By Ronald R. Day, Sr.
All quotations from the Bible in most cases will have God's Holy Name presented as "Jehovah" regardless of the translation used, or what form the translators may have presented as being the Holy Name.
SHEOL
The only word that some translations render as "hell" in the Old Testament is the word often transliterated as SHEOL. In this section of this study, we will be examining each instance where this word appears in the Bible, and show how all instances of this word are in harmony with the description of sheol in Ecclesiastes 9:5,10.
Among those who believe the soul or spirit is immortal, and that everyone is forced into an eternal life, there are three general views related to the Biblical usage of sheol. One is that sometimes sheol represents their idea of eternal suffering and that sometimes is refers to the grave. The second is that sheol the Bible is composed of at least two sections, one of which is paradise and the other which the place of eternal suffering. The third is that sheol does not refer to the Bible hell at all, but simply to the grave. Our view is that sheol always refers to the oblivious condition of death as found in Ecclesiastes 9:5,10.
The word "hell", however, is not actually in the Bible. And several different words have been rendered as "hell". The English word "hell" comes from a word that means "a concealed place". The word is associated with forms of
kel-, a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to cover, conceal, save." As far as the meaning of a "concealed place" applied to the English word hell, sheol does correspond with such a meaning. If one applies the meaning of the eternal conscious suffering of alleged human immortal souls or spirits to the word "hell", we do not find any word in the Bible that speaks of such a place, as we intend to show in our studies. Nevertheless, many do place various assumptions on scriptures that speak of Gehenna, the lake of fire, Jesus' usage of the word "furnace" and several other scriptures as supposedly speaking of such a place. We hope to examine all these scriptures in our studies, but this study is related only the Biblical usage of the Hebrew word often transliterated as "sheol" and its corresponding Greek word in the Bible that is often transliterated as "hades".
Genesis 37:35
All 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 [KJV: the grave; BBE: the underworld; Wycliffe: helle; DRC: hell] to my son mourning.” -- World English.
Was Jacob expecting to go to a place of torture when he died? Did expect to go to a supposed section of sheol that is called "paradise"? Was he expecting to go to place of eternal sorrow when he died? Certainly, the faithful prophet Jacob did not expect to go to a place of torture. Nor was he speaking of being sorrowful while in sheol. He actually spoke of sorrow suffered in this life that was leading him toward the death state and that sorrow would finally bring him there. We have no reason to think that those sorrows would have led him to a paradise portion of hell, for he would have been joyous at the prospect of joining Joseph in bliss! Thus, we believe that the proper scriptural conclusion is that he expected to go to the unconscious, oblivious realm of death, as described in Ecclesiastes 9:5,10.
Some offer this verse as proof of some kind of inherent immortality because Jacob says that he will go to his son into sheol. What is being imagined, assumed, added to, and read into what Job stated is that since he was expecting to be with his son in sheol and that this must mean that he would have consciousness in sheol. Actually, all this means is that Jacob expected to join his son in the unconscious realm of death. There is no mention of any kind of immortality, or of consciousness in sheol. Thus one has to read into the scripture the Hellenistic concept of inherent immortality, or of consciousness while in sheol.
There are those who claim that this scripture says that Jacob would be mourning while in sheol, and thus this proves that he was conscious in sheol. At the same time, those who advocate this viewpoint usually claim that Jacob went to their idea of “paradise” when he died, which they claim was at that time a section of sheol. If one is consistent, this would mean that they should think that paradise will be a place of sorrow. However, the Bible paradise is described as a time when there will be no more mourning or crying, “and the Lord Jehovah will wipe away tears from off all faces.” (Revelation 7:17; 21:1-4; Isaiah 25:8) Thus if Jacob was reunited with his son in a conscious compartment of sheol called paradise, why would he need to be mourning there? Actually, the scripture says nothing about Jacob mourning in sheol, but rather that he would be mourning while he was alive and that this mourning would be so painful that it would finally kill him, causing him to enter into the oblivious realm of death. — The same general comments of this verse also apply to Genesis 42:38; 44:29 and 44:31.
Genesis 42:38
He said, “My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left. If harm befall him by the way in which you go, then you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.” -- World English.
