John Gill's Exposition on 2 Kings 23:10

A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.

Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.

And he defiled Topheth, etc.] 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 f270; (see Gill on “<233033>Isaiah 30:33”) (see Gill on “<240731>Jeremiah 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 <061508>Joshua 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.

Read 2 Kings 23:10 →Read the full chapter →Jamieson, Fausset & Brown →Barnes' Notes →Wesley's Explanatory Notes →Tyndale Open Study Notes →Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge →

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