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Contemporary English Version
Isaiah 30:33
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
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Indeed! Topheth has been readyfor the king for a long time.Its funeral pyre is deep and wide,with plenty of fire and wood.The breath of the Lord, like a torrent of burning sulfur,kindles it.
For a Tofet is prepared of old; yes, for the king it is made ready; he has made it deep and large; the pile of it is fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of sulfur, does kindle it.
For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord , like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.
For a burning place has long been prepared; indeed, for the king it is made ready, its pyre made deep and wide, with fire and wood in abundance; the breath of the Lord , like a stream of sulfur, kindles it.
For Topheth has long been ready, Indeed, it has been prepared for the king. He has made it deep and large, A pyre of fire with plenty of wood; The breath of the LORD, like a torrent of brimstone, sets it afire.
Topheth has been made ready for a long time; it is ready for the king. It was made deep and wide with much wood and fire. And the Lord 's breath will come like a stream of burning sulfur and set it on fire.
For Topheth [in Hinnom] has long been ready; Indeed, it has been prepared for the [Assyrian] king. He has made it deep and wide, A pit of fire with plenty of wood; The breath of the LORD, like a river of brimstone (blazing sulfur), kindles and fans it.
For a Topheth is prepared of old; yes, for the king it is made ready; he has made it deep and large; the pile of it is fire and much wood; the breath of Yahweh, like a stream of sulfur, does kindle it.
For Tophet is prepared of olde: it is euen prepared for the King: hee hath made it deepe and large: the burning thereof is fire and much wood: the breath of the Lord, like a riuer of brimstone, doeth kindle it.
For Topheth has long been ready,Indeed, it has been prepared for the king.He has made it deep and large,A pyre of fire with plenty of wood;The breath of Yahweh, like a torrent of brimstone, sets it afire.
For Topheth has long been prepared; it has been made ready for the king. Its funeral pyre is deep and wide, with plenty of fire and wood. The breath of the LORD, like a torrent of brimstone, sets it ablaze.
For the Tofet fire pit has long been ready, prepared for the king, made large and deep, with plenty of wood and blazing with fire; like a stream of sulfur, Adonai 's breath sets it aflame.
For Topheth is prepared of old; for the king also it is prepared: he hath made it deep and large; its pile is fire and much wood; the breath of Jehovah, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.
Topheth has been made ready for a long time. It is ready for the king. It was made very deep and wide. There is a very big pile of wood and fire there, and the Lord 's breath will come like a stream of burning sulfur to start the fire.
For he has prepared his punishment of old; yea, it is prepared to be executed; he has made it deep and large in his dwelling place; the wood and the fire are plentiful; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, does kindle it.
Long ago a place was prepared where a huge fire will burn the emperor of Assyria. It is deep and wide, and piled high with wood. The Lord will breathe out a stream of flame to set it on fire.
For Topheth has been prepared from yesterday; indeed, it is made ready for the king. He makes its pile of wood deep and wide; he makes fire and wood abundant. The breath of Yahweh burns in it like a stream of sulfur.
For Topheth is ordained from yesterday. Also, it is prepared for the king; He deepened; He widened its pyre; He makes great with fire and wood. The breath of Jehovah burns in it like a torrent of brimstone.
For he hath prepared the fyre of payne from the begynnynge, yee euen for kynges also. This hath he made depe & wyde, ye norishinge therof is fyre and wodde innumerable, which the breath ofte LORDE kyndleth, as it were a match of brymstone.
For a Topheth is prepared of old; yea, for the king it is made ready; he hath made it deep and large; the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of Jehovah, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.
For a place of fire has long been ready; yes, it has been made ready for the king; he has made it deep and wide: it is massed with fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of fire, puts a light to it.
For a hearth is ordered of old; yea, for the king it is prepared, deep and large; the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.
For Tophet is ordained of olde; yea, for the king it is prepared, he hath made it deepe and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood, the breath of the Lord, like a streame of brimstone, doeth kindle it.
For the fire of hell is ordayned from the beginning, yea euen for the kyng is it prepared: This hath the Lorde set in the deepe, and made it wide, the burning whereof is fire and muche wood: The breath of the Lorde whiche is like a riuer of brimstone doth kindle it.
For thou shalt be required before thy time: has it been prepared for thee also to reign? nay, God has prepared for thee a deep trench, wood piled, fire and much wood: the wrath of the Lord shall be as a trench kindled with sulphur.
For a Topheth is prepared of old; yea, for the king it is made ready; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.
