Jeremiah 19:6

Translation
King James Version
Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of slaughter.
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KJV (with Strong's)
Therefore, behold, the days H3117 come H935, saith H5002 the LORD H3068, that this place H4725 shall no more be called H7121 Tophet H8612, nor The valley H1516 of the son H1121 of Hinnom H2011, but The valley H1516 of slaughter H2028.
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Complete Jewish Bible
"'"Therefore the time is coming," says ADONAI, "when this place will no longer be called either Tofet or the Ben-Hinnom Valley, but the Valley of Slaughter.
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Berean Standard Bible
So behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when this place will no longer be called Topheth or the Valley of Ben-hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter.
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American Standard Version
therefore, behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that this place shall no more be called Topheth, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of Slaughter.
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World English Bible Messianic
therefore, behold, the days come, says the LORD, that this place shall no more be called Topheth, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of Slaughter.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Therefore behold, the dayes come, sayth the Lord, that this place shall no more be called Topheth, nor ye valley of Ben-hinnom, but the valley of slaughter.
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Young's Literal Translation
`Therefore, lo, days are coming--an affirmation of Jehovah--and this place is not called any more, Tophet, and Valley of the son of Hinnom, but, Valley of slaughter.
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See also
Joshua 15:8Isaiah 30:33Jeremiah 19:2Jeremiah 7:32Jeremiah 7:33Jeremiah 19:11
In the KJVVerse 19,414 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

Jeremiah 19:6 delivers a chilling prophetic declaration from the LORD, announcing a profound and terrifying renaming of a notorious location. The place historically known as Tophet, or the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, would no longer bear these names but would henceforth be called "The valley of slaughter." This renaming is not merely a change in designation but a divine pronouncement signifying a radical transformation of its purpose, foretelling the horrific and widespread carnage that would unfold there as a direct consequence of Judah's persistent sin and God's righteous judgment.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse serves as the climactic and grim pronouncement within a dramatic prophetic act initiated by God's command to Jeremiah in Jeremiah 19:1. Jeremiah is instructed to take an earthenware flask, gather some of the elders and priests, and go to the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, specifically to Tophet. There, before witnesses, Jeremiah is to break the flask, symbolizing God's impending shattering of Judah and Jerusalem due to their egregious sins. The preceding verses detail the specific abominations committed by the people, particularly the horrific practice of child sacrifice to Baal, filling the valley with innocent blood, as detailed in Jeremiah 19:4-5. The renaming in Jeremiah 19:6 serves as the direct, inescapable consequence and a grim summary of the judgment to come, immediately followed by the declaration of Jerusalem's desolation and the promise of famine and siege in Jeremiah 19:7-9.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The Valley of the Son of Hinnom (Hebrew: Gehinnom), located just south and southwest of ancient Jerusalem, held a dark and infamous reputation. It was the primary site where the people of Judah, influenced by abhorrent Canaanite religious practices, engaged in the detestable ritual of child sacrifice to false gods like Molech and Baal. This practice was a direct and egregious violation of God's law, explicitly forbidden as an abomination in passages such as Deuteronomy 18:10 and Leviticus 18:21. Despite the efforts of righteous kings like Josiah to defile and cleanse the area, making it unfit for worship, as recorded in 2 Kings 23:10, the people repeatedly reverted to these detestable practices, provoking God's righteous wrath. The name "Tophet" itself is often associated with the sound of drums or tambourines, possibly used to drown out the cries of the children being sacrificed, adding to the horror of the location. The prophecy underscores the depth of Judah's spiritual apostasy and the severity of the divine response to such profound moral corruption.
  • Key Themes: The renaming of the valley in Jeremiah 19:6 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes prevalent in the book of Jeremiah and the broader prophetic literature. Foremost is the theme of Divine Judgment, unequivocally declaring God's severe and imminent retribution upon Judah for their persistent idolatry, covenant breaking, and moral corruption. The transformation of a place of abomination into a "valley of slaughter" highlights the direct and terrifying Consequences of Sin, emphasizing that spiritual rebellion and turning away from God inevitably lead to widespread death and desolation. The phrase "behold, the days come, saith the LORD" underscores Prophetic Certainty, affirming the absolute reliability of God's word and the inevitable fulfillment of His warnings. This declaration of judgment also reveals God's intrinsic Holiness and Justice, demonstrating that His nature demands that He cannot overlook or tolerate such grievous sins as child sacrifice and widespread idolatry, ensuring that His justice will ultimately prevail over human wickedness, as seen throughout the prophetic warnings in Jeremiah 7.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • days (Hebrew, yôwm', H3117): From an unused root meaning "to be hot," this term refers to a specific, appointed period of time, whether literal (from sunrise to sunset) or figurative (a defined space of time). In this context, "the days come" emphasizes the certainty and imminence of God's prophetic declaration; it is not a vague or distant future but a definite, impending reality that will unfold within a particular timeframe, signifying the certainty of judgment.
  • valley (Hebrew, gayʼ', H1516): This word denotes a gorge or narrow depression, often with steep sides, distinct from a broader plain. It specifically refers to the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, a notorious geographical feature just outside Jerusalem. Its physical characteristics—a deep, confined space—make it a fitting and grim location for the accumulation of bodies, as prophesied, underscoring the horrific scale of the impending divine judgment.
  • slaughter (Hebrew, hărêgâh', H2028): This feminine noun, derived from the root harag meaning "to kill," directly signifies widespread killing, mass execution, or carnage. The new designation for the valley, "The valley of slaughter," is a stark, literal description of its future purpose, highlighting the horrific scale of the impending divine judgment and the complete reversal of its prior (though evil) function.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD,": This opening clause establishes the divine authority and certainty of the prophecy. "Therefore" links the impending judgment directly to the preceding acts of idolatry and child sacrifice detailed in the chapter. "Behold, the days come" emphasizes the imminence and inevitability of the fulfillment, signaling that God's patience has reached its limit. "Saith the LORD" (Yᵉhôvâh) unequivocally declares that this is a direct word from the sovereign God of Israel, whose word cannot fail and whose promises and warnings are absolute.
  • "that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom,": This declares a definitive and irreversible change in the name and identity of the notorious location. Tophet and the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, names deeply associated with abominable pagan rituals and child sacrifice, will lose their former identity. This renaming signifies a complete and irreversible transformation, stripping away any lingering association with false worship and marking the end of its previous, detestable function.
  • "but The valley of slaughter.": This is the grim new designation, revealing the horrifying purpose to which the valley will be put. It will become a place of immense death and carnage, a literal dumping ground for the bodies of those slain during God's judgment upon Judah. This new name is a direct, descriptive prophecy of the devastating consequences of their unrepentant sin, transforming a site of ritualistic abomination into a charnel house of divine retribution.