In this verse, we find Jacob speaks concerning his youngest son, Benjamin. Believing Joseph to be dead, he is concerned that if Benjamin goes with his brothers to Egypt that something bad may happen to him also. And if something happened to Benjamin, Jacob surely believed that he could not live with this and thus would die of grief and go to sheol. See also comments on Genesis 37:35.
Genesis 44:29,31
If you take this one also from me, and harm befalls him, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.’ -- World English.
It 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. -- World English.
In these verses, Jacob's sons are basically repeating the words of their father. These words again reflect Jacob's that Joseph is already dead in sheol, and that if anything happened to Benjamin, it would cause his gray hairs to be brought down in sorrow into sheol. Again this cannot mean that Jacob was expecting that his soul was going to be eternally tortured, nor can he be speaking of going to a place of bliss; the same general reasoning applies here as shown under Genesis 37:35. See also comments on Genesis 37:35.
Numbers 16:30,33
But if Jehovah make a new thing, and the ground open its mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain to them, and they go down alive into Sheol; then you shall understand that these men have despised Jehovah. -- World English.
So they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into Sheol: and the earth closed on them, and they perished from among the assembly. — World English.
Some read into this that Korah and his assembly are still alive in sheol, since it speaks of their going down “alive into sheol.” Being “alive in sheol” and being cast while “alive into sheol,” however, are not the same. All this is saying is that while in their activity of life, the earth suddenly opened up and they went alive into the hidden condition of death. The thought is concerning the suddenness of their entrance into sheol, not that they would continue living in sheol. Of course, they did die and are not now conscious in sheol, as we read in Ecclesiastes 9:5,10. How simple the statement when rightly understood: the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up and they went down from the midst of life’s activities into oblivion, unconsciousness.
We should note that it was not just Korah who went into sheol, but we read "the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who appertained to Korah, and all their goods." Notice that it includes "all their goods". The "goods" were not alive, but they went into the earth with Korah, and those associated with Korah, including their families. Thus, most commentators recognize that sheol here is speaking of being buried under the earth, under nothing more. However, those people who went into sheol will not be there for eternity, since Jesus died for them. (Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22; 1 Timothy 2:5,6) We are assured that they will be raised in the last day among the resurrection of the unjust, and will in the world's day of judgment be taught Jehovah's ways and given the opportunity to repent in that day. (Isaiah 2:2-4; John 17:47,48; Acts 14:15; ) They were removed from the living temporarily because the heads of those households were not in harmony with God's purposes at that time.
Deuteronomy 32:22
For a fire is kindled in my anger, Burns to the lowest Sheol, Devours the earth with its increase, Sets on fire the foundations of the mountains. — World English.
Some claim that this scripture proves that there is fire in sheol. It is also claimed that the expression "the lowest sheol" refers to the Jewish philosophy that sheol contains several compartments, and this is claimed to be referring to the lowest compartment of sheol. Some claim that this verse speaks of "hell fire." One claims that Deuteronomy 32:22 shows hell to be a "
place of activity, sorrow and wrath." Another cites Deuteronomy 32:22 in connection with the idea that "
eternal damnation" is one of the curses upon Israel. Actually, such ideas read a lot into what is said, and actually overlook what is said.
In this verse are predicted the dreadful calamities which God would bring upon the land of Judea, in words which seem to import the total ruin of it. Devouring judgments are here compared to fire, as they are also Ezekiel 30:8; Amos 2:5. And from hence to Deuteronomy 32:28, the destruction of their city and country by the Romans, and the dreadful calamities which they have suffered since in different ages, seem chiefly to be intended. And shall burn to the lowest hell — Or to the lowest parts of the earth, as the word שׁאול, sheol, here rendered hell, signifies: Numbers 16:30-33. Most destructive calamities are meant, judgments that should never cease till they had overturned the whole Jewish constitution. And set on fire the foundations of the mountains — That is, subvert their strongest fortresses, yea, Jerusalem itself, founded on the holy mountains, which was perfectly fulfilled in its destruction by Titus. And, according to Josephus, Titus himself, though a heathen, saw and acknowledged the hand of God in the affair. For, observing the vast height of the walls, the largeness of every stone, and the exact order wherein they were laid and compacted, he cried out, “God was with us in this war: it is he that drove the Jews from these munitions. For what could the hands of men or machines have availed against such towers?” Perhaps it may not be improper to mention here, as a further illustration of this prophecy, and its accomplishment, what is related, not only by the Christian writers of that age, Chrysostom, Sozomen, and Socrates, but also by Ammianus Marcellinus, a heathen historian, that when Julian the Apostate ordered the temple of Jerusalem to be rebuilt, with a view to give the lie to our Saviour’s prophecy concerning it, “terrible globes of fire burst out near the foundations, which overturned all, burned the workmen, and made the place so inaccessible, that they desisted from the attempt.” -- Joseph Benson, Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments
Please note that Benson does not say that these fires are in some place of eternal torture after death, but he speaks of them as being here on earth. With this, we agree. The fire is not speaking of some kind of life of torture after death, but figuratively refers to destruction here on the earth: it devours the land of Judea, and sets on fire the foundation of the mountains. The phrase “burns to the lowest sheol” denotes the degree of the wrath; it is symbolic of the severity and the strength of God's wrath. -- 1 Thessalonians 2:16; Zephaniah 3:8.
