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 19:6KJV
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Jeremiah 19:6 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 19:6 mean?

Jeremiah 19:6 says that a time is coming when the place known as Tophet or the Valley of the Son of Hinnom will be renamed the Valley of Slaughter, because of the terrible events that will happen there. This is a warning from God, through Jeremiah, that this location will become infamous for violence and death.

In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Jeremiah to the people of Judah. The setting is a public announcement of coming judgment because the people have used this valley for child sacrifices and other detestable practices. The verse signals a complete change in the reputation of the place: what was once known for its name and location will be remembered for the tragedy and destruction that will occur there.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 19:6

  • טֹפֶת (Tophet, transliterated "Tophet"): This was a specific site in the Valley of Hinnom associated with child sacrifice. Naming it directly highlights the seriousness of the people's actions there.
  • גֵּיא בֶן־הִנֹּם (gei ben-hinnom, "Valley of the son of Hinnom"): This was a real valley just outside Jerusalem. The mention of its full name grounds the prophecy in a concrete, well-known location.
  • גֵּיא הַהֲרֵגָה (gei haharegah, "Valley of slaughter"): The new name means "Valley of Slaughter," emphasizing that the place will become known for mass death rather than its previous associations.

Why Jeremiah 19:6 matters

  • Jeremiah 19:6 clarifies that God's judgment will be so severe that the very identity of a well-known place will be changed by what happens there.
  • The verse connects to the wider context of Jeremiah's warnings against idolatry and injustice, showing that specific places tied to sin will face specific consequences.
  • Understanding the original names and their meanings helps the reader see the depth of the warning: this is not just a prediction of violence, but a total reversal of reputation and memory for a notorious site.

Where else these words appear

“slaughter” Hebrew H2028 · used in 5 verses

  • 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.
  • Jeremiah 12:3 But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
  • Zechariah 11:4 Thus saith the LORD my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter;

“Tophet” Hebrew H8612 · used in 8 verses

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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:

“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 28:3 Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
  • 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.

“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 4:39 And they went to the entrance of Gedor, even unto the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks.
  • Isaiah 40:4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: