Isaiah 65:3 - Exposition

That sacrificeth in gardens (comp. Isaiah 1:29 ; Isaiah 57:5 ; Isaiah 66:17 ). The groves and "gardens" of Daphne, near Antioch. became famous in later times as the scene of idolatrous practices intimately bound up with the grossest and most shameless sensualism. We have few details of the ancient Syrian rites; but there is reason to believe that, wherever Astarte, the Dea Syra, was worshipped, whether at Daphne, or at Hierapolis, or at Balbek, or at Aphek, or at Damascus, or in Palestine, one and the same character of cult prevailed. The nature-goddess was viewed as best worshipped by rites into which sensualism entered as an essential element. Profligacy that cannot be described polluted the consecrated precincts, which were rendered attractive by all that was beautiful and delightful, whether in art or nature-by groves, gardens, statues, fountains, shrines, temples, music, processions, shows—and which were in consequence frequented both day and night by a multitude of votaries. And burneth incense upon altars of brick ; literally, upon the bricks . It is not clear that "altars" are intended. More probably the incense was burnt upon the tiled or bricked roofs of houses, where the Jews of Jeremiah's time "burned incense unto all the host of heaven" ( Jeremiah 19:13 ; Jeremiah 32:29 ; Zephaniah 1:5 ). Brick altars are nowhere mentioned. The Assyrians and Babylonians made their altars of either stone or metal. The Hebrews in early times had altars of earth ( Exodus 20:24 ). The "altar of incense" in the tabernacle ( Exodus 30:1-3 ) was of wood plated with gold; that of burnt offering, of wood plated with bronze ( Exodus 27:1 , Exodus 27:2 ). Solomon's altars were similar. Elijah on one occasion made an altar of twelve rough stones ( 1 Kings 18:31 ). The Assyrians used polished stone, as did the Greeks and Romans.