Thomas Aquinas, on Isa 30:33

“For Topheth is prepared from yesterday, prepared by the king, deep, and wide. The nourishment thereof is fire and much wood: the breath of the Lord as a torrent of brimstone kindling it.”

“688. For Topheth is prepared. Here he describes the place of punishment. And first, its disposition: Topheth, the valley of the son of Ennom, Gehenna, for the fire for sacrifices was kept there on stones of tufa (Tophis); this is the same as the valley of Gethsemane, where the army of Sennacherib was destroyed. Or it signifies hell; hence the Jews conjecture that hell is there, because smoke is always emitted from two palm trees which are there. From yesterday, that is, from the beginning; or, according to the Jews, from the second day, which had only yesterday, and no day before. Jeremiah 7 and 19 discuss this valley. Prepared by the king, God, deep, and wide, above: therefore has hell enlarged her soul (Isa 5:14). Second, the variety of punishments: the nourishment thereof is fire and much wood, the impious, or the men of the army of Sennacherib; the breath of the Lord, that is, his will, metaphorically: fire and brimstone, and storms of winds, shall be the portion of their cup (Ps 10:7[11:6]). 691. Note on the words, is prepared by the king, deep, and wide (Isa 30:33), that hell is broad, first, because of its desire to retain, above: therefore has hell enlarged her soul (Isa 5:14); second, because of the multitude of the damned: strait is the way that leads to life; wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there are who go in thereat (Matt 7:13–14); third, because of the variety of punishments: fire, hail, snow, ice (Ps 148:8) or: fire and brimstone, and storms of winds (Ps 10:7[11:6]); fourth, because of the eternity of the punishment: go, you cursed, into everlasting fire (Matt 25:41).”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.