In this verse there certainly is a mention of fire, but not of literal fire. The entire context shows that it is the fire of God’s jealousy, and the statement follows, “[They shall be] wasted with hunger, and devoured with burning heat Bitter destruction; The teeth of animals will I send on them, With the poison of crawling things of the dust. Outside shall the sword bereave, In the chambers terror; [It shall destroy] both young man and virgin, The suckling with the man of gray hairs. I said, I would scatter them afar, I would make the memory of them to cease from among men.” -- Deuteronomy 32:24-26.
We are not left to conjecture respecting how this prophecy was fulfilled; for the Apostle Paul, speaking under the inspiration of the holy Spirit, refers to this passage, and applies it to fleshly Israel, and to the trouble which came upon them as a nation, when they rejected the Lord Jesus, and in turn, were themselves rejected of the Lord. The Apostle declares that wrath came upon them to the uttermost (1 Thessalonians 2:16): divine anger burned against them and did continue to burn against them until, as a people, they had suffered for their national sins. After divine wrath has burned out their national transgression, even searching them out to the very lowest oblivion (sheol -- Ecclesiastes 9:10) he will then speak peaceably toward them, and he evidently speaks to the Church, “Comfort you, comfort you my people, says your God. Speak comfortably to Jerusalem; and cry to her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received of Jehovah’s hand double for all her sins.” (Isaiah 40:1,2) Thus, Deuteronomy 32:22 is not speaking about their eternal damnation, since the scriptures show that there also shall come the deliverance of Jacob, as, for instance, predicted by the Apostle Paul, on the strength of the divine statement, “This is my covenant to them, When I will take away their sins.” (Romans 11:26,27) Furthermore, the same thought that this burning of divine wrath against Israel, to the very lowest degree, will be followed by divine blessing, is shown in the context. See Deuteronomy 32:26-43.
We certainly find nothing in the verse about anyone consciously suffering for eternity in sheol, or of an alleged immortal soul or spirit entity that continues to be conscious after death. The scripture is in full harmony with the description of Sheol as given in Psalm 6:5; 31:17; Ecclesiastes 9:10; Isaiah 38:18. There is no reason to read into this verse the extra-Biblical
Hellenistic philosophy as adopted by the Jews, and later by the apostate Christians.
Jehovah kills, and makes alive: He brings down to Sheol, and brings up. -- World English.
This is part of Hannah’s prophetic prayer. Her statement reveals that it is in Jehovah’s power to kill and to make alive — thus death and life are presented as opposites. The prophecy gives a hint of the coming resurrection day, when those who have died will be made alive again. We are told that Jehovah brings down to sheol, and he also brings up. This indicates that sheol is not a permanent condition. This corresponds with Revelation 20:13, which foretells that all who are in sheol/hades will be brought back to life in the resurrection day. Other scriptures reveal that those in sheol will be brought back to life due to the salvation provided by means of the ransom sacrifice of Jesus. — Hosea 13:14; John 12:47,48; Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22; 1 Timothy 2:5,6.
There is definitely nothing in the verse, however, that gives any indication that those in sheol are conscious, and nothing that would be out of harmony with the description of sheol as given in Ecclesiastes 9:10.
2 Samuel 22:6
The cords of Sheol were round about me; The snares of death came on me. -- World English.