For whi Tophet, that is, helle, deep and alargid, is maad redi of the kyng fro yistirdai; the nurschyngis therof ben fier and many trees; the blast of the Lord as a streem of brymstoon kyndlith it.
For a Topheth is prepared of old; yes, for the king it is made ready; he has made it deep and large; the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of Yahweh, like a stream of brimstone, kindles it.
For Tophet [is] ordained of old; yes, for the king it is prepared; he hath made [it] deep [and] large: the pile of it [is] fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.
For the burial place is already prepared; it has been made deep and wide for the king. The firewood is piled high on it. The Lord 's breath, like a stream flowing with brimstone, will ignite it.
For Tophet was established of old, Yes, for the king it is prepared. He has made it deep and large; Its pyre is fire with much wood; The breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, Kindles it.
Topheth—the place of burning— has long been ready for the Assyrian king; the pyre is piled high with wood. The breath of the Lord , like fire from a volcano, will set it ablaze.
For a place of fire has long been ready. Yes, it has been made ready for the king. It has been made deep and wide, with fire and much wood. The breath of the Lord starts the fire and it is like a river of sulphur.
For his burning place has long been prepared; truly it is made ready for the king, its pyre made deep and wide, with fire and wood in abundance; the breath of the Lord , like a stream of sulfur, kindles it.
For there hath been set in order, beforehand a Topheth, Yea, the same, for the king, hath been prepared He hath made it deep - made it large, - The circumference thereof is for fire and wood in abundance, the breath of Yahweh, like a torrent of brimstone, is ready to kindle it.
For Topheth is prepared from yesterday, prepared by the king, deep, and wide. The nourishment thereof is fire and much wood: the breath of the Lord as a torrent of brimstone kindling it.
For a burning place has long been prepared; yea, for the king it is made ready, its pyre made deep and wide, with fire and wood in abundance; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, kindles it.
For, arranged from former time is Tophet, Even it for the king is prepared, He hath made deep, He hath made large, Its pile [is] fire and much wood, The breath of Jehovah, As a stream of brim stone, is burning in it!
For Topheth has long been ready, Indeed, it has been prepared for the king. He has made it deep and large, A pyre of fire with plenty of wood; The breath of the LORD, like a torrent of brimstone, sets it afire.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Tophet: 2 Kings 23:10, Jeremiah 7:31, Jeremiah 7:32, Jeremiah 19:6, Jeremiah 19:11-14, Matthew 4:22, Matthew 18:8, Matthew 18:9
ordained: Matthew 25:41, 1 Peter 1:8, Jude 1:4
of old: Heb. from yesterday, Hebrews 13:8
for the king: Isaiah 14:9-20, Isaiah 37:38, Ezekiel 32:22, Ezekiel 32:23, Revelation 19:18-20
the breath: Isaiah 30:27, Isaiah 30:28, Genesis 19:24, Psalms 40:5, Psalms 40:6, Revelation 14:10, Revelation 14:11
Reciprocal: Genesis 41:32 - established by Leviticus 10:2 - they died Numbers 11:1 - and the fire Deuteronomy 4:24 - thy God Deuteronomy 9:3 - a consuming fire Deuteronomy 19:4 - in time past Deuteronomy 32:22 - lowest Joshua 3:4 - heretofore Joshua 18:16 - the valley of the son 1 Samuel 19:7 - in times past 2 Samuel 22:9 - went Job 4:9 - by the breath of his nostrils Job 15:30 - the flame Job 20:26 - a fire Job 41:21 - General Psalms 18:15 - O Lord Psalms 83:14 - As the fire Isaiah 5:14 - hell Isaiah 9:5 - burning Isaiah 9:18 - wickedness Isaiah 11:4 - with the breath Isaiah 40:24 - he shall also Isaiah 66:15 - the Lord Jeremiah 17:4 - for Ezekiel 20:47 - I will kindle Ezekiel 21:31 - I will blow Ezekiel 22:21 - and blow Ezekiel 24:9 - I will Daniel 7:10 - fiery Revelation 9:17 - brimstone Revelation 18:9 - the smoke Revelation 19:15 - out Revelation 19:20 - burning Revelation 20:9 - and fire
Cross-References
After searching through everything I have, did you find anything of yours? If so, put it here, where your relatives and mine can see it. Then we can decide what to do.
In the future your children will ask what this ceremony means. Explain it to them by saying, "The Lord used his mighty power to rescue us from slavery in Egypt.
The Lord put you in my power today, but you are his chosen king and I wouldn't harm you. The Lord rewards people who are faithful and live right.
You are good to me, Lord , because I do right, and you reward me because I am innocent.