Literary Devices

Jeremiah 19:6 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of impending judgment and the severity of God's wrath. Prophetic Naming is central, as the renaming of the valley from Tophet/Valley of Hinnom to "The valley of slaughter" is not merely a descriptive change but a performative act of prophecy, declaring its future reality and purpose. This new name functions as a grim Symbolism, where the physical space itself becomes a stark representation of God's wrath and the inescapable consequences of sin. The shift from a place of ritualistic (though evil) sacrifice to a place of indiscriminate slaughter highlights a profound Irony; the very location where Judah offered their children to false gods would become the site where God would exact judgment, transforming their "sacred" ground into a charnel house filled with the bodies of the unrighteous. The starkness and directness of the new name also create a powerful sense of Foreshadowing, hinting at the widespread death and destruction that would befall Jerusalem and Judah, a theme elaborated upon in subsequent verses and throughout the book of Jeremiah.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Jeremiah 19:6 powerfully underscores the theological principle that God's patience has limits, and unrepentant sin, particularly that which involves the shedding of innocent blood and the desecration of His covenant, will inevitably incur His righteous judgment. The renaming of the valley from a place of human abomination to a "valley of slaughter" signifies God's direct intervention to reclaim justice and demonstrate His absolute sovereignty over history and human actions. It reveals that God's character encompasses not only mercy and love but also unyielding holiness and justice, which demand accountability for sin. This prophecy serves as a stark reminder that while God desires repentance and restoration, He will not indefinitely tolerate rebellion and idolatry, and His warnings are always meant to be heeded. The transformation of the valley's name is a divine act of re-designation, marking it as a monument to divine retribution rather than a site of pagan worship.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Jeremiah 19:6 serves as a profound and sobering reminder of the gravity of sin and the certainty of divine judgment. It compels us to confront the reality that God is not indifferent to human wickedness, particularly when it involves the systematic rejection of His commands and the perpetration of atrocities like child sacrifice. For us today, while we may not engage in literal child sacrifice, this passage challenges us to examine the "valleys" in our own lives and societies where we might be sacrificing truth, justice, or the well-being of others to our own idols—whether they be comfort, wealth, power, self-gratification, or even ideological purity. The Lord's renaming of the valley signals a divine reclamation of space and purpose, transforming a site of human rebellion into a monument to His justice. This calls us to a deep and urgent repentance, recognizing that our actions have consequences, and that God's warnings are not idle threats but invitations to turn from destruction and embrace His life-giving ways. It reminds us that true peace and security are found only in aligning our lives with His holy will, lest our own "valleys" become places of spiritual desolation, reflecting the tragic consequences of unrepentant sin.