The words in this verse are the words of David. Almost the same words that David spoke as recorded in 2 Samuel 22 can also be found in Psalm 18.
The Hebrew word translated “cords” is a form of the word shown as Strong’s #2256,
chebel. Its first meaning is “cord, rope, territory, band, company”; its second meaning is given as: “pain, sorrow, travail, pang.”* Even though these words were spoken by David, in this scripture many translations are pleased to use “hell” for “sheol” and “sorrows” for the Hebrew chebel, for with the traditional idea of “hell” as a place of torture in the minds of many, and without reading the scripture closely, one could come to the conclusion that there are sorrows in hell, and thus that those in hell are conscious and being tortured. Indeed, this scripture is used by many advocates of eternal torture as a description of hell as a place of sorrow.
Actually if one reads the scripture closely, one can see that sheol is being paralleled with death. David was expressing his concern about how his life was in peril of death, and that this peril is like cords drawing him into the death condition. If David was using the Hebrew word in the sense of “sorrows”, it still does not mean that David expected to experience sorrow in sheol, but rather that the threat of sheol upon his life was producing sorrows for him. In reference to those who claim that paradise was a part of sheol, we might further add that if David expected to enter into paradise when he was to die, then why would he think of it as a place of sorrow? It should be clear that there is no evidence in this verse of either torture or paradise in sheol. The verse is in complete harmony with what Solomon stated in Ecclesiastes 9:5,10.
Do therefore according to your wisdom, and don't let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace.
Now therefore don't hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man; and you will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his gray head down to Sheol with blood. -- World English.
These words were spoken by David to his son Solomon concerning Joab the son of Zeruiah. David was telling Solomon to not let Joab die a peaceful death because of the things Joab had done. -- 1 Kings 2:5,
The King James Version renders “Sheol” as the grave in both verses. They possibly thought that it would be unwise to render “Sheol” as “hell” in these verses, for it may have indicated that peace could be possible in hell.
In actuality, the word “peace” does not describe any condition in hell, but rather of David's desire that Joab not die a peaceful death, a natural death of old age, but that justice might be served, his death should come by the sword. Nevertheless, David certainly expecting Joab would enter into the realm of death, sheol, the Bible hell, which realm is spoken of as being without any work, device, knowledge or wisdom, and in which one cannot praise or give thanks to Jehovah. (Ecclesiastes 9:10; Psalm 6:5; Isaiah 38:18) Joab, however, is not to spend eternity in sheol. Regardless of how he died, Joab, having suffered the wages of sin in Adam, will be saved from that condition so as to be raised for the blessings of the new judgment day, and Joab’s eternal destiny will be determined by his obedience to the books that are opened in that day. — Isaiah 2:2-4; 26:9,10; 29:18,24; John 5:28,29 (World English); John 12:47,48; Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:27,28; Revelation 20:11-15.
We certainly do not find anything in these verses that would indicate that David either expected Joab to suffer consciously in an alleged section of sheol, or that Joab would be in an alleged compartment called “paradise” while in sheol.
Job 7:9
As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, So he who goes down to Sheol shall come up no more. — World English.
The King James Version translates *sheol* as “the grave” here, probably because Job is referring to himself. Evidently, it would not have been appeared appropriate to have Job appear to be in the traditional idea of hell, so the translators rendered it “the grave” instead.
Some point to this verse as though it is saying that those in sheol will not be raised in the resurrection on the last day. (John 5:28,29; 6:39,40,44,54; 11:24) If this were so, then righteous Job will not be raised, since Job is speaking of himself, and he is comparing his nights of suffering and days of distress with the condition in sheol. He is saying that once he is sheol, he would be at rest and not come up to this condition of distress anymore. (Job 7:1-10) Thus, by "no more", he is not speaking of not being raised in the last day, but of not being raised back into this present age which has so much suffering.
That the dead in sheol are to be raised, due to the salvation provided through Jesus’ sacrifice (John 6:51; 12:47,48; Romans 5:12-19; 1 Timothy 2:5,6), is shown in the New Testament, for all the dead in hades (the Greek word used in the New Testament to correspond with the Hebrew sheol) are to be released to receive the blessings of the judgment day, when there will be books opened to them, and the book of life will be opened to them. (Revelation 20:11-15) This time of deliverance from sheol (hades) may also be spoken of in Hosea 13:14.
