What is…
sheol
Hebrew: שְׁאוֹל —transliteration: sheol —meaning: place to which human souls go after physical death —occurrences: 66
There is a temporary world of departed souls, both the righteous and the unrighteous, separate from our own which the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) calls sheol.
“…conceal me in Sheol…” —Job 14:13 excerpt
“…go down to Sheol in peace…” —1 Kings 2:6 excerpt
“But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for He will receive me. Selah.” —Psalm 49:15
“Yahweh puts to death and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and raises up.” 1 Samuel 2:6 LSB
“But if Yahweh creates an entirely new thing and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that is theirs, and they go down to Sheol alive, then you will know that these men have spurned Yahweh.” …So they and all that belonged to them went down to Sheol alive; and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly.” —Num. 16:30-33 LSB excerpt
The equivalent Greek word used in the New Testament is “Hades” (Matthew 11:23; 16:18; Luke 10:15; , 31; Rev. 1:18; 6:8; 20:13-14).
“Because You will not forsake my soul to Hades,
Nor give Your Holy One over to see corruption. …he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither forsaken to Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.” —Acts 2:27, 31
More information
- Are human souls immortal?
- What is Hades?
- Heaven
- Why was Hell made?
- Is there anyone in Hell today? Answer
- What is the FINAL JUDGMENT? and WHAT do you need to know about it? Answer
- What is ETERNAL LIFE? Answer
- What is ETERNAL DEATH? Answer
- HELL: Fact or Fiction—Is it an actual place? Answer
- Will there literally be a burning fire in Hell? Answer
- What should you be willing to do to stay out of Hell? Answer
- How can a God of love send anybody to Hell? Answer
- About God’s love and an answer to the questions: What is the true nature of God’s love? Is it biblically accurate to say, “God hates the SIN, but loves the SINNER”?
- What if I don’t believe in Hell? Answer
- THE GOOD NEWS—How to be saved from Hell. Answer