2 Kings 23:10He 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.
The setting
Valley of Hinnom (Gehenna), Jerusalem, 621 BC. King Josiah destroys Topheth, the bronze furnace where children were burned alive as offerings to the Ammonite god Molech.
The emotion here: recording with relief and horror at the evil that was finally ended
The original word
he'ĕbîr (העביר) — to cause to pass through, specifically referring to passing children through fire
Why it matters
Topheth means 'place of burning' and later became the city dump, giving us the word 'hell'
Read with care
What most readers miss in 2 Kings 23:10
This wasn't symbolic sacrifice — children were literally burned to death here for decades
Common misconceptionPeople think ancient child sacrifice was rare, but it was practiced by Israelite kings including Ahaz and Manasseh for over a century.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 2 Kings 23:10
Bible Genome reading
2 Kings 23:10 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
2 Kings 23:10 comes from the book of 2 Kings, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include child sacrifice, abomination, reform. Notable phrases: defiled Topheth; valley of the children of Hinnom; pass through the fire to Molech.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does 2 Kings 23:10 mean to you, today?
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