Job 11:7,8
Can you fathom the mystery of God? Or can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are high as heaven. What can you do? Deeper than Sheol: what can you know? -- World English.
The above words are not words of Job, but of Zophar (Job 11:1) Zophar is included as one of the two friends of Eliphaz in Job 42:7, where Jehovah speaks to them saying: "My wrath is kindled against you, and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has."
Zophar was speaking of the limits of God Almighty (Job 11:7). It is not stated what Zophar meant by "sheol", but if he meant the grave of mankind, certainly the limits of God could be said to be deeper than sheol. Some commentators believe that Zophar's usage of sheol is referring to the center of the earth. In view of what Jehovah stated as recorded in Job 42:7, we do not view Zophar's words to be with total truth, however, we see nothing in what he said that would contradict Solomon's description of sheol in Ecclesiastes 9:10.
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! -- World English.
Here Job prays that he made be hidden in Sheol. He evidently did not expect to be in sheol forever, but that at an appointed time God would remember him. This agrees with Daniel 12:2; John 5:28,29; 6:39,40,44,54; 11:24; 12:47,48; Acts 24:15; 1 Corinthians 15:12-19; Revelation 20:13 and many more scriptures.
There is definitely nothing here that says that Job expected to be a realm of sheol called "paradise". There is nothing in this verse that gives any reason to think that Job was praying to go into a place of conscious torture after death. His prayer is in harmony with Solomon's description of those in sheol as written in Ecclesiastes 9:5,10.
Job 17:13-16
If I look for Sheol [the grave, KJV] as my house, If I have spread my couch in the darkness, If I have said to corruption, ‘You are my father;’ To the worm, ‘My mother,’ and ‘my sister;’ Where then is my hope? As for my hope, who shall see it? Shall it go down with me to the gates of Sheol [“bars of the pit”, KJV], Or descend together into the dust? — World English.
These verses are variously rendered in many different translations, many of which could leave the reader with different thoughts. For our purposes here, Job speaks of Sheol as becoming his house, and within that house he speaks of spreading his couch in darkness. Obviously, Job is not describing sheol as being a place with fires, but he uses terms that would signify lying at rest in darkness. In Job's time, when one was laid to rest in a grave, that body would often be consumed by worms, thus figuratively, Job expresses that in sheol his family would be such worms. Being in sheol as described in Ecclesiastes 9:5,10, Job would be oblivious to having any hope. All of his hopes for this life would be laid to rest in Sheol. It should be apparent that Job is not describing a realm of sheol often depicted as a place of torture or a realm of sheol often claimed to be paradise.
Job does tell us that those in sheol are behind figurative bars or gates. (See Matthew 16:18) They are like locked up as prisoners in the oblivious death condition, and cannot bring themselves back to life. Yet Job knew that God would unlock the gates of sheol and the dead will live again. This agrees with Revelation 1:18, where we read that Jesus has the keys of death and hades. Jesus uses these keys to unlock the bars or gates of hades, thus allowing all — both good and bad — to be released from hades. — John 5:28,29; Acts 24:15; Revelation 20:4,13.
Job 21:13
They spend their days in prosperity. In an instant they go down to Sheol. — World English.
Job is speaking here of the wicked. Although they “grow in power” (Job 21:7) and “their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them”, they, like all of us, eventually die and go to sheol. (Ecclesiastes 9:2,3,5,10; Romans 5:15-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22) Any thought of these wicked ones going to a section of sheol to be tortured has to be read into what Job said.
Job stated, "They spend their days in prosperity." In speaking of their works as prosperous, Job is not saying that their prosperity is due their striving to live a life according to righteous principles, but in they had success according to the standards of the present crooked generation, loving the things of this world more than they love God. Such people often enjoy almost perfect health, which may, in effect, be a curse for them, for they, not suffering much along the manner of sickness, and knowing little pain, lack the empathy for the suffering of others, and often their manner of life leads them to condemn those who are suffering as simply receiving what is due to them.
