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Text -- 2 Kings 23:10 (NET)

Strongs On/Off
Context
23:10 The king ruined Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom so that no one could pass his son or his daughter through the fire to Molech.
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Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Names, People and Places:
 · Hinnom a man and a valley
 · Molech the national pagan god of the Ammonites (IBD)
 · Tophet a 'high place' in the valley of Hinnom outside Jerusalem


Dictionary Themes and Topics: Valley | TOPHETH | SANCTUARY | SACRIFICE, IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, 2 | SACRIFICE, HUMAN | RELATIONSHIPS, FAMILY | Pentateuch | Moloch | MOLECH; MOLOCH | LAW IN THE OLD TESTAMENT | Josiah | Jeremiah | HINNOM, VALLEY OF | HINNOM | HIGH PLACE | GOD, 2 | GEHENNA | CHRONOLOGY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT | CHEMOSH | ASTROLOGY | more
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
Wesley , JFB , Clarke , Defender , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , Haydock , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes , Geneva Bible

Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Keil-Delitzsch , Constable , Guzik

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Wesley: 2Ki 23:10 - -- Very near Jerusalem, where was the image of Molech, to whom some sacrificed their children, burning them in the fire, others dedicated them, making th...

Very near Jerusalem, where was the image of Molech, to whom some sacrificed their children, burning them in the fire, others dedicated them, making them pass between two fires. It is supposed to be called Topheth, from toph, a drum; because they beat drums at the burning of the children, that their shrieks might not be heard.

JFB: 2Ki 23:10 - -- 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 fir...

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.

Clarke: 2Ki 23:10 - -- He defiled Topheth - St. Jerome says that Topheth was a fine and pleasant place, well watered with fountains, and adorned with gardens. The valley o...

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?

Defender: 2Ki 23:10 - -- The highlight of King Josiah's reforms was his elimination of child sacrifice by defiling the valley of Hinnom where children had regularly been force...

The highlight of King Josiah's reforms was his elimination of child sacrifice by defiling the valley of Hinnom where children had regularly been forced to pass through the fire burning in the outstretched arms of the "god" Molech. The valley was made the garbage dump of the city and kept continually burning, giving it the perpetual appearance of an eternal lake of fire. The valley's name finally became the name gehenna meaning "hell," the lake of fire "prepared for the devil" and all those who reject God's salvation through Jesus Christ (Mat 25:41; Rev 20:15)."

TSK: 2Ki 23:10 - -- Topheth : Isa 30:33; Jer 7:31, Jer 7:32, Jer 19:6, Jer 19:11-13, Tophet the valley : Jos 15:8; 2Ch 28:3, 2Ch 33:6; Jer 19:2, Jer 32:35; Mat 5:22 *Gr. ...

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: 2Ki 23:4-20 - -- A parenthesis giving the earlier reforms of Josiah. 2Ki 23:4 The priests of the second order - This is a new expression; and probably ref...

A parenthesis giving the earlier reforms of Josiah.

2Ki 23:4

The priests of the second order - This is a new expression; and probably refers to the ordinary priests, called here "priests of the second order,"in contrast with the high priest, whose dignity was reviving (2Ki 12:2 note).

The vessels - This would include the whole apparatus of worship, altars, images, dresses, utensils, etc., for Baal, etc. (2Ki 21:3-5 notes).

The ashes of the idolatrous objects burned in the first instance in the "fields of Kidron"(i. e., in the part of the valley which lies northeast of the city, a part much broader than that between the Temple Hill and the Mount of Olives) were actually taken to Bethel, as to an accursed place, and one just beyond the borders of Judah; while those of other objects burned afterward were not carried so far, the trouble being great and the need not absolute, but were thrown into the Kidron 2Ki 23:12, when there happened to be water to carry them away, or scattered on graves which were already unclean 2Ki 23:6. Compare 1Ki 15:13.

2Ki 23:5

He put down ... - or, "He caused to cease the idolatrous priests"(margin); i. e., he stopped them. The word translated "idolatrous priests"(see the margin) is a rare one, occurring only here and in marginal references. Here and in Zephaniah it is contrasted with כהן kôhên , another class of high-place priests. The כהן kôhên were probably "Levitical,"the כהן kâhêm "non-Levitical priests of the highplaces." כהן kâhêm appears to have been a foreign term, perhaps derived from the Syriac cumro, which means a priest of any kind.

Whom the kings of Judah had ordained - The consecration of non-Levitical priests by the kings of Judah (compare 1Ki 12:31) had not been previously mentioned; but it is quite in accordance with the other proceedings of Manasseh and Amon.

The planets - See the marginal note, i. e., the "signs of the Zodiac."Compare Job 38:32 margin. The word in the original probably means primarily "houses"or "stations,"which was the name applied by the Babylonians to their divisions of the Zodiac.