Then it will be as clear as the noonday sun that you were right.
How often have we sinned and turned against you, the Lord God? Our sins condemn us! We have done wrong.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
For Tophet is ordained of old,.... The place long ago appointed for the ruin of the Assyrian army, which pitched here: this was a valley near Jerusalem, the valley of the son of Hinnom; so called, from the drums and tabrets beat upon here, to prevent parents hearing the cries of their infants offered to Molech: into it was brought the filth and dung of the city; here malefactors were buried, it is said; and such as were condemned to burning were burned here; and such as had no burial were cast here; so that it was an image and picture of hell itself: and the word "Gehenna", used for hell, comes from "Gehinnom", or the valley of Hinnom, the name of this place; and some think that is here meant, which from all eternity was appointed as the place of torment for wicked men, So the Targum,
"for hell is ordained from the worlds (or before the worlds), because of their sins.''
It is in the original, "from yesterday": hence Jarchi interprets it of the second day of the creation, which had a yesterday; on which day the Jews suppose hell was made: and so it is interpreted in the Talmud p, where it is said to be one of the seven things created before the world was, and is proved from this text; and said to be called Tophet, because whoever המתפתה is deceived by his imagination (or evil concupiscence) falls into it; :- with this compare Judges 1:4:
yea, for the king it is prepared; for Sennacherib king of Assyria; that is, for his army, which perished here, though he did not; or for kings, the singular for the plural; for his princes, which, as he boastingly said, were "altogether kings", Isaiah 10:8 and particularly for Rabshakeh, the general of his army, who might be so called, and was eminently one of these kings. Understood of hell, it may not only be interpreted of Satan, the king and prince of devils, for whom and his angels the everlasting fire of hell is prepared,
Matthew 25:41 but also of antichrist, the king of the bottomless pit, and of all antichristian kings; see Revelation 11:9. Some render it, "by the king it is prepared"; so the Vulgate Latin version; by whom may be meant either Hezekiah, who cleared it from idols and idolatrous worship, and so eventually prepared it to make room for the Assyrian army; or else the King of kings. So the Targum,
"the King of worlds (of all worlds) prepared it;''
and he seems manifestly designed in the next clause:
he hath made [it] deep [and] large; to hold the whole army alive, and to bury them when dead; and so hell is large and deep enough to hold Satan and all his angels, antichrist and all his followers; yea, all the wicked that have been from the beginning of the world, and will be to the end of it:
the pile thereof [is] fire and much wood; alluding to the burning of bodies in this place, and particularly of infants sacrificed to Molech; and refers to the burning of the Assyrian army, either by lightning from heaven, or by the Jews when they found them dead the next morning. In hell, the "fire" is the wrath of God; the "wood" or fuel ungodly men:
the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it; the pile of fire and wood. The Targum is,
"the word of the Lord, like an overflowing torrent of brimstone, shall kindle it;''
it shall be done by his order, at his word of command. In hell, the wrath of God will be like a continual stream of brimstone, keeping up the fire of it, so that it shall ever burn, and never be quenched; hence it is called a lake burning with fire and brimstone; into which Satan, the beast, and false prophet, and the worshippers of antichrist, will be cast, Revelation 14:10. The allusion is to the fire and brimstone rained by Jehovah, from Jehovah, upon Sodom and Gomorrah, Genesis 19:24.
p T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 54. 1. Nedarim, fol. 39. 2. & Erubim, fol. 19. 1.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
For Tophet - The same idea is conveyed in this verse as in the preceding, but under another form, and with a new illustration. The sense is, that the army of the Assyrians would be completely destroyed, as if it were a large pile of wood in the valley of Hinnom that should be fired by the breath of God. The word (תפתה tâpeteh) with the ה (h) paragogic), denotes properly what causes loathing or abhorrence; that which produces disgust and vomiting (from the Chaldee תיף tūph to spit out); Job 17:6, ‘I was an “abhorrence’” (תפת tôpheth), improperly rendered in our version, ‘I was among them as a tabret.’ The word occurs only in 2 Kings 23:10; Jeremiah 7:31-32; Jeremiah 19:6, Jeremiah 19:11, Jeremiah 19:13-14, and in this place. It is applied to a deep valley on the southeast of Jerusalem, celebrated as the seat of idolatry, particularly of the worship of Moloch. The name also of ‘the valley of Hinnom’ was given to it; and hence, the name “Gehenna” γέεννα geenna, Matthew 5:22, Matthew 5:29-30; Matthew 10:28; Matthew 18:9; Matthew 23:15, Matthew 23:33; Mark 9:43, Mark 9:45, Mark 9:47; Luke 12:5; James 3:6), as denoting the place of future torments, of which the valley of Hinnom, or Tophet, was a striking emblem.
