וְטִמֵּ֣א אֶת־הַתֹּ֔פֶת אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּגֵ֣י בני־הִנֹּ֑ם לְבִלְתִּ֗י לְהַעֲבִ֨יר אִ֜ישׁ אֶת־בְּנֹ֧ו וְאֶת־בִּתֹּ֛ו בָּאֵ֖שׁ לַמֹּֽלֶךְ׃
And he defiled the Tofet, which is in the Valley of the sons of Hinnom, so that no man might make his son or his daughter pass through the fire to the Molekh.
Morphology
- וְטִמֵּ֣א (ve-timme) – Root: טמא; Form: Piel wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he defiled”; Notes: Ritual defilement to render a site unfit for further cultic use.
- אֶת־הַתֹּ֔פֶת (et-ha-tophet) – Root: תפת; Form: Direct object marker + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the Tophet”; Notes: A place in the Valley of Hinnom associated with child sacrifice.
- אֲשֶׁ֖ר (asher) – Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause identifying location.
- בְּגֵ֣י בני־הִנֹּ֑ם (be-gei vené-Hinnom) – Root: גיא, בן; Form: Preposition + construct noun + construct plural noun + proper noun; Translation: “in the Valley of the sons of Hinnom”; Notes: Geographical location associated with Molekh worship.
- לְבִלְתִּ֗י (le-vilti) – Root: בלע; Form: Preposition + negative infinitive construct; Translation: “so that not” / “in order that not”; Notes: Introduces purpose of the defilement.
- לְהַעֲבִ֨יר (le-haʿavir) – Root: עבר; Form: Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “to make pass”; Notes: Refers to passing children through fire.
- אִ֜ישׁ (ish) – Root: אישׁ; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a man”; Notes: Subject of the prohibition.
- אֶת־בְּנֹ֧ו (et-beno) – Root: בן; Form: Direct object + noun with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his son”; Notes: Victim of the cultic rite.
- וְאֶת־בִּתֹּ֛ו (ve-et-bitto) – Root: בת; Form: Conjunction + direct object + noun with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and his daughter”; Notes: Also subject to the forbidden practice.
- בָּאֵ֖שׁ (ba-esh) – Root: אשׁ; Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “through the fire”; Notes: Indicates method of ritual sacrifice.
- לַמֹּֽלֶךְ (la-Molekh) – Root: מלך; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to the Molekh”; Notes: Pagan deity associated with child sacrifice, strongly condemned in the Torah.