2Ki 23:6

The ashes, being polluted and polluting, were thrown upon graves, because there no one could come into contact with them, since graves were avoided as unclean places.

2Ki 23:7

By the house of the Lord - This did not arise from intentional desecration, but from the fact that the practices in question were a part of the idolatrous ceremonial, being regarded as pleasing to the gods, and, indeed, as positive acts of worship (compare the marginal reference).

The "women"were probably the priestesses attached to the worship of Astarte, which was intimately connected with that of the Asherah or "grove."Among their occupations one was the weaving of coverings (literally "houses"margin) for the Asherah, which seem to have been of various colors (marginal reference).

2Ki 23:8

Josiah removed the Levitical priests, who had officiated at the various high-places, from the scenes of their idolatries, and brought them to Jerusalem, where their conduct might be watched.

From Geba to Beer-sheba - i. e., from the extreme north to the extreme south of the kingdom of Judah. On Geba see the marginal reference note. The high-place of Beer-sheba had obtained an evil celebrity Amo 5:5; Amo 8:14.

The high places of the gates ... - Render, "He brake down the high-places of the gates, both that which was at the entering in of the gate of Joshua, the governor of the city (1Ki 22:26 note), and also that which was on a man’ s left hand at the gate of the city."According to this, there were only two "high-places of the gates"(or idolatrous shrines erected in the city at gate-towers) at Jerusalem. The "gate of Joshua is conjectured to have been a gate in the inner wall; and the "gate of the city,"the Valley-gate (modern "Jaffa-gate").

2Ki 23:9

Nevertheless - Connect this verse with the first clause of 2Ki 23:8. The priests were treated as if they had been disqualified from serving at the altar by a bodily blemish Lev 21:21-23. They were not secularised, but remained in the priestly order and received a maintenance from the ecclesiastical revenues. Contrast with this treatment Josiah’ s severity toward the priests of the high-places in Samaria, who were sacrificed upon their own altars 2Ki 23:20. Probably the high-place worship in Judaea had continued in the main a worship of Yahweh with idolatrous rites, while in Samaria it had degenerated into an actual worship of other gods.

2Ki 23:10

The word Topheth, or Topher - variously derived from toph, "a drum"or "tabour,"because the cries of the sacrificed children were drowned by the noise of such instruments; or, from a root taph or toph, meaning "to burn"- was a spot in the valley of Hinnom (marginal reference note). The later Jewish kings, Manasseh and Amon (or, perhaps, Ahaz, 2Ch 28:3), had given it over to the Moloch priests for their worship; and here, ever since, the Moloch service had maintained its ground and flourished (marginal references).

2Ki 23:11

The custom of dedicating a chariot and horses to the Sun is a Persian practice. There are no traces of it in Assyria; and it is extremely curious to find that it was known to the Jews as early as the reign of Manasseh. The idea of regarding the Sun as a charioteer who drove his horses daily across the sky, so familiar to the Greeks and Romans, may not improbably have been imported from Asia, and may have been at the root of the custom in question. The chariot, or chariots, of the Sun appear to have been used, chiefly if not solely, for sacred processions. They were white, and were drawn probably by white horses. The kings of Judah who gave them were Manasseh and Amon certainly; perhaps Ahaz; perhaps even earlier monarchs, as Joash and Amaziah.

In the suburbs - The expression used here פרברים parbārı̂ym is of unknown derivation and occurs nowhere else. A somewhat similar word occurs in 1Ch 26:18, namely, פרבר parbār , which seems to have been a place just outside the western wall of the temple, and therefore a sort of "purlieu"or "suburb."The פרברים parbārı̂ym of this passage may mean the same place or it may signify some other "suburb"of the temple.

2Ki 23:12

The upper chamber of Ahaz - Conjectured to be a chamber erected on the flat roof of one of the gateways which led into the temple court. It was probably built in order that its roof might be used for the worship of the host of heaven, for which house-tops were considered especially appropriate (compare the marginal references).

Brake them down from thence - Rather as in the margin, i. e., he "hasted and cast the dust into Kidron."

2Ki 23:13

On the position of these high-places see 1Ki 11:7 note. As they were allowed to remain under such kings as Asa, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah, they were probably among the old high-places where Yahweh had been worshipped blamelessly, or at least without any consciousness of guilt (see 1Ki 3:2 note). Manasseh or Amon had however restored them to the condition which they had held in the reign of Solomon, and therefore Josiah would condemn them to a special defilement.

The mount of corruption - See the margin. It is suspected that the original name was Har ham-mishcah, "mount of anointing,"and that this was changed afterward, by way of contempt, into Har ham-mashchith, "mount of corruption."

