Isaiah 30:33 - Exposition

For Tophet is ordained of old ; rather, for a Tophet has been long since prepared . A "Tophet" is a place of burning, probably derived from the Aryan root tap or taph , found in Greek τάφος τέφρα , Latin tepidus , Sanskrit tap , Persian taphtan . The name was specially attached to a particular spot in the Valley of Hinnom, where sacrifices were offered to Moloch ( 2 Kings 23:10 ; Jeremiah 7:31 ; Jeremiah 19:6 , Jeremiah 19:11 , etc.); but Isaiah seems to use it generically, as if there were many Tophets. For the king it is prepared ; literally, it also is prepared for the king—in the Hebrew "for the melech ," which is the same word as "Moloch," who was looked upon by his worshippers as "the king" κατ ̓ ἐξοχήν . Isaiah means to say, "As the Tophet of the Vale of Hinnom is prepared for a king (Moloch), so this new Tophet is prepared for another king (the King of Assyria)." He hath made it deep and large —a vast burning-place for a vast multitude ( 2 Kings 19:35 ), with the fire and the wood ready, only awaiting the breath of Jehovah to kindle it . As the bodies of great malefactors were burnt ( Joshua 7:25 ), and not buried, so the prophet consigns to a great burning the hundred and eighty-five thousand Assyrian corpses, of which it would soon be necessary to dispose in some way.