OUTSIDE the walls of Jerusalem, there was in ancient times a place called Topheth.

Finally, the faithful king Josiah stopped the practice by making Topheth a place unfit for religious ceremonies.​—2 Kings 23:10; 2 Chronicles 28:1-4; 33:1, 6.

And they have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom [outside the south wall of Jerusalem], in order to burn [what?] their sons and their daughters in the fire, a thing that I had not commanded and that had not come up into my heart.’”​—Jer. 7:30, 31; note Leviticus 18:21; 20:2-5.

Or for the sons and daughters screaming as they were being offered as human sacrifices to the false god Molech (King), on a high altar at Topheth in the valley of the son of Hinnom? (Jer. 32:35)

One portion of this valley was later called Topheth, and it was here, some believe, that a music grove was located where Solomon’s royal singers and musicians gathered to fill the valley with songs of praise to Jehovah.—Josh. 15:8; 2 Ki. 23:10; Jer. 19:2, 6.

“Thus will I do unto this place, saith Jehovah, and to the inhabitants thereof, even making this city as Topheth: and the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, which are defiled, shall be as the place of Topheth.”

“And they have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, in order to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, a thing that I had not commanded and that had not come up into my heart.”​—Jeremiah 7:31.

By the fourth century B.C. the Tophet [from Biblical Topheth] may have been as large as 64,800 square feet (6,000 square meters), with nine levels of burials.”

Explaining the significance of this act, he stated: “This is what Jehovah of armies has said: ‘In the same way I shall break this people and this city as someone breaks the vessel of the potter so that it is no more able to be repaired; and in Topheth they will bury until there is no more place to bury.’” (Jer. 19:1-11)

Leaving Topheth in the valley of the son of Hinnom, Jeremiah went to the temple courtyard and there proclaimed Jehovah’s message of doom in the hearing of all the assembled people.​—Jer. 19:14, 15.

“This is what Jehovah of armies has said: ‘In the same way I shall break this people and this city as someone breaks the vessel of the potter so that it is no more able to be repaired; and in Topheth they will bury until there is no more place to bury.’”​—Jer. 19:10, 11.

After Jeremiah dashed the flask to pieces, what did he say about Topheth in the Valley of Hinnom?

Referring to the use made of Gehenna in the days of the prophet Jeremiah, God said: “They have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, in order to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, a thing that I had not commanded and that had not come up into my heart.” (Jeremiah 7:31)

And they have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, in order to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, a thing that I had not commanded and that had not come up into my heart.”​—Jeremiah 7:30, 31.

For a time a similar ritual was practiced near Jerusalem in ancient Topheth.