This valley was early selected as the seat of the worship of Moloch, where his rites were celebrated by erecting a huge brass image with a hollow trunk and arms, which was heated, and within which, or on the arms of which, children were placed as a sacrifice to the horrid idol. To drown their cries, drums were beaten, which were called תף tôph, or תפים tôphiym, and many suppose the name Tophet was given to the place on this account (see 2 Kings 16:3; 2 Kings 21:6; 2 Kings 23:10). The name ‘valley of Hinnom,’ or Gehenna, was probably from the former possessor or occupier of that name. In subsequent times, however, this place was regarded with deep abhorrence. It became the receptacle of all the filth of the city; and hence, in order to purify the atmosphere, and prevent contagion, it was needful to keep fires there continually burning. It was thus a most striking emblem of hell-fire, and as such is used in the New Testament. Hezekiah was firmly opposed to idolatry; and it is not improbable that he had removed the images of Moloch, and made that valley the receptacle of filth, and a place of abomination, and that the prophet refers to this tact in the passage before us.
Is ordained - Was fitted up, appointed, constituted. The prophet by a figure represents Hezekiah as having fitted up this place as if for the appropriate punishment of the Assyrians.
Of old - Margin, as in Hebrew, ‘From yesterday.’ This expression may mean simply ‘formerly, some time since,’ as in Exodus 4:10; 2 Samuel 3:17. The idea here seems to be, that Tophet had been formerly, or was already prepared as if for the destruction of Sennacherib and his army. His ruin would be as certain, and as sudden, “as if,” in the valley of Tophet, the breath of Yahweh should set on fire the vast materials that had been collected, and were ready to be kindled. It does not mean that Tophet had actually been prepared “for” the army of Sennacherib; it does not mean that his army would actually be destroyed there - for it was on the other side of the city that they were cut off (see the notes at Isaiah 10:32); it does not mean that they would be consigned to hell-fire; but it means that that place had been fitted up as if to be an emblematic representation of his ruin; that the consuming fires in that valley were a striking representation of the sudden and awful manner in which the abhorred enemies of God would be destroyed.
For the king is prepared - For Hezekiah; as if the place had been fitted up for his use in order to consume and destroy his enemies. It is not meant that Hezekiah actually had this in view, but the whole language is figurative. It was as if that place had been fitted up by Hezekiah as a suitable place in which entirely to destroy his foes.
He hath made it deep and large - Vast; as if able to contain the entire army that was to be destroyed.
The pile thereof - The wood that was collected there to be consumed.
The breath of the Lord - As if Yahweh should breathe upon it, and enkindle the whole mass, so that it should burn without the possibility of being extinguished. The meaning is, that the destruction of the Assyrian would as really come from Yahweh as if he should, by his own agency, ignite the vast piles that were collected in the valley of Hinnom.
Like a stream of brimstone - Brimstone, or sulphur, is used in the Scriptures to denote a fire of great intensity, and one that cannot be extinguished Genesis 19:24; Psalms 11:6; Ezekiel 38:22; Revelation 9:17-18. Hence, it is used to denote the eternal torments of the wicked in hell Revelation 14:10; Revelation 19:20; Revelation 21:8.
Doth kindle it - The army of the Assyrians would be destroyed in a manner which would be well represented by Yahweh’S sending down upon a vast pile collected in the valley of Hinnom, a burning stream of sulphurous flame that should ignite and consume all before it (see the notes at Isaiah 37:36).
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Isaiah 30:33. For Tophet is ordained — Tophet is a valley very near to Jerusalem, to the southeast, called also the valley of Hinnom or Gehenna; where the Canaanites, and afterwards the Israelites, sacrificed their children, by making them pass through the fire, that is, by burning them in the fire, to Molech, as some suppose. It is therefore used for a place of punishment by fire; and by our blessed Saviour in the Gospel for hell-fire, as the Jews themselves had applied it. See Chald. on Isaiah 33:14, where מוקדי עלם mokedey olam is rendered "the Gehenna of everlasting fire." Here the place where the Assyrian army was destroyed is called Tophet by a metonymy; for the Assyrian army was destroyed probably at a greater distance from Jerusalem, and quite on the opposite side of it: for Nob is mentioned as the last station, from which the king of Assyria should threaten Jerusalem, Isaiah 10:32, where the prophet seems to have given a very exact chorographical description of his march in order to attack the city; which however he never reached. - L.
