Psalm 106 38

Psalm 106:38 kjv

And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.

Psalm 106:38 nkjv

And shed innocent blood, The blood of their sons and daughters, Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; And the land was polluted with blood.

Psalm 106:38 niv

They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood.

Psalm 106:38 esv

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.

Psalm 106:38 nlt

They shed innocent blood,
the blood of their sons and daughters.
By sacrificing them to the idols of Canaan,
they polluted the land with murder.

Psalm 106 verses

Psalm 106 38 Meaning

Psalm 106:38 details Israel's grievous sin of shedding innocent blood, specifically through the sacrifice of their own sons and daughters to the idols of Canaan. This act of spiritual apostasy and horrific violence is described as having profoundly defiled the land itself, rendering it morally and ritually polluted in the eyes of the Most High.

Psalm 106 38 Context

Psalm 106 is a historical psalm, part of a collection (Book Four of Psalms) that often reflects on Israel's national history of sin and God's enduring covenant faithfulness. This specific Psalm functions as a confession of national sin, recounting a long litany of Israel's rebellions against YHWH from the Exodus to the Babylonian exile. Verse 38 falls within a section (verses 34-46) describing Israel's apostasy upon entering Canaan, where they failed to drive out the inhabitants, instead adopting their idolatrous practices. Child sacrifice was the apex of this spiritual assimilation, a stark violation of the very essence of God's commands and character, which demanded an immediate and severe consequence from the Holy God.

Psalm 106 38 Word analysis

• And shed: The Hebrew word here is shāphakh (שפך), meaning "to pour out" or "to shed." It denotes a deliberate, violent act of letting blood flow, indicating intention and force rather than accidental spillage. This verb highlights the active participation and willfulness in the act.
• innocent blood: The phrase is dam nāqî (דם נקי) in Hebrew. Dam means "blood," and nāqî means "clean," "innocent," or "blameless." The description emphasizes that the victims—the children—were morally pure and entirely undeserving of their fate. This makes the act not merely a crime but an abhorrent atrocity, heightening the severity of the sin in God's eyes. It underscores the profound moral corruption of the perpetrators.
• the blood of their sons and their daughters: This specifies the victims, indicating the intimate and personal nature of the sacrifice. It wasn't just any blood, but the blood of their own offspring, their future, and their inheritance, whom they offered in a twisted perversion of sacrifice. This points to the depth of their spiritual depravity, valuing pagan deities above their own children and God's sacred commands.
• whom they sacrificed: The Hebrew verb is zāvaḥ (זבח), typically used for the offering of animals in cultic worship to YHWH. Its use here indicates that these acts were performed as religious rituals to pagan gods, demonstrating Israel's adoption of the most detestable forms of Canaanite worship. It highlights the transformation of worship from the Holy God to demonic entities (Ps 106:37).
• to the idols of Canaan: The Hebrew term is ‘ătsabbê Kĕna‘an (עצבי כנען). ‘Ātsabb often refers to graven images or idols that bring "pain" or "grief" (derived from the root for "grief" or "to carve"). These were the false gods and goddesses of the Canaanite pantheon, such as Molech, Baal, and Asherah, notorious for demanding child sacrifice. This indicates the foreign and apostate nature of their worship, completely forsaking the One True God.
• and the land was polluted: The Hebrew word is ḥāṇēph (חנף), meaning to be "defiled," "polluted," or "profaned." This term conveys a deep ritual and moral defilement, not just of the people but of the very land they inhabited. In biblical understanding, sin, particularly bloodshed, corrupts the earth itself, rendering it unclean and unable to sustain its inhabitants without divine judgment (Num 35:33-34). It signals a breach so profound that the land, a gift from God, was rendered unusable due to the inhabitants' abominations.

• Shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and their daughters: This phrase emphasizes the heinous nature of child sacrifice. It underscores the extreme moral turpitude where parents would intentionally offer their blameless offspring to false gods, thereby transgressing both natural familial bonds and divine law in the most egregious manner.
• Sacrificed to the idols of Canaan: This highlights the deliberate and ritualistic nature of their sin, rooted in adopting the practices of the nations God had commanded them to displace. It illustrates the complete spiritual adultery and apostasy from YHWH, aligning themselves with deities utterly opposed to God's character.
• The land was polluted with blood: This consequence shows the profound impact of corporate sin on the physical realm. The innocent blood shed literally "soiled" the land, not just metaphorically, but implying a spiritual defilement that demanded purification, often through the expulsion of the inhabitants. This reflects God's holiness and His intolerance for such corruption in the land He had given His people.

Psalm 106 38 Bonus section

The practice of child sacrifice was largely associated with the worship of Molech or Baal. While scholars debate the exact ritual (passing through fire versus actual burning), the biblical text unequivocally describes it as sacrificing or burning their children, making it a form of child murder presented as religious devotion. This was viewed by God as the epitome of human wickedness and a direct mockery of His character, as He himself gave His people laws concerning proper sacrifice and abhorred the shedding of innocent blood. The severity of this sin is magnified by the covenant relationship between God and Israel, where God had brought them out of slavery, protected and sustained them, and given them the land, only for them to offer their most precious possessions—their own children—to gods who were not gods, but demons (Ps 106:37). This practice was also an inverted parallel to Abraham's test of faith in offering Isaac, where God provided a substitute, illustrating God's character as a God who values life and provides, contrasting sharply with the destructive demands of pagan deities. The "pollution" of the land with blood underscored the concept of corporate guilt and its material consequences, culminating in the land "vomiting out" its inhabitants (Lev 18:24-28).

Psalm 106 38 Commentary

Psalm 106:38 presents a devastating indictment of Israel's apostasy, highlighting one of their most detestable sins: child sacrifice. This act was an ultimate perversion of worship and a direct defiance of the God who is the Author of life and the giver of children as a blessing. By sacrificing their innocent offspring to the cruel deities of Canaan, Israel committed an abominable sin that violated the sanctity of human life, distorted the very purpose of sacrifice (which should point to atonement through divine provision), and demonstrated an appalling spiritual depravity. Such heinous acts deeply defiled the promised land, making it unclean in the eyes of God, a defilement that would eventually lead to their expulsion, illustrating that the covenant land itself could not tolerate such moral filth. This verse serves as a stark warning about the corrupting power of idolatry and the severe consequences of extreme rebellion against the Creator.

For practical application, this verse reminds us:

• The Sanctity of Life: God deeply values innocent life, especially children. Any societal or personal action that harms children or devalues life goes against God's nature.
• The Purity of Worship: True worship belongs only to the Most High. Anything or anyone elevated to a god-like status in our lives (money, power, desires) can demand unacceptable sacrifices.
• The Consequences of Sin: Sin has far-reaching effects, polluting not just the individual but communities and environments, requiring divine intervention or judgment for restoration.