2Ki 23:14

The Law attached uncleanness to the "bones of men,"no less than to actual corpses Num 19:16. We may gather from this and other passages 2Ki 23:20; 1Ki 13:2, that the Jews who rejected the Law were as firm believers in the defilement as those who adhered to the Law.

2Ki 23:15

And burned the high place - This "high place"is to be distinguished from the altar and the grove ( אשׁרה 'ăshêrâh ). It may have been a shrine or tabernacle, either standing by itself or else covering the "grove"(2Ki 23:7 note; 1Ki 14:23 note). As it was "stamped small to powder,"it must have been made either of metal or stone.

2Ki 23:16

To burn human bones was contrary to all the ordinary Jewish feelings with respect to the sanctity of the sepulchre, and had even been denounced as a sin of a heinous character when committed by a king of Moab Amo 2:1. Joshua did it, because justified by the divine command (marginal reference).

2Ki 23:17

What title is that? - Rather, "What pillar is that?"The word in the original indicates a short stone pillar, which was set up either as a way-mark Jer 31:21, or as a sepulchral monument Gen 35:20; Eze 39:15.

2Ki 23:19

The cities of Samaria - The reformation which Josiah effected in Samaria, is narrated in Chronicles. It implies sovereignty to the furthest northern limits of Galilee, and is explained by the general political history of the East during his reign. Between 632-626 B.C. the Scythians ravaged the more northern countries of Armenia, Media, and Cappadocia, and found their way across Mesopotamia to Syria, and thence, made an attempt to invade Egypt. As they were neither the fated enemy of Judah, nor had any hand in bringing that enemy into the country, no mention is made of them in the Historical Books of Scripture. It is only in the prophets that we catch glimpses of the fearful sufferings of the time Zep 2:4-6; Jer 1:13-15; Jer 6:2-5; Ezek. 38; 39. The invasion had scarcely gone by, and matters settled into their former position, when the astounding intelligence must have reached Jerusalem that the Assyrian monarchy had fallen; that Nineveh was destroyed, and that her place was to be taken, so far as Syria and Palestine were concerned, by Babylon. This event is fixed about 625 B.C., which seems to be exactly the time during which Josiah was occupied in carrying out his reformation in Samaria. The confusion arising in these provinces from the Scythian invasion and the troubles in Assyria was taken advantage of by Josiah to enlarge his own sovereignty. There is every indication that Josiah did, in fact, unite under his rule all the old "land of Israel"except the trans-Jordanic region, and regarded himself as subject to Nabopolassar of Babylon.

2Ki 23:20

Here, as in 2Ki 23:16, Josiah may have regarded himself as bound to act as he did (marginal reference "b"). Excepting on account of the prophecy, he would scarcely have slain the priests upon the altars.

Poole: 2Ki 23:10 - -- In the valley of the children of Hinnom of which see Jos 15:8 Neh 11:30 Jer 7:31 19:6,11 . To pass through the fire to Molech See Poole "Lev 18:21";...

In the valley of the children of Hinnom of which see Jos 15:8 Neh 11:30 Jer 7:31 19:6,11 .

To pass through the fire to Molech See Poole "Lev 18:21"; See Poole "Deu 18:10" .

Haydock: 2Ki 23:10 - -- Defiled, or declared it unlawful. (Menochius) --- Topheth may signify "a drum;" which the Jews say the idolaters beat, to prevent their childrens'...

Defiled, or declared it unlawful. (Menochius) ---

Topheth may signify "a drum;" which the Jews say the idolaters beat, to prevent their childrens' cries from being heard, when they were burning in the arms of Moloch. St. Jerome interprets it "latitude," as the vale was very wide, and beautifully adorned with gardens and springs. It formed a part of the vale of Josaphat and of Cedron; (Calmet) or the same valley went by these different names, as well as (Haydock) by that of Geh-hinnon, "the vale of Ennom," whence Gehenna is formed, and applied to hell, Matthew v. 22., and Mark ix. 44., &c. (Calmet) ---

Yet some think that the term denotes a place of torment on earth, which those deserve who say, thou fool. (Haydock)

Gill: 2Ki 23:10 - -- And he defiled Topheth,.... A place so called, as is generally thought, from the beating of drums or timbrels in it, that the shrieks of the infants s...

