They have built the shrines of Topheth in the Valley of Ben-hinnom: Our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said that even though all the houses of idolatry were in Jerusalem, the Molekh was outside of Jerusalem in a distant place. And how was it made? There was an image, and it had seven enclosures, and it was in the middle of them. It had the face of a calf, and its hands were extended like those of a person who opens his hand to receive [something] from his fellow. And they would stoke the fire from inside, as it was hollow. And every person would enter according to his sacrifice. How is that? Whoever had a bird would go into the first enclosure and sacrifice; lambs, the second; a sheep, the third; a calf, the fourth; a cow, the fifth; a bull, the sixth. But one who sacrificed his child would be brought into the seventh and would kiss it. And it is about this that it is stated: those who sacrifice men kiss calves (Hoshea 13:2). Then they would place the child in front of the Molekh and would stoke a fire inside [of it] until its hands were bright as a light and take the infant, and put him into its hands. And they would bring drums and bang on them with a great din so that the voice of the youth would not go out and the father hear and his innards become revolted. And why was its name called Ben-hinnom? Because the voice of the child would be moaning [nohem] from the force of the fire.
And they have built the shrines of Topheth in the Valley of
And they have built the shrines of Topheth in the Valley of Ben-hinnom: Our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said that even though all the houses of idolatry were in Jerusalem, the Molekh was outside of Jerusalem in a distant place. And how was it made? There was an image, and it had seven enclosures, and it was in the middle of them. It had the face of a calf, and its hands were extended like those of a person who opens his hand to receive [something] from his fellow. And they would stoke the fire from inside, as it was hollow. And every person would enter according to his sacrifice. How is that? Whoever had a bird would go into the first enclosure and sacrifice; lambs, the second; a sheep, the third; a calf, the fourth; a cow, the fifth; a bull, the sixth. But one who sacrificed his child would be brought into the seventh and would kiss it. And it is about this that it is stated: those who sacrifice men kiss calves (Hoshea 13:2). Then they would place the child in front of the Molekh and would stoke a fire inside [of it] until its hands were bright as a light and take the infant, and put him into its hands. And they would bring drums and bang on them with a great din so that the voice of the youth would not go out and the father hear and his innards become revolted. And why was its name called Ben-hinnom? Because the voice of the child would be moaning [nohem] from the force of the fire.