Isaiah 57:9 - Exposition

And thou wentest to the king , Delitzsch and Mr. Cheyne understand "the King of Assyria," and regard the verse as bringing forward a new subject of complaint: " Not only hast thou deserted me tot other gods, but thou trustest for aid, not to me, but to the Assyrian monarch." But there is no indication of the Jews having put any trust in Assyria after the reign of Ahaz, to which this chapter, by its position in the prophecy, cannot belong. Moreover, the King of Assyria is never called simply" the king." It is, therefore, better to regard "the king" as Moloch, whom the Jews of Isaiah's time certainly worshipped (see verse 5), and whose name was a mere dialectic variety of Melech , " king ". Ointment … perfumes . Either bearing them as offerings, or herself perfumed with them, as was the practice of lewd women ( Proverbs 7:17 ). And didst send thy messengers far off ; i.e. to distant Moloch-shrines. And didst debase thyself even unto hell ; i.e. "didst take on thee the yoke of a mean and grovelling superstition, which debased thee to the lowest point conceivable.'' There was nothing lower in religion than the worship of Moloch.