Questions for Reflection

  • What "idols" or priorities in my life might be leading me to "sacrifice" what is truly precious or God-honoring?
  • How seriously do I take God's warnings and calls to repentance in my own life and in the broader culture?
  • In what ways can I actively participate in bringing God's justice and righteousness into the "valleys" of suffering and sin in my community or the world?

FAQ

What was the significance of "Tophet" and "The Valley of the Son of Hinnom" before Jeremiah's prophecy?

Answer: Before Jeremiah's prophecy, "Tophet" and "The Valley of the Son of Hinnom" were notorious locations just outside Jerusalem, particularly associated with the horrific practice of child sacrifice. This was a pagan ritual where children were offered to false gods like Molech and Baal, often by being burned alive. This abominable practice was strictly forbidden by God's Law, as seen in Deuteronomy 18:10, but was adopted by the people of Judah during periods of apostasy. The name "Tophet" itself may have been related to drums used to drown out the cries of the children, adding to the horror. The valley became a symbol of extreme wickedness and spiritual rebellion against the Lord.

How did the "Valley of the Son of Hinnom" (Gehinnom) become associated with hell in later Jewish and Christian thought?

Answer: The "Valley of the Son of Hinnom" (Hebrew: Gehinnom) became so deeply associated with the abominable practice of child sacrifice and the subsequent divine judgment and slaughter prophesied by Jeremiah that its name evolved into a powerful metaphor for ultimate destruction and punishment. In later Jewish tradition, particularly during the Second Temple period, and subsequently in the New Testament, Gehinnom (rendered as "Gehenna" in Greek) came to symbolize hell or the place of eternal punishment for the wicked. Jesus himself frequently used the term Gehenna to describe the terrifying consequences of unrepentant sin, emphasizing its spiritual dimension and the destruction of both soul and body, as noted in Matthew 10:28. The historical valley, once a literal place of fiery sacrifice and later slaughter, thus became a potent symbol of divine judgment and eternal separation from God.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Jeremiah 19:6, with its grim prophecy of the "valley of slaughter," finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment not in a literal valley of physical death for believers, but in the profound spiritual reality of Christ's work on the cross. The judgment pronounced upon Judah for their egregious sin, particularly the abomination of child sacrifice, points to the absolute holiness of God and the inescapable consequences of sin. In Christ, God's justice is fully satisfied, not by the slaughter of the guilty, but by the voluntary sacrifice of the innocent Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!. Jesus Christ, through His atoning death, bore the full weight of God's wrath against sin, becoming the ultimate "slaughter" for humanity, so that those who believe might be spared the judgment symbolized by the Valley of Slaughter. His sacrifice cleanses us from our "idolatry" and rebellion, offering a path to reconciliation and life where there was only death, as beautifully articulated in Romans 5:8. Furthermore, while the historical Gehenna symbolized a place of earthly judgment, Christ's teachings on Gehenna, as seen in Matthew 5:22, elevate it to an eternal reality, a place of ultimate judgment for those who reject God's gracious offer of salvation. Thus, the prophecy in Jeremiah foreshadows the severity of God's justice, which is perfectly met in the cross of Christ, offering deliverance from the spiritual "valley of slaughter" for all who trust in Him and are united with Him in His death and resurrection, as described in Romans 6:4.

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Commentary on Jeremiah 19 verses 1–9

The corruption of man having made it necessary that precept should be upon precept, and line upon line (so unapt are we to receive, and so very apt to let slip, the things of God), the grace of God has provided that there shall be, accordingly, precept upon precept, and line upon line, that those who are irreclaimable may be inexcusable. For this reason the prophet is here sent with a message to the same purport with what he had often delivered, but with some circumstances that might make it the more taken notice of, a thing which ministers should study, for a little circumstance may sometimes be a great advantage, and those that would win souls must be wise.

