“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 Tophet is prepared, indeed it is set up for the king; He has made it deep and large, its pyre is fire and wood in abundance; the breath of the LORD, like a torrent of brimstone, sets it ablaze, establishing the final vision of the chapter: a place of destruction (Tophet, a valley east of Jerusalem associated with the dead and later with judgment) prepared for the king—perhaps the king of Assyria or the embodiment of human rebellion against God. The depth and largeness of the preparation suggest the magnitude of the judgment. The abundant fire and wood emphasize the totality of the burning and destruction. The breath of God as the agent of ignition establishes God as the ultimate source of judgment. The brimstone recalls the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, suggesting cosmic judgment against human rebellion. The oracle concludes chapter 30 with the affirmation that God's judgment against those who rebel and oppose God's purposes is absolute, final, and purifying.
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