Sheol
שְׁאוֹל · she.ol · H7585γέεννα · geenna · G10673 other spellings100 mentions in 24 books, most in Psalms (19)
Who they were
Sheol is the Hebrew term for the underworld or the abode of the dead, mentioned numerous times throughout the Old Testament. It is often associated with darkness, stillness, and a place where both the righteous and the unrighteous go after death (Job.17.13; Psalm 89:48; Ecclesiastes 9:10). In some instances, Sheol is described as being located in the depths of the earth (Numbers 16:30, 33; Deu.32.22).
The concept of Sheol evolved throughout the Old Testament, with later texts suggesting a distinction between the fate of the righteous and the wicked (Psalm 49:14-15; Proverbs 15:24). However, the Old Testament does not provide a clear, consistent picture of the afterlife, and the idea of Sheol is often used as a metaphor for death and the grave (Psalm 6:5; 88:3; Isaiah 38:18).
In the New Testament, the Greek terms Hades (Luke 16:23; Act.2.27, 31; Revelation 1:18; 20:13-14), Gehenna (Matthew 5:22, 29-30; 10:28; Mrk.9.43, 45, 47; Luke 12:5; Jam.3.6), and Tartarus (2Pe.2.4) are used to refer to the realm of the dead or a place of punishment. These terms are often translated as "hell" in English Bibles, but their meanings are not always synonymous with the modern concept of hell as a place of eternal torment.
The biblical understanding of Sheol and the afterlife developed over time, with the New Testament providing a clearer picture of the distinction between the fate of the righteous and the wicked. As a Christian, it is essential to interpret the concept of Sheol in light of the fuller revelation of the New Testament, which emphasizes the hope of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ (Jhn.3.16; 11:25-26; 1Co.15.50-57).
Article: STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0
Every mention
100 references, counted from STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0 · verse text: World English Bible (public domain)
Genesis4 mentions
Genesis 37:35All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. He said, “For I will go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” His father wept for him.Genesis 42:38He said, “My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left. If harm happens to him along the way in which you go, then you will bring down my gray hairs with…Genesis 44:29If you take this one also from me, and harm happens to him, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.’Genesis 44:31it will happen, when he sees that the boy is no more, that he will die. Your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant, our father, with sorrow to Sheol.
Numbers2 mentions
Numbers 16:30But if Yahweh makes a new thing, and the ground opens its mouth, and swallows them up with all that belong to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall understand that these…Numbers 16:33So they, and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol. The earth closed on them, and they perished from among the assembly.
Deuteronomy1 mention
1 Kings2 mentions
Job13 mentions
Job 7:9As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol will come up no more.Job 11:8They are high as heaven. What can you do? They are deeper than Sheol. What can you know?Job 14:13“Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would keep me secret until your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time and remember me!Job 17:13If I look for Sheol as my house, if I have spread my couch in the darkness,Job 17:16Shall it go down with me to the gates of Sheol, or descend together into the dust?”Job 21:13They spend their days in prosperity. In an instant they go down to Sheol.Job 24:19Drought and heat consume the snow waters, so does Sheol those who have sinned.Job 26:6Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering.Job 33:18He keeps back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.Job 33:22Yes, his soul draws near to the pit, and his life to the destroyers.Job 33:24then God is gracious to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom.’Job 33:28He has redeemed my soul from going into the pit. My life will see the light.’Job 33:30to bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of the living.
Psalms19 mentions
Psalms 6:5For in death there is no memory of you. In Sheol, who shall give you thanks?Psalms 9:17The wicked shall be turned back to Sheol, even all the nations that forget God.Psalms 16:10For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption.Psalms 18:5The cords of Sheol were around me. The snares of death came on me.Psalms 30:3Yahweh, you have brought up my soul from Sheol. You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.Psalms 30:9“What profit is there in my destruction, if I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise you? Shall it declare your truth?Psalms 31:17Let me not be disappointed, Yahweh, for I have called on you. Let the wicked be disappointed. Let them be silent in Sheol.Psalms 49:9that he should live on forever, that he should not see corruption.Psalms 49:14They are appointed as a flock for Sheol. Death shall be their shepherd. The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning. Their beauty shall decay in Sheol, far from their mansion.Psalms 49:15But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah.Psalms 55:15Let death come suddenly on them. Let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is among them, in their dwelling.Psalms 55:23But you, God, will bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days, but I will trust in you.Psalms 86:13For your loving kindness is great toward me. You have delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol.Psalms 88:3For my soul is full of troubles. My life draws near to Sheol.Psalms 89:48What man is he who shall live and not see death, who shall deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah.Psalms 103:4who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies,Psalms 116:3The cords of death surrounded me, the pains of Sheol got a hold of me. I found trouble and sorrow.Psalms 139:8If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there!Psalms 141:7“As when one plows and breaks up the earth, our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.”