Then Job stated, "In an instant they go down to Sheol." Job seems to be speaking of how many of these people, after living a life of luxury, do not have a period of suffering resulting in death, but they seem to simply cease to live rather instantly, and go into the Bible hell, sheol, the realm of death. But as some have stated, death is a common equalizer of all, the one who seeks to do good and the wicked, the poor and the wealthy, the wise and the fool. “There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good, to the clean, to the unclean, to him who sacrifices, and to him who doesn’t sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; he who takes an oath, as he who fears an oath.” — Ecclesiastes 9:2, World English.
Nevertheless, while Job speaks of the wicked as going to sheol, he does not say that only the wicked go to sheol.
Job 24:19
Drought and heat consume the snow waters; So does Sheol those who have sinned. — World English.
Here Job is speaking of the wicked who prosper while doing all kinds of injustice to cause others to live in poverty. Job is saying that like all of us, these also come to their end in sheol — the oblivious realm of death. (Ecclesiastes 9:2,3,5,10; Romans 5:15-19; 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22) Nothing is said about these being conscious while in sheol.
John Gill’s comments on this:
All have sinned, but some are more notorious sinners than others, as those here meant; and all die and are laid in the grave, and are consumed; hence the grave is called the pit of corruption and destruction, because bodies are corrupted and destroyed in it, and which is the case of all, both good and bad men; but the metaphor here used to express it by, of the consumption of snow water by drought and heat, denotes either that the death of these persons is sudden and violent, and in such a manner are brought to the grave, consumed there; that they die a sudden death, and before their time, and do not live out half the days, which, according to the course of nature, they might have lived, or it was expected by them and others they would; whereas they are “snatched away”, as the word signifies, as suddenly and violently as snow waters are by the drought and heat; or else that their death is quick, quiet, and easy, as snow is quickly dissolved, and the water as soon and as easily dried up by the drought and heat; they do not lie long under torturing diseases, but are at once taken away, and scarce feel any pain; they die in their full strength, wholly at ease and quiet; which sense well answers Job’s scope and design, see ( Job 21:23 ) ( Psalms 73:4 ) . Some render the words, “in the drought and heat they rob, and in the snow waters”; that is, they rob at all times and seasons of the year, summer and winter; and this is their constant trade and employ; they are always at it, let the weather be what it will: and “they sin unto the grave”, or “hell”; they continue in their wicked course of life as long as they live, until they are brought to the grave; they live and die in sin.
Haydock saw in Job's words the idea that in sheol "they pass from the excess of tormenting cold to that of burning fire; they will know no medium, because in this life they proceeded from one vice to another, even to the heat of lust." However, the Papal church has claimed, in effect, to be the sole authority for truth, and that thus they have a right to add to the Bible what they claim has been revealed to them beyond what is written in the Bible. Nevertheless, the reality is that Job did not say that in sheol there is a section that is cold and another section that is hot, and that both sections are places of conscious torment after death, etc.
Job 26:6
Sheol is naked before God, And Abaddon has no covering. — World English
According to Easton’s Dictionary:
Abaddon – destruction, the Hebrew name (equivalent to the Greek Apollyon, i.e., destroyer) of “the angel of the bottomless pit” (Rev. 9:11). It is rendered “destruction” [in the King James Version] in Job 28:22; 31:12; 26:6; Prov. 15:11; 27:20. In the last three of these passages the Revised Version retains the word “Abaddon.” We may regard this word as a personification of the idea of destruction, or as sheol, the realm of the dead.
Thus rather than finding here any support for the idea that sheol, the realm of death, contains a compartment of conscious torture, it is aligned with destruction. This agrees with other plain statements of scripture. (Ecclesiastes 9:5,10) In the statement of this verse, Job is describing, symbolically, the unlimited wisdom and power of the Creator.
In Job 26:6, Job speaks of how sheol and destruction are naked, or not covered up, to God as to men. While man, of himself, cannot reach into sheol/hades/destruction/the grave to bring the dead back to life, God can.
Psalm 6:5
For in death there is no memory of you. In Sheol, who shall give you thanks [Hebrew, Yadah (transliterated), “laud, praise”] — World English.