And he defiled Topheth,.... A place so called, as is generally thought, from the beating of drums or timbrels in it, that the shrieks of the infants sacrificed here to Molech might not be heard by their parents, and they repent of delivering them to him, and take them away. So the Indians in India now, at the burning of wives with their deceased husbands, attend them with drums and trumpets; and at such time as the fire is put to the wood, the drums and trumpets make a terrible noise for fear their cries should be heard b; See Gill on Isa 30:33, Jer 7:31 this he defiled by casting any sort of filth or unclean thing into it, in contempt of the idolatry there committed, and to alienate the minds of men from it:

which is the valley of the children of Hinnom; a valley that belonged to the posterity of a man of this name, near to Jerusalem, see Jos 15:8, hence the Greek word "geenna" for hell, in the New Testament:

that no man might make his son or his daughter pass through the fire to Molech; which piece of idolatry used to be committed in this place.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 2Ki 23:10 Attempts to identify this deity with a god known from the ancient Near East have not yet yielded a consensus. For brief discussions see M. Cogan and H...

Geneva Bible: 2Ki 23:10 And he defiled ( k ) 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 f...

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: 2Ki 23:1-37 - --1 Josiah causes the book to be read in a solemn assembly.3 He renews the covenant of the Lord.4 He destroys idolatry.15 He burns dead men's bones upon...

MHCC: 2Ki 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...

Matthew Henry: 2Ki 23:4-24 - -- We have here an account of such a reformation as we have not met with in all the history of the kings of Judah, such thorough riddance made of all t...

Keil-Delitzsch: 2Ki 23:1-30 - -- Instead of resting content with the fact that he was promised deliverance from the approaching judgment, Josiah did everything that was in his power...

Constable: 2Ki 18:1--25:30 - --III. THE SURVIVING KINGDOM chs. 18--25 In this third major section of 1 and 2 Kings the writer showed that the c...

Constable: 2Ki 22:1--23:31 - --D. Josiah's Good Reign 22:1-23:30 Since Josiah was eight years old when his father died at age 22, he mu...

Constable: 2Ki 22:3--23:28 - --2. Josiah's reforms 22:3-23:27 Josiah began to seek Yahweh when he was 16 years old and began in...

Guzik: 2Ki 23:1-37 - --2 Kings 23 - The Reforms of Josiah A. The covenant and the reforms of King Josiah. 1. (1-3) The covenant is renewed. Now the king sent them to gat...

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Introduction / Outline

JFB: 2 Kings (Book Introduction) THE FIRST AND SECOND BOOKS OF KINGS, in the ancient copies of the Hebrew Bible, constitute one book. Various titles have been given them; in the Septu...

JFB: 2 Kings (Outline) MOAB REBELS. (2Ki 1:1) AHAZIAH'S JUDGMENT BY ELIJAH. (2Ki 1:2-8) ELIJAH BRINGS FIRE FROM HEAVEN ON AHAZIAH'S MESSENGERS. (2Ki 1:9-16) AHAZIAH DIES, A...

TSK: 2 Kings (Book Introduction) The events detailed in these books (Kings) are highly interesting and important. The account of the wisdom, magnificence, and extended commerce of So...

TSK: 2 Kings 23 (Chapter Introduction) Overview 2Ki 23:1, Josiah causes the book to be read in a solemn assembly; 2Ki 23:3, He renews the covenant of the Lord; 2Ki 23:4, He destroys ido...

Poole: 2 Kings 23 (Chapter Introduction) KINGS CHAPTER 23 Josiah causeth the law to be read in a solemn assembly; reneweth the covenant of the Lord; destroyeth idolatry, 2Ki 23:1-14 ; brea...

MHCC: 2 Kings 23 (Chapter Introduction) (2Ki 23:1-3) Josiah reads the law, and renews the covenant. (2Ki 23:4-14) He destroys idolatry. (2Ki 23:15-24) The reformation extended to Israel, A...

Matthew Henry: 2 Kings (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Second Book of Kings This second book of the Kings (which the Septuagint, numbering from Samuel, ca...

Matthew Henry: 2 Kings 23 (Chapter Introduction) We have here, I. The happy continuance of the goodness of Josiah's reign, and the progress of the reformation he began, reading the law (2Ki 23:1,...

Constable: 2 Kings (Book Introduction) Introduction Second Kings continues the narrative begun in 1 Kings. It opens with the translation of godly Elijah to hea...

Constable: 2 Kings (Outline) Outline (Continued from notes on 1 Kings) 3. Ahaziah's evil reign in Israel -1 Kings 22:51-2...

Constable: 2 Kings 2 Kings Bibliography Ackroyd, Peter R. "An Interpretation of the Babylonian Exile: A Study of 2 Kings 20, Isaia...

Haydock: 2 Kings (Book Introduction) THE FOURTH BOOK OF KINGS. INTRODUCTION. This Book brings us to the conclusion of the kingdom of Israel, (chap. xvii.) and to the captivity of ...

Gill: 2 Kings (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS This, and the preceding book, are properly but one book divided into two parts, because of the size of it, as the book of S...

Gill: 2 Kings 23 (Chapter Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 23 This chapter treats of Josiah's reading the book of the law, and of him and the people renewing the covenant with God, 2...

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