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 23:10KJV
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2 Kings 23:10 (KJV)

What does 2 Kings 23:10 mean?

2 Kings 23:10 describes how King Josiah ruined and desecrated a place called Topheth in the Valley of Hinnom so that no one could use it anymore for child sacrifices to Molech. The verse shows Josiah’s effort to stop a specific, cruel practice where people made their sons or daughters “pass through the fire” as an offering.

This verse is part of a larger account where Josiah, king of Judah, is making sweeping reforms to remove idolatry and pagan practices from his kingdom. The “valley of the children of Hinnom” was a notorious location just outside Jerusalem, known for these disturbing rituals. By defiling Topheth, Josiah made it unusable for such sacrifices, showing his commitment to restoring worship of the God of Israel.

The Hebrew behind 2 Kings 23:10

  • טֹפֶת (Topheth, transliteration: Topheth): This word refers to a specific site in the Valley of Hinnom. The name is often associated with burning or a hearth, underlining its use for fiery sacrifices.
  • גֵּיא (transliteration: ge, “valley”): This word points to a deep, ravine-like area. The Valley of Hinnom was infamous in ancient Israel’s history for its associations with idolatrous practices.
  • הִנֹּם (transliteration: Hinnom): This is the name of the valley, which later became a symbol of judgment and destruction in Jewish thought.
  • מֹלֶךְ (transliteration: Molech): This name refers to a foreign deity to whom children were sacrificed by fire. The verse’s mention of Molech highlights the seriousness of the practices Josiah was abolishing.

Why 2 Kings 23:10 matters

  • 2 Kings 23:10 makes clear that Josiah’s reforms were not just about removing idols but also about stopping deeply harmful practices, specifically child sacrifice.
  • The verse helps explain why the Valley of Hinnom later became a symbol of judgment and even “hell” (Gehenna) in later Jewish and Christian writings.
  • By naming Topheth and Molech, the verse connects Josiah’s actions to specific places and practices, showing the concrete steps he took to change the spiritual direction of his nation.

Where else these words appear

“Topheth” Hebrew H8612 · used in 8 verses

  • Jeremiah 7:31 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.
  • 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.
  • Jeremiah 19:12 Thus will I do unto this place, saith the LORD, and to the inhabitants thereof, and even make this city as Tophet:

“Molech” Hebrew H4432 · used in 8 verses

  • 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.
  • Leviticus 20:3 And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.
  • Leviticus 20:5 Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to commit whoredom with Molech, from among their people.

“Hinnom” Hebrew H2011 · used in 11 verses

  • 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:
  • 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.
  • Jeremiah 7:32 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.

“valley” Hebrew H1516 · used in 54 verses

  • Numbers 21:20 And from Bamoth in the valley, that is in the country of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looketh toward Jeshimon.
  • 1 Chronicles 18:12 Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah slew of the Edomites in the valley of salt eighteen thousand.
  • Jeremiah 2:23 How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways;