The Valley of the Son of Hinnom

A Special Highlight:

The valley of the Son of Hinnom is located outside ancient Jerusalem and it is known In the Hebrew Bible as the site where apostate Israelites and followers of various Caananite gods, sacrificed their children by fire.

Here are a few facts about The Valley of the Son of Hinnom:

• The valley  is first mentioned in the Bible when Joshua assigned the land to the Tribes of Israel by lot: "And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom unto the south side of the Jebusite…" (Joshua 15:8).

• The total size of the valley exceeds 50 acres.

• Hinnom is a name of a person which no one knows his origins. Modern Scholars hypothesize it is a person whose son owned lands in the valley during ancient times.

• Large concentrations of rock-hewn burial caves are found in the valley. They are dated to the First and Second Temples periods and to the Byzantine era.

• The Hebrew word for "Hell" - "Gehinnom", diverted from the name of this valley: Gai (valley) Hinnom.