Place Old Testament
Topheth
Also known as Topheth =ESV, NIV, KJV; Tophet =KJV, Tophetteh; burning-place =ESV; Topheth =NIV; Tophet =KJV, Valley of, Hinnom, the Son of, Slaughter, Baca =ESV, KJV; Valley of, Baka =NIV
Topheth, located in the Valley of Hinnom (also called the Valley of Slaughter or Baca Valley) south of Jerusalem, was a site of pagan child sacrifice that was defiled by King Josiah (2Ki.23.10; Jer.7.31-32; 19:2, 6, 11-14; 32:35; Isa.30.33). Mentioned in 17 verses across 7 books, first at Joshua 15:8.
Why it matters. Site of pagan child sacrifice, south of Jerusalem
- Location
- 31.769, 35.228 (approximate, within about 2 km)
Coordinates from STEPBible TIPNR (palopenmaps.org link). Approximate; not independently verified.
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About 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 (2Ki.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 (2Ch.28.3; 33:6). King Josiah defiled Topheth to put an end to these practices (2Ki.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; Mrk.9.43, 45, 47; Luke 12:5; Jas.3.6).
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
Connections
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Appears in Scripture
Named in 17 verses across 7 books. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.