2 Kings 23 10

2 Kings 23:10 kjv

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 nkjv

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

2 Kings 23:10 niv

He desecrated Topheth, which was in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, so no one could use it to sacrifice their son or daughter in the fire to Molek.

2 Kings 23:10 esv

And he defiled Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, that no one might burn his son or his daughter as an offering to Molech.

2 Kings 23:10 nlt

Then the king defiled the altar of Topheth in the valley of Ben-Hinnom, so no one could ever again use it to sacrifice a son or daughter in the fire as an offering to Molech.

2 Kings 23 verses

2 Kings 23 10 Meaning

2 Kings 23:10 describes a pivotal act within King Josiah's sweeping religious reforms in Judah. He deliberately desecrated and rendered unusable Topheth, a specific location within the Valley of the Son of Hinnom (also known as Gehenna), which had become infamous as a site for the horrific practice of child sacrifice to the pagan deity Molech. By this action, Josiah aimed to completely eradicate this abomination from Judah, ensuring that no person could ever again force their son or daughter to "pass through the fire" as an offering.

2 Kings 23 10 Context

This verse is situated within the broader narrative of King Josiah's extensive religious reforms, initiated after the discovery of the Book of the Law (likely Deuteronomy) in the Temple (2 Kgs 22). Prior to Josiah, kings like Manasseh (his grandfather) and Amon had entrenched severe idolatry throughout Judah, including practices forbidden by God's Law. Josiah, filled with zeal, systematically purged all forms of foreign worship and high places, aiming to restore pure Yahwistic worship in Judah and fulfill the covenant.

Chapter 23 details the specifics of these reforms: purifying the Temple (23:4), destroying pagan altars and high places (23:8), removing idolaters, and desecrating various sites. Verse 10 specifically addresses the heinous practice of child sacrifice, identifying its central location—Topheth in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom—and outlining Josiah's extreme measure of defiling it to ensure the complete cessation of this abomination, demonstrating a profound commitment to God's commandments against shedding innocent blood and offering children to false gods. Historically, the practice of child sacrifice was associated with various Canaanite and Ammonite deities, with Molech being prominent.

2 Kings 23 10 Word analysis

• And he defiled:
  • Hebrew: וַיְטַמֵּא (wa·yᵊṭam·mê) - from the root טָמֵא (ṭame'), meaning "to be unclean," "to defile," "to pollute," "to profane."
  • Significance: This verb choice is crucial. Josiah didn't merely destroy or remove; he ritually polluted Topheth. In Israelite religious thought, defilement made a place unfit for sacred use, particularly for cultic practice. By rendering Topheth ritually impure, he effectively nullified its "sacred" status for the worship of Molech and made it an object of abhorrence, making it utterly repellent for any future sacrifice. This was a profound symbolic act.
• Topheth:
  • Hebrew: תֹּפֶת (Topheth).
  • Significance: A specific, infamous site for child sacrifice. Its exact etymology is debated, possibly related to toph (drum, referring to drums beaten to drown out children's cries) or an Aramaic root meaning "hearth/fireplace" or even related to a burning site. It was synonymous with the horror of child sacrifice.
• which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom:
  • Hebrew: אֲשֶׁר בְּגֵיא בֶן־הִנֹּם (asher bĕgê’ ben-Hinnom). גֵי (gay’) means "valley" or "ravine." בֶן־הִנֹּם (ben-Hinnom) refers to "son of Hinnom," likely named after a particular person or clan associated with the valley.
  • Significance: This geographical location, south of Jerusalem, was notorious for these atrocities. In later Jewish and Christian tradition, "Gehenna" (from gê’ Hinnom) became a term for a place of eternal punishment or fiery destruction, reflecting the association of this valley with wickedness, judgment, and literal burning.
• that no man might make his son or his daughter pass through the fire:
  • Hebrew: לְבִלְתִּי לְהַעֲבִיר אֶת־בְּנוֹ וְאֶת־בִּתּוֹ בָּאֵשׁ (ləbiltî ləha‘ăḇîr ’eṯ-bĕnô wĕ’eṯ-bittô bā’ēš). לְבִלְתִּי (ləbiltî) is a negative purpose clause ("in order not to," "so that no..."). הַעֲבִיר... בָּאֵשׁ (ha‘ăḇîr... bā’ēš) literally means "to make pass through the fire."
  • Significance: This phrase is a direct echo of Mosaic Law's prohibitions (Lev 18:21, Deut 18:10), specifically defining child sacrifice. It underscores the preventative, protective intent behind Josiah's action—not merely punitive for past sins, but aimed at preventing future horrific acts. It highlights the direct threat to God's covenant with Israel and the sanctity of human life made in God's image.
• to Molech:
  • Hebrew: לַמֹּלֶךְ (la·Mōleḵ) - preceded by the preposition לְ (le), meaning "to" or "for."
  • Significance: Molech (or Moloch) was a Canaanite or Ammonite deity associated with child sacrifice. Worship of Molech represented the ultimate breach of the first commandment, replacing God with an abhorrent idol that demanded human life. The specificity identifies the primary cult addressed by this reform, emphasizing the idolatrous nature of the child sacrifice.

2 Kings 23 10 Bonus section

• Gehenna Connection: The "Valley of the Son of Hinnom" (gê’ ben-Hinnom) is the geographical origin of the term "Gehenna" (Γέεννα in Greek), which in New Testament times became synonymous with hell or eternal punishment (e.g., Mk 9:43, Mt 5:22). This association stemmed from its dark history as a place of child sacrifice and later as a valley for burning refuse outside Jerusalem, symbolizing ultimate defilement and judgment.
• Significance for Josiah's Reign: Josiah's actions regarding Topheth signify the depth of reform. While destroying high places was significant, confronting child sacrifice directly targeted the most extreme and abominable aspect of syncretistic worship. It reflected a full recognition of God's demands for exclusive loyalty and the sanctity of human life. This zealous action contrasts sharply with the earlier compromises of many Judean kings.
• Polemic against Foreign Cults: Josiah's act was a powerful polemic. By destroying and defiling cult sites and practices of foreign gods (Molech, Baal), he directly challenged the supposed power and authority of these deities, proving their impotence and showing their practices to be detestable rather than sacred. He reaffirmed Yahweh as the sole and supreme God.

2 Kings 23 10 Commentary

Josiah's defilement of Topheth stands as a dramatic testament to his zealous devotion to the Lord and a radical reassertion of the Mosaic Law. This was no superficial cleanup; it was an act of complete desecration against the very epicenter of Judah's most heinous idolatrous practice—child sacrifice. By polluting Topheth, he rendered it permanently unclean for any ritualistic purpose, symbolizing God's abhorrence for the shedding of innocent blood and the corruption of true worship. This act directly fulfilled the prophetic warnings against such abominations, underscoring that Yahweh demanded holiness and respect for life, contrasting sharply with the destructive and dehumanizing demands of pagan deities like Molech. The spiritual landscape of Judah was literally reshaped by making a place of darkness into a symbol of profaned impurity, never to be revered or used again for such dreadful rituals, thus restoring the moral and spiritual boundaries set by God's covenant.