I. He must take of the elders and chief men, both in church and state, to be his auditors and witnesses to what he said - the ancients of the people and the ancients of the priests, the most eminent men both in the magistracy and in the ministry, that they might be faithful witnesses to record, as those Isa 8:2. It is strange that these great men should be at the beck of a poor prophet, and obey his summons to attend him out of the city, they know not whither and they knew not why. But, though the generality of the elders were disaffected to him, yet it is likely that there were some few among them who looked upon him as a prophet of the Lord, and would pay this respect to the heavenly vision. Note, Persons of rank and figure have an opportunity of honouring God, by a diligent attendance on the ministry of the word and other divine institutions; and they ought to think it an honour, and no disparagement to themselves, yea, though the circumstances be mean and despicable. It is certain that the greatest of men is less than the least of the ordinances of God.

II. He must go to the valley of the son of Hinnom, and deliver this message there; for the word of the Lord is not bound to any one place; as good a sermon may be preached in the valley of Tophet as in the gate of the temple. Christ preached on a mountain and out of a ship. This valley lay partly on the south side of Jerusalem, but the prophet's way to it was by the entry on the east gate - the sun gate (Jer 19:2), so some render it, and suppose it to look not towards the sun-rising, but the noon sun - the potter's gate, so some. This sermon must be preached in that place, in the valley of the son of Hinnom, 1. Because there they had been guilty of the vilest of their idolatries, the sacrificing of their children to Moloch, a horrid piece of impiety, which the sight of the place might serve to remind them of and upbraid them with. 2. Because there they should feel the sorest of their calamities; there the greatest slaughter should be made among them; and, it being the common sink of the city, let them look upon it and see what a miserable spectacle this magnificent city would be when it should be all like the valley of Tophet. God bids him go thither, and proclaim there the words that I shall tell thee, when thou comest thither; whereby it appears (as Mr. Gataker well observed) that God's messages were frequently not revealed to the prophets before the very instant of time wherein they were to deliver them.

III. He must give general notice of a general ruin now shortly coming upon Judah and Jerusalem, Jer 19:3. He must, as those that make proclamation, begin with an Oyes: Hear you the word of the Lord, though it be a terrible word, for you may thank yourselves if it be so. Both rulers and ruled must attend to it, at their peril; the kings of Judah, the king and his sons, the king and his princes and privy-counsellors, must hear the word of the King of kings, for, high as they are, he is above them. The inhabitants of Jerusalem also must hear what God has to say to them. Both princes and people have contributed to the national guilt and must concur in the national repentance, or they will both share in the national ruin. Let them all know that the Lord of hosts, who is therefore able to do what he threatens, though he is the God of Israel, nay, because he is so, will therefore punish them in the first place for their iniquities (Amo 3:2): He will bring evil upon this place (upon Judah and Jerusalem) so surprising, and so dreadful, that whosoever hears it, his ears shall tingle; whosoever hears the prediction of it, hears the report and representation of it, it shall make such an impression of terror upon him that he shall still think he hears it sounding in his ears and shall not be able to get it out of his mind. The ruin of Eli's house is thus described (Sa1 3:11), and of Jerusalem, Kg2 21:12.

IV. He must plainly tell them what their sins were for which God had this controversy with them, Jer 19:4, Jer 19:5. They are charged with apostasy from God (They have forsaken me) and abuse of the privileges of the visible church, and which they had been dignified - They have estranged this place. Jerusalem (the holy city), the temple (the holy house), which was designed for the honour of God and the support of his kingdom among men, they had alienated from those purposes, and (as some render the word) they had strangely abused. They had so polluted both with their wickedness that God had disowned both, and abandoned them to ruin. He charges them with an affection for and the adoration of false gods, such as neither they nor their fathers have known, such as never had recommended themselves to their belief and esteem by any acts of power or goodness done for them or their ancestors, as that God had abundantly done whom they forsook; yet they took them at a venture for their gods; nay, being fond of change and novelty, they liked them the better for their being upstarts, and new fashions in religion were as grateful to their fancies as in other things. They also stand charged with murder, wilful murder, from malice prepense: They have filled this place with the blood of innocents. It was Manasseh's sin (Kg2 24:4), which the Lord would not pardon. Nay, as if idolatry and murder, committed separately, were not bad enough and affront enough to God and man, they have put them together, have consolidated them into one complicated crime, that of burning their children in the fire to Baal (Jer 19:5), which was the most insolent defiance to all the laws both of natural and revealed religion that ever mankind was guilty of; and by it they openly declared that they loved their new gods better than ever they loved the true God, though they were such cruel task-masters that they required human sacrifices (inhuman I should call them), which the Lord Jehovah, whose all lives and souls are, never demanded from his worshippers; he never spoke of such a thing, nor came it into his mind. See Jer 7:31.

