Verse 5
5. 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 :-) [MAURER].
under . . . tree— ( :-). 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. (2 Kings 17:31 2 Chronicles 28:3; 2 Chronicles 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 (2 Chronicles 33:6; Jeremiah 7:3).
under . . . clifts—the gloom of caverns suiting their dark superstitions.
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