Psalm 106:37-38
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The phrasing "sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons" isn't just about pagan rituals; it highlights how the Israelites, in their rebellion, turned to spiritual powers that the text explicitly calls "lords" or rulers, mirroring a twisted imitation of true divine authority. This choice of word underscores that their sin was not merely misplaced worship, but a deliberate allegiance to forces of destruction, actively turning away from the true Lord of life.
They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons; they poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse is part of a lament over Israel's unfaithfulness, detailing how they adopted the wicked practices of the nations they were commanded to displace. Instead of following God, they engaged in horrific rituals, even sacrificing their own children to false deities, which the text identifies as "demons" or "devils." This act of extreme idolatry and bloodshed marked a profound turning away from the Lord, leading to His judgment.
What does it mean to offer your children to 'devils'? This verse points to a spiritual reality far darker than we might imagine.
The Psalmist describes a horrific act: sacrificing children to "devils." The original Hebrew word used here, 'shedim,' doesn't just refer to abstract evil spirits; it points to entities that the ancient Israelites understood as malevolent, powerful beings that demanded the ultimate, most precious sacrifice.
Lords of Destruction
This word 'shedim' likely carries the sense of 'lords' or 'rulers,' aligning with the names of pagan deities like Baal. These weren't seen as benevolent forces, but as powers associated with destruction and waste. Sacrificing children to them was a way of appeasing or serving these dark powers, believing they held sway over life and death, fertility, and fortune.
Beyond Mere Superstition
This wasn't just a cultural practice or a misguided attempt at good luck. The Bible is clear: when people turn away from the true God, they often turn to spiritual forces that are actively opposed to God and humanity. Serving these 'shedim' meant aligning with forces that sought to destroy, mirroring the destructive nature of Satan himself. It was a profound rejection of God's life-giving love in favor of powers that demanded death.
How does a nation go from following God to offering their children as sacrifices? This passage reveals a chilling progression.
Psalms 106 isn't just recounting a past event; it's tracing a dangerous spiritual trajectory. The Israelites didn't immediately start sacrificing their children. This horrific practice was the end result of a gradual departure from God.
Ask a follow-up
Neglect Opens the Door
Look at the verses preceding this one. The psalmist laments that 'They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them' (Psalm 106:34). This omission, this failure to fully obey God's commands, was the critical first step. By not removing the corrupting influences around them, they allowed those influences to seep in.
Learning the Ways of the World
Verse 36 continues: 'They served their idols, which became a snare to them.' They began to adopt the practices and beliefs of the surrounding nations. What started as potentially minor compromises or simply 'learning their works' eventually led them to worship foreign gods. This wasn't just a superficial adoption; it was a deep spiritual entanglement.
The Ultimate Descent
Finally, this entanglement led to the unthinkable: sacrificing their own children. This demonstrates how sin is progressive. One compromise leads to another, and a failure to address sin at its root allows it to grow into something monstrous and devastating. It's a stark reminder that spiritual complacency and disobedience have dire consequences.
Understand the original words
shed · Hebrew Noun
Supernatural, malevolent spiritual entities that oppose God and lead humanity into rebellion, idolatry, and destruction. In the Old Testament, these are often associated with the false gods worshipped by pagan nations.
naqi dam · Hebrew Noun Phrase
Refers to the taking of a life that has not committed a capital crime or is morally blameless in a specific context. The shedding of such blood is a grave moral abomination that cries out for divine justice and brings defilement upon the land.
This psalm reflects on Israel's deep-seated tendency to adopt the abhorrent practices of surrounding nations, culminating in the horrific child sacrifices to demons that ultimately led to their exile.
c. 1400 BC
Israel enters Canaan
God commanded Israel to drive out the Canaanite nations and utterly destroy their idolatrous practices, including child sacrifice.
c. 1200-1000 BC
Period of the Judges
Israel repeatedly fell into idolatry, learning the ways of the surrounding nations and often compromising God's commands.
c. 732 BC
Aram-Damascus and Israel conquered
Assyria under Tiglath-Pileser III conquered Aram-Damascus and annexed parts of Israel, marking a period of intense foreign influence and pressure.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel, leading to the exile of its people and further cultural assimilation with pagan practices.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquered Judah, deporting nobles and skilled workers, including Daniel, to Babylon. This began a series of exiles.
c. 586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Southern Kingdom
Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple, exiling the remaining population. This event climaxed the period of Israel's unfaithfulness described in the psalm.
This passage explicitly forbids the Israelites from sacrificing their children to Molech, directly addressing the abominable practice mentioned in Psalms.
Deuteronomy 32:17Here, Israel is accused of sacrificing to 'demons' (sheydim), the same Hebrew word used in Psalms 106:37, highlighting a recurring theme of idolatry and its horrific consequences.
2 Kings 16:3This account describes King Ahaz sacrificing his sons in the fire, mirroring the chilling action described in the psalm and showing a historical instance of this sin.
Ezekiel 16:20In this vivid prophecy against Jerusalem, God accuses the city of taking children, whom they had borne to idols, and sacrificing them, reinforcing the context of child sacrifice to foreign gods.
1 Corinthians 10:20Paul directly links the sacrifices made by the Gentiles to demons, explaining that what they sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God, providing a New Testament theological interpretation of this ancient practice.
jfbPsalms 106:37: "Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,"
- unto devils—Septuagint, "demons" (compare 1Co 10:20), or "evil spirits."
clarkePsalms 106:37: "Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,"
They sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils - See 2 Kings 16:3 ; Isaiah 57:5 ; Ezekiel 16:20 ; ezekiel E Zechariah 20:26 . That causing their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Moloch did not always mean they burnt them to death in the flames, is very probable. But all the heathen had human sacrifices; of this their history is full. Unto devils, לשדים lashshedim, to demons. Devil…
The phrasing "sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons" isn't just about pagan rituals; it highlights how the Israelites, in their rebellion, turned to spiritual powers that the text explicitly calls "lords" or rulers, mirroring a twisted imitation of true divine authority. This choice of word underscores that their sin was not merely misplaced worship, but a deliberate allegiance to forces of destruction, actively turning away from the true Lord of life.
This verse is part of a lament over Israel's unfaithfulness, detailing how they adopted the wicked practices of the nations they were commanded to displace. Instead of following God, they engaged in horrific rituals, even sacrificing their own children to false deities, which the text identifies as "demons" or "devils." This act of extreme idolatry and bloodshed marked a profound turning away from the Lord, leading to His judgment.
This verse is part of a lament over Israel's unfaithfulness, detailing how they adopted the wicked practices of the nations they were commanded to displace. Instead of following God, they engaged in horrific rituals, even sacrificing their own children to false deities, which the text identifies as "demons" or "devils." This act of extreme idolatry and bloodshed marked a profound turning away from the Lord, leading to His judgment.
"They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons; they poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with bl…" — The phrasing "sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons" isn't just about pagan rituals; it highlights how the Israelites, in their rebellion, turned to spiritual powers that the text exp…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
