תׇּפְתֶּה
𐤕𐤐𐤕𐤄
Tfeteh
H8613 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Tophteh is the name of a location south of ancient Jerusalem, associated with rituals involving fire, particularly the burning of offerings. The term denotes both the specific physical place in the Ben Hinnom Valley and the practices historically linked to it, especially those condemned in prophetic literature, such as the burning of children as offerings.
Semantic Range
Tophteh, a location in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, site of child sacrifice, a place associated with burning rituals, symbol of condemnation for illicit worship
Root / Etymology
From the root תוף (t-w-p), possibly related to 'drum' or 'to play (a drum)', though the connection is debated. The form תׇּפְתֶּה (Tophteh) may be a variant or derived from תֹּפֶת (Tophet), which is itself of uncertain etymology and may even be a deliberate modification to reflect horror or disgrace (cf. the parallel with Aramaic or Egyptian roots has been suggested, but is not secure).
Historical & Contextual Notes
Tophteh refers particularly to a site in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, outside Jerusalem, notorious in the Bible for prohibited sacrificial practices, including child sacrifice (see Jeremiah 7:31-32; 19:6, 11-14; 2 Kings 23:10; Isaiah 30:33). In the monarchic period, it became symbolic of abhorrent religious rites contradicted by Israelite prophetic and Deuteronomistic traditions. Later, in post-exilic and Second Temple periods, Tophet (and the nearby Valley of Hinnom/Gehenna) became associated with ideas of punishment, which influenced later apocalyptic and rabbinic literature. English translations often render תׇּפְתֶּה/תֹּפֶת as "Tophet" and refer to it as a place of "burning" or even "hell", but this imports later meanings. Its use is strictly geographic and cultic in the Hebrew Bible, not abstractly theological or eschatological.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably a form of תֹּפֶת; Tophteh, a place of cremation; Tophet.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
תוף (t-w-p) — to drum, beat, play music
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H8612 | תֹּפֶת | the Topheth |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8613-01 |
תָּפְתֶּ֔ה | tafeteh | HNp |
Topheth | Tophteh | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8613-01 |
Isaiah 30:33 | תָּפְתֶּ֔ה | tafeteh | HNp |
Topheth | Tophteh |