Psalms 106:37 Meaning: They Sacrificed Their Children to Demons
Yes, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.
Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,
Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto demons,
And they sacrifice their sons And their daughters to destroyers,
And they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto demons,
Meaning in one sentence
Psalm 106:37 describes Israel's child sacrifice to demons. Why did God's people do this? Learn the biblical meaning and important warning.
Context
Psalm 106 is a confession of Israel's repeated unfaithfulness. The psalmist walks through their history, from Egypt to Canaan, pointing out where they turned from God. In verses 34, 39, the focus is on what happened after they entered the Promised Land. Instead of driving out the pagan nations as God commanded, they mixed with them, adopted their religious practices, and eventually committed the worst abomination: offering their own children as sacrifices. This verse sits at the climax of that downward spiral, showing how far they had fallen. The whole psalm is meant to be sung as a corporate confession, a way for later generations to admit that their ancestors had done this terrible thing and to ask for God's mercy.
Key Words
Two Hebrew words carry heavy weight here. The verb behind “sacrificed” (zavach) is the same one used for offering an animal to God in proper worship. That makes its use here especially jarring: the very act meant to honor God was twisted into honoring demons. The people took something sacred and turned it into something horrifying.
The word for “demons” (shedim) appears only here and in Deuteronomy 32:17, where Moses warned Israel that idolatry leads to worshipping these beings. In the ancient world, shedim were thought of as powerful spirits, often bringers of destruction. The psalmist does not call them “gods” or “idols”; he exposes them as demonic. This is not a minor mistake or a confused ritual. It is a spiritual betrayal that cost children their lives.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions agree that this verse describes Israel’s darkest moment in the land. Adam Clarke noted that the Hebrew word for demons is plural, pointing to many evil spirits, not a single devil. The Geneva Bible and Matthew Henry treat this as literal worship of demonic beings. Keil and Delitzsch connect it to the command in Deuteronomy to destroy the nations and warn that human sacrifice is what demons delight in. Many see a direct link to the New Testament, where Paul writes that pagan sacrifices are offered to demons. All of these readers agree: this is a warning against any worship that drifts from the living God.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers think that “passing through the fire” (mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament) was only a symbolic ritual, not actual child sacrifice. They believe the children were not harmed. In fact, the very next verse says “they shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters.” The text is clear: these were literal, deadly sacrifices. The horror is real, and the confession is meant to strike us.
Living This Out
This verse asks us to look at our own worship honestly. We do not sacrifice children to demons, but we can be tempted to give the best of our time, energy, and love to things that are not God. Career, approval, comfort, these can quietly become the center of our lives. The Israelites started by mingling with the nations and ended by offering their children. This week, you might ask: what is getting the deepest devotion of my heart? Is anything I treasure being given to a goal or fear that does not honor God? Let this hard verse sharpen your attention before small compromises grow.
Main takeaway: When worship drifts from God, it can eventually demand the very things we love most, distorting even the care we owe our children.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Sometimes the people in the Bible did very bad things. They gave their children to false gods. God was very sad about this, and He wants us to love Him with all our hearts.
For ages 9, 12
This verse shows how far the Israelites had fallen. They knew God said not to worship idols, but they started copying their neighbors. Over time, they did something terrible: they offered their own children to demons. It’s a warning for us that even small disobediences can grow into big sins. We must stay close to God and follow His ways completely.
Questions People Ask
What does the word 'demons' mean in Psalm 106:37?
The Hebrew word is 'shedim,' which appears only here and in Deuteronomy 32:17. It likely refers to subordinate spirits or false gods that demand worship, often associated with destruction. The King James Version translates it as 'devils,' but the plural shows it is not a single Satan figure but many demonic beings. The ancient Assyrians had similar figures called 'shêdu,' depicted as protective spirits, but in the Old Testament these are seen as evil.
Did the Israelites actually burn their children alive?
Yes, the psalmist records it as a historical fact. Verses 37 and 38 emphasize they shed innocent blood. While some scholars debate whether every instance involved death, the language of sacrifice and bloodshed indicates literal killing. This was a direct violation of God's commands in Deuteronomy and Leviticus, and it brought divine judgment.
Why is this verse important for Christians today?
This verse is a sobering warning about where syncretism can lead. Mixing worship of God with the practices of the world gradually hardens the heart. The apostle Paul uses this same idea in 1 Corinthians 10:20, saying that pagan sacrifices are offered to demons. It reminds us that what we worship matters deeply and that we must guard against any compromise that takes our devotion away from the living God.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study