Proverbs9 mentions
Proverbs 1:12Let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down into the pit.Proverbs 5:5Her feet go down to death. Her steps lead straight to Sheol.Proverbs 7:27Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the rooms of death.Proverbs 9:18But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.Proverbs 15:11Sheol and Abaddon are before Yahweh— how much more then the hearts of the children of men!Proverbs 15:24The path of life leads upward for the wise, to keep him from going downward to Sheol.Proverbs 23:14Punish him with the rod, and save his soul from Sheol.Proverbs 27:20Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; and a man’s eyes are never satisfied.Proverbs 30:16Sheol, the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water, and the fire that doesn’t say, ‘Enough!’
Ecclesiastes1 mention
Song of Solomon1 mention
Isaiah12 mentions
Isaiah 5:14Therefore Sheol has enlarged its desire, and opened its mouth without measure; and their glory, their multitude, their pomp, and he who rejoices among them, descend into it.Isaiah 7:11“Ask a sign of Yahweh your God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.”Isaiah 14:9Sheol from beneath has moved for you to meet you at your coming. It stirs up the departed spirits for you, even all the rulers of the earth. It has raised up from their thrones all the…Isaiah 14:11Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, with the sound of your stringed instruments. Maggots are spread out under you, and worms cover you.Isaiah 14:15Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the pit.Isaiah 28:15“Because you have said, ‘We have made a covenant with death, and we are in agreement with Sheol. When the overflowing scourge passes through, it won’t come to us; for we have made lies our…Isaiah 28:18Your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol shall not stand. When the overflowing scourge passes through, then you will be trampled down by it.Isaiah 38:10I said, “In the middle of my life I go into the gates of Sheol. I am deprived of the residue of my years.”Isaiah 38:17Behold, for peace I had great anguish, but you have in love for my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption; for you have cast all my sins behind your back.Isaiah 38:18For Sheol can’t praise you. Death can’t celebrate you. Those who go down into the pit can’t hope for your truth.Isaiah 51:14The captive exile will speedily be freed. He will not die and go down into the pit. His bread won’t fail.Isaiah 57:9You went to the king with oil, increased your perfumes, sent your ambassadors far off, and degraded yourself even to Sheol.
Ezekiel6 mentions
Ezekiel 28:8They will bring you down to the pit. You will die the death of those who are slain in the heart of the seas.Ezekiel 31:15“The Lord Yahweh says: ‘In the day when he went down to Sheol, I caused a mourning. I covered the deep for him, and I restrained its rivers. The great waters were stopped. I caused Lebanon…Ezekiel 31:16I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to Sheol with those who descend into the pit. All the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that…Ezekiel 31:17They also went down into Sheol with him to those who are slain by the sword; yes, those who were his arm, who lived under his shadow in the middle of the nations.Ezekiel 32:21The strong among the mighty will speak to him out of the middle of Sheol with those who help him. They have gone down. The uncircumcised lie still, slain by the sword.Ezekiel 32:27They will not lie with the mighty who are fallen of the uncircumcised, who have gone down to Sheol with their weapons of war and have laid their swords under their heads. Their iniquities…
Jonah2 mentions
Matthew9 mentions
Matthew 5:22But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause will be in danger of the judgment. Whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ will be in danger of the council. Whoever…Matthew 5:29If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish than for your whole body to be…Matthew 5:30If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be…Matthew 10:28Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.Matthew 11:23You, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, you will go down to Hades. For if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in you, it would have remained until today.Matthew 16:18I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.Matthew 18:9If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire.Matthew 23:25“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and unrighteousness.Matthew 23:33You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of Gehenna?
Mark3 mentions
Mark 9:43If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having your two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire,Mark 9:45If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life lame, rather than having your two feet to be cast into Gehenna, into the fire that will never be…Mark 9:47If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out. It is better for you to enter into God’s Kingdom with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire,
Luke3 mentions
Luke 10:15You, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades.Luke 12:5But I will warn you whom you should fear. Fear him who after he has killed, has power to cast into Gehenna. Yes, I tell you, fear him.Luke 16:23In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom.
Acts2 mentions
Revelation4 mentions
Revelation 1:18and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.Revelation 6:8And behold, a pale horse, and the name of he who sat on it was Death. Hades followed with him. Authority over one fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword, with famine, with death, and…Revelation 20:13The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works.Revelation 20:14Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
What the dictionary says
(Heb., “the all-demanding world” = Gr. Hades, “the unknown region”), the invisible world of departed souls.
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
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