jer 51:7; Hos 4:11-13, Hos 7:4-7; Amo 2:7, Amo 2:8; Rev 17:1-5, Rev 18:3 with idols: or, among the oaks, Isa 1:29 under: Deu 12:2; Kg1 14:23; Kg2 16:3, Kg2 16:4, Kg2 17:10; Jer 2:20, Jer 3:6, Jer 3:13, Jer 17:2; Eze 6:13 slaying: Lev 18:21, Lev 20:2-5; Kg2 16:3, Kg2 23:10; Ch2 28:3; Jer 7:31, Jer 32:35; Eze 16:20, Eze 20:26, Eze 20:31 Isaiah 57:6”

“The participles which follow in the next v. are in apposition to אתּ, and confirm the predicates already applied to them. They soon give place, however, to independent sentences. "Ye that inflame yourselves by the terebinths, under every green tree, ye slayers of children in the valleys under the clefts of the rocks. By the smooth ones of the brook was thy portion; they, they were thy lot: thou also pouredst out libations to them, thou laidst meat-offerings upon them. Shall I be contented with this?" The people of the captivity are addressed, and the idolatry handed down to them from their ancestors depicted. The prophet looks back from the standpoint of the captivity, and takes his colours…”