V. He must endeavour to affect them with the greatness of the desolation that was coming upon them. He must tell them (as he had done before, Jer 7:32) that this valley of the son of Hinnom shall acquire a new name, the valley of slaughter (Jer 19:6), for (Jer 19:7) multitudes shall fall there by the sword, when either they sally out upon the besiegers and are repulsed or attempt to make their escape and are seized: They shall fall before their enemies, who not only endeavour to make themselves masters of their houses and estates, but have such an implacable enmity to them that they seek their lives; they thirst after their blood, and, when they are dead, will not allow a cartel for the burying of the slain, but their carcases shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven and beasts of the earth. What a dismal place will the valley of Tophet be then! And as for those that remain within the city, and will not capitulate with the besiegers, they shall perish for want of food, when first they have eaten the flesh of their sons and daughters, and dearest friends, through the straitness wherewith their enemies shall straiten them, Jer 19:9. This was threatened in the law as an instance of the extremity to which the judgments of God should reduce them (Lev 26:29, Deu 28:53) and was accomplished, Lam 4:10. And, lastly, the whole city shall be desolate, the houses laid in ashes, the inhabitants slain or taken prisoners; there shall be no resort to it, nor any thing in it but what looks rueful and horrid; so that every one that passes by shall be astonished (Jer 19:8), as he had said before, Jer 18:16. That place which holiness had made the joy of the whole earth sin had made the reproach and shame of the whole earth.

VI. He must assure them that all their attempts to prevent and avoid this ruin, so long as they continued impenitent and unreformed, would be fruitless and vain (Jer 19:7): I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem (of the princes and senators of Judah and Jerusalem) in this place, in the royal palace, which lay on the south side of the city, not far from the place where the prophet now stood. Note, There is no fleeing from God's justice but by fleeing to his mercy. Those that will not make good God's counsel, by humbling themselves under his mighty hand, shall find that God will make void their counsel and blast their projects, which they think ever so well concerted for their own preservation. There is no counsel or strength against the Lord.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–9. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Jeremiah
(Verse 6.) Therefore, behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when this place shall no longer be called Topheth or the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter. LXX: Therefore, behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when this place shall no longer be called ruin and πολυάνδριον (multiplicity) of the son of Hinnom, but πολυάνδριον (multiplicity) of slaughter. The valley of the son of Hinnom, which is called Gehenna in Hebrew (), from which it is thought to be named Gehenna, as we have said above. But I wonder what the meaning of the number 70 is for Topheth (), which means the place of ruin, and for the valley, πολυάνδριον, which signifies a multitude of men, unless it is because the people there have fallen and a multitude of men have been slain, either spiritually, in the error of idolatry, or literally, by the Babylonian army, as is more clearly stated in the following passage.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Jeremiah
(Verses 4-6.) Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring calamity (or evil) upon this place, such that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle, because they have forsaken me and have made this place a foreign land, and have burned incense in it to foreign gods, whom they and their fathers and the kings of Judah did not know. And they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent, and have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, something that I did not command (or think), nor did it come into my mind. And certain individuals foolishly refer this place to the heavenly Jerusalem. Lest we always remind, it suffices to have said this only: that this kind of explanation is to be avoided, indeed it is heresy, which clearly subverts and attempts to introduce certain deceits to the Churches of Christ. But there is no doubt that they placed the idol Baal in the Temple of God, whether in the shrine that was in the valley of the son of Hinnom, where the grove of Baal and his altar were located, on which they sacrificed and burned their children. What the Lord neither thought nor spoke, nor did they ascend into his heart. Not that God does not know the future, but because he says that he chooses not to know unworthy things, according to the words of the Gospel: Depart from me, workers of iniquity, I do not know you (Luke 13:27). For the Lord knows those who are his (2 Timothy). And, Whoever is ignorant, let him be ignorant (1 Corinthians 14:38). Or certainly in a human way, and these things must be understood about God, as well as others. But every heretic forsakes God and makes room for the dwelling of God, whom he has defiled by his deceit and offers sacrifices to foreign gods, whom neither he nor his fathers knew, namely the Apostles and apostolic men; but the kings of Judah, that is, the patriarchs of heretics, fill the place of God once with the blood of deceivers and the innocent. For unless he is foolish and simple, he is not quickly overthrown. And they build high places for Baal, while claiming to debate lofty matters. And they burn their sons as an offering to idols, whom they have begotten in their heresy. The Lord says that he is unaware of all these things and that they have never entered his mind.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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