2 Kings 23 · Verse 10

2 Kings 23:10

And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech.
2 Kings 23:10, King James Version

2 Kings 23:10 in other translations

BSBHe also desecrated Topheth in the Valley of Ben-hinnom so that no one could sacrifice his son or daughter in the fire to Molech.
WEBHe defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech.
ASVAnd he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech.
YLTAnd he hath defiled Topheth, that is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, so that no man doth cause his son and his daughter to pass over through fire to Molech.
DARBYAnd he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the sons of Hinnom, that no man might cause his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech.
BBEAnd Topheth, in the valley of the sons of Hinnom, he made unclean, so that no man might make his son or his daughter go through the fire to Molech.
WebsterAnd he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech.

What does 2 Kings 23:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
10. Topheth--so called from Toph--a "drum." It is the prevailing opinion among Jewish writers that the cries of the terrified children made to pass through the fire in that place of idolatrous horror were drowned by the sound of that instrument.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 10 He defiled Topheth - St. Jerome says that Topheth was a fine and pleasant place, well watered with fountains, and adorned with gardens. The valley of the son of Hinnom, or Gehenna, was in one part; here it appears the sacred rites of Molech were performed, and to this all the filth of the city was carried, and perpetual fires were kept up in order to consume it. Hence it has been considered a type of hell; and in this sense it is used in the New Testament. It is here said that Josiah defiled this place that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire. He destroyed the image of Molech, and so polluted the place where he stood, or his temple, that it was rendered in every way abominable. The rabbins say that Topheth had its name from תף toph, a drum, because instruments of this kind were used to drown the cries of the children that were put into the burning arms of Molech, to be scorched to death. This may be as true as the following definition: "Topheth, or the valley of the son of Hinnom, was a place near Jerusalem, where the filth and offal of the city were thrown, and where a constant fire was kept up to consume the wretched remains of executed criminals. It was a human shambles, a public chopping-block, where the arms and legs of men and women were quartered off by thousands." Query, On what authority do such descriptions rest?

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Kings 23:4-14

What abundance of wickedness in Judah and Jerusalem! One would not have believed it possible, that in Judah, where God was known, in Israel, where his name was great, in Salem, in Zion, where his dwelling-place was, such abominations should be found. Josiah had reigned eighteen years, and had himself set the people a good example, and kept up religion according to the Divine law; yet, when he came to search for…

Read the full comment on 2 Kings 23:4-14 →

2 Kings 23:10 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְטִמֵּ֣אve.ti.Me'and he made uncleanH2930
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הַתֹּ֔פֶתha.To.fet<the> TophethH8612
אֲשֶׁ֖ר'a.SherwhichH834
בְּגֵ֣יbe.Gei[was] in [the] valley ofH1516
בֶןve.nei-BenH1121
הִנֹּ֑םhi.NomHinnomH2011
לְבִלְתִּ֗יle.vil.Tito notH1115
לְהַעֲבִ֨ירle.ha.'a.Virto make passH5674
אִ֜ישׁ'ishanyoneH376
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
בְּנ֧וֹbe.Noson hisH1121
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
בִּתּ֛וֹbi.Todaughter hisH1323
בָּאֵ֖שׁba.'Eshin the fireH784
לַמֹּֽלֶךְ\׃la.Mo.lekhto <the> MolechH4432

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Kings 23:10

  • Jeremiah 19:6

    Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of slaughter.

  • Isaiah 30:33

    For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.

  • Jeremiah 7:31-32

    And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place.

  • Leviticus 18:21

    And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord.

  • Jeremiah 32:35

    And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.

  • Joshua 15:8

    And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom unto the south side of the Jebusite; the same is Jerusalem: and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lieth before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the valley of the giants northward:

  • Jeremiah 19:11-13

    And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter’s vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury. Thus will I do unto this place, saith the Lord, and to the inhabitants thereof, and even make this city as Tophet: And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods.

  • Deuteronomy 18:10

    There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,

  • Ezekiel 20:31

    For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be enquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be enquired of by you.

  • 1 Kings 11:7

    Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.

  • 2 Chronicles 33:6

    And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.

  • 2 Kings 17:17

    And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Topheth.
Isa 30:33; Jer 7:31,32; 19:6,11-13
Tophet. the valley.
Jos 15:8; 2Ch 28:3; 33:6; Jer 19:2; 32:35; Mt 5:22; *Gr:
might make.
16:3; 17:17; 21:6; Le 18:21; De 18:10; Jer 32:35; Eze 16:21; 20:26,31
Eze 23:37-39

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Kings 23:9

    Nevertheless the priests of the high places came not up to the altar of the Lord in Jerusalem, but they did eat of the unleavened bread among their brethren.

  • 2 Kings 23:10

    And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech.

  • 2 Kings 23:11

    And he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entering in of the house of the Lord, by the chamber of Nathan–melech the chamberlain, which was in the suburbs, and burned the chariots of the sun with fire.

Read all of 2 Kings 23

2 Kings 23:10 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Asimismo profanó á Topheth, que está en el valle del hijo de Hinnom, porque ninguno pasase su hijo ó su hija por fuego á Moloch.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il souilla Topheth, qui est dans la vallée des fils de Hinnom, afin que personne ne fasse passer par le feu son fils ou sa fille au Moloc.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und er verunreinigte das Topheth, welches im Tale der Söhne Hinnoms lag, damit niemand mehr seinen Sohn oder seine Tochter dem Molech durchs Feuer gehen ließe.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Contaminavit quoque Topheth, quod est in convalle filii Ennom, ut nemo consecraret filium suum aut filiam per ignem, Moloch.