תֹּפֶת
𐤕𐤐𐤕
tôpheth
H8611 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A specific place name: Topheth, a location in the Valley of Ben Hinnom associated with rituals of child sacrifice—especially burning offerings—to deities such as Molek. The term may also serve as a symbolic reference to a place of judgment or destruction in prophetic literature. While etymologically linked to drumming or beating, its established meaning in the biblical context is that of a cultic site infamous for abhorrent sacrificial practices, rather than the act or feeling of 'contempt.'
Semantic Range
Topheth (proper name of a place associated with sacrificial rituals in the Valley of Ben Hinnom), symbolic place of destruction or divine judgment
Root / Etymology
From the root תָּפַף (t-p-p), meaning 'to beat a drum, play percussion, beat rhythmically.' The place name תֹּפֶת (Topheth) may carry a secondary association with drumming, possibly alluding to ritual music or masking the cries of children during sacrifices. Some propose that the name was used intentionally as a cryptic or deliberately altered reference to the site associated with such practices. Etymology uncertain beyond its immediate form; some later traditions suggest connections to Aramaic or phonetic substitution to avoid the original name of the deity.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Topheth is mentioned primarily in the prophetic literature (e.g., Jeremiah 7:31–32; 19:6), as well as in 2 Kings 23:10, where King Josiah defiles Topheth to curb sacrificial practices. The Valley of Ben Hinnom (Gehinnom) where Topheth was located gained symbolic significance as a place of divine judgment or punishment in later textual traditions. English translations occasionally obscure the proper-noun nature of the term, sometimes rendering it generically. The KJV and some later translations introduce concepts like 'tabret' and 'contempt' based on etymological speculation, but these do not reflect the actual biblical usage. The word never refers generically to smiting, contempt, or musical instruments in the biblical corpus, but is consistently a toponym linked to abhorrent cultic practices. Distinct from the generic term for 'drum' (תֹּף, tof). In Second Temple and later Jewish literature, Topheth and Gehinnom become closely associated with eschatological punishment; however, in biblical texts, the word refers specifically to the notorious place associated with idolatrous sacrifice.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the base of תָּפַף; a smiting, i.e. (figuratively) contempt; tabret.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
תף (t-p-p) — to beat, strike rhythmically, play a drum
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8611-01 |
וְ/תֹ֖פֶת | vetofet | HC/Ncfsa |
and an object of spitting | Topheth | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8611-01 |
Job 17:6 | וְ/תֹ֖פֶת | vetofet | HC/Ncfsa |
and an object of spitting | Topheth |