Valley of the sons of Hinnom, Hinnom, Ge-Hinnom
Archimandrite Nikifor’s Biblical Encyclopedia
(Josh. 15:8; 2 Kings 23:10; Jer. 2:23, and elsewhere) — a deep and narrow ravine with steep sides on the south and west of Jerusalem; the valley, it is thought (Stanley), received its name from an ancient hero, a son of Hinnom, who had his possessions there. A small brook, flowing into the Kidron, runs along the bottom of the valley. Here, even in Solomon’s time, high places were erected and shrines built to Ashtoreth, Chemosh, and Molech (1 Kings 11:7; 2 Kings 23:13). Ahaz and Manasseh burned incense to idols here, and the former made his sons pass through the fire (2 Kings 16:3; 2 Chron. 28:3). The abominable custom of sacrificing children to Molech at Topheth, at the southeastern end of this valley,