Topheth

Topheth was a place located in the Valley of Hinnom (also known as the Valley of Slaughter or Baca Valley), south of Jerusalem, where pagan child sacrifices were performed (2 Kgs 23:10; Jer 7:31-32; 19:2, 6, 11-14; 32:35; Isa 30:33). The name "Topheth" is believed to derive from the Hebrew word for "fireplace" or "hearth," indicating its association with burning. The Valley of Hinnom was used as a burial ground (Jer 19:11) and a place of idolatrous worship, where people burned their children as offerings to the Canaanite god Molech (2 Chr 28:3; 33:6). King Josiah defiled Topheth to put an end to these practices (2 Kgs 23:10). The valley became a symbol of divine judgment and a metaphor for hell (Isa 30:33). In the New Testament, the Greek word "Gehenna," derived from "Valley of Hinnom," is used to refer to the place of eternal punishment (Matt 5:22, 29, 30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15, 33; Mark 9:43, 45, 47; Luke 12:5; Jas 3:6).