TOPHET. ‘Tis thought that Tophet was the Butchery, or Place of Slaughter at Jerusalem, lying to the South of the City, in the Valley of the Children of Hinnon. ‘Tis also said, that a constant Fire was used to be kept there, for burning the Carcasses, and other Filthiness, that was brought thither from the City. ‘Twas in the same Place that they cast away the Ashes and Remains of the Images of false Gods, when they demolished their Altars, and broke down their Statues. Isaiah1 seems to allude to this Custom, of burning dead Carcasses in Tophet, when, speaking of the Defeat of the Army of Sennacherib, he says; For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large. The Pile thereof is fire, and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.
Others think the Name of Tophet is given to the Valley of Hinnon, because of the Sacrifices that were offered there to the God Moloch, by beat of Drum, which in Hebrew is called Toph. ‘Twas in this manner that these Sacrifices were offered: The Statue of Moloch was of Brass, hollow within, with its Arms extended, and stooping a little forward. They lighted a great Fire within the Statue, and another before it: They put upon its Arms the Child they intended to sacrifice, which soon fell into the Fire at the foot of the Statue, putting forth Cries, as may easily be imagined. To stifle the Noise of these Cries and Howlings, they made a great rattling of Drums and other Instruments, that the Spectators might not be moved with Compassion at the Clamours of these miserable Victims. And this, as they say, was the manner of sacrificing in Tophet.
Jerem. vii. 31.Jeremiah upbraids the Israelites with having built Temples to Moloch, in the Valley of Hinnon, in Tophet, to burn their Children there in the Fire: And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the Valley of the son of Hinnon, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire. We may see, by the same Prophet, that Jerem. vii. 32. xix. 11, 12, 13.Tophet was a polluted and unclean Place, where they used to throw the Carcasses, to which they refused Burial. King Josiah defiled the Place of Tophet, where the
Z2 Temple of Moloch stood, that no body 2 Kings xxiii. 10, 11.might go thither any more, to sacrifice their Children to that cruel Deity.
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