David is here speaking of the closeness of his impending own death. David’s statement here is probably one of the most damaging to the theory that sheol consists of several compartments, or that those in sheol are conscious of anything. Certainly, if David expected to go to the supposed paradise in sheol when he died, he would also expect to give thanks to Jehovah in such a place; alternatively, David was certainly not saying that he expected to go to a place of eternal torture in sheol. However, once we realize that sheol is the oblivious, unconscious realm of death, we can see how this scripture fits well with other scriptures. — Psalm 115:17; Ecclesiastes 9:5,6,10.
Some have claimed that Psalm 6:5 is not speaking literally, that he is speaking “poetically”. This is said to support the claim that David did not mean for this to be an actual description of those in sheol. While it is true that the Psalms are poetical, there is no reason to believe that this means we should view David’s description here to mean anything other than what he stated, except that one wishes to discard what David said in order to hold onto the dualistic philosophy that the dead are not dead, a doctrine that has to be added to, and read into the scriptures.
Psalm 88:5 is cited to prove David's usage is pictorial, and thus, that what is says does not actually describe those in sheol. Psalm 88:5 says: "Set apart among the dead, Like the slain who lie in the grave, Whom you remember no more. They are cut off from your hand." The Psalmist evidently describes himself as being "like" the slain, counted as dead. He wasn't actually dead, but he describes his condition as "like" one who has died. Concerning Psalm 88:5, it is claimed that it is not true that God does not remember anymore. Yet when one examines Psalm 88:5 in its context, we can see that what David actually supports Psalm 6:5. As can be seen by the context, God does no more remember the dead in the sense that his lovingkindness, his blessings, do not reach them while they are dead. One should also realize that "no more" does not refer to an eternal future. See our comments on Psalm 88:3.
It is further claimed that by taking Psalm 6:5 in context with verse 4, we should see that David is explaining to the reader that the living, not the dead, remember God’s mercies and celebrate his deliverance. Verse 4 reads: “Return, Jehovah. Deliver my soul, And save me for your lovingkindness’ sake.” One states: “Verse 5 of Psalm 6, when put back in context is a continuation of verse 4, explaining to the reader that the living not the dead remember God’s mercies and celebrate His deliverance.” The statement itself is true; it confirms what we say. But the writer continues: “For as the context of Psalm 6 shows the perspective is from this physical life.” Evidently, by this, he means that all that David is referring to is this physical life and that one actually does continue to praise Jehovah in sheol. This again reads a whole lot into what David said that just isn’t there, with the evident desire to support the paganistic thought that the dead are not dead.
The wicked shall be turned back [defeated, repulsed] to Sheol,
Even all the nations that forget [fail to regard, ignore] God. -- World
English.
Many
Bible Students in noting that the Hebrew word often transliterated as Shuwb is used here, and
seeing that this word can mean to turn back, return, have concluded that
these nations are being said to return to sheol, and thus that this
scripture is speaking of the second death. This cannot be true because
sheol will be destroyed in the second death, thus no one will be able to
return there. (Revelation 20:14) The immediate context appears to be
referring to the present condition of the heathen (nations) in their pit and
net of corruption that leads to destruction. (Psalm 9:15,16) In Psalm 2
these nations are said to come against Jehovah and his anointed. (Psalm
2:2,3; see also: Revelation 19:18; Isaiah 24:1-22) If this is referring to the Battle of the Great Day, as many believe, these will not be
successful but will be turned back from, or defeated in, their course
of action into sheol. Regardless, there is nothing in the scripture that
says that the heathen will spend an eternity of torture in sheol.
If sheol in Psalm 9:17 is used to represent the second death, then its application would not be the Battle of Armageddon, but rather to the little season after Christ's thousand-year reign. We do not believe this to be so, since sheol is never used anywhere else in the Bible to depict the second death. It depicts the death in Adam which is covered by Jesus' sacrifice. (1 Corinthians 15:21,22) All in sheol (hades) will be delivered out sheol for the day of judgment.
The
Bible tells of the great destruction that comes upon the earth, we
believe, during the Armageddon struggle. (Isaiah 24:1-22; Revelation
16:14) Notice, however, that it speaks of those who are destroyed as
being shut up in a "prison." Job refers to those in death as "prisoners"
who "rest together". (Job 3:18) The Bible tells of the gathering of
"captive ones" from many nations in the latter days, the days when God's
kingdom will rule the whole earth. (Jeremiah 48:47; 49:6,34-39; Isaiah
2:2) Jesus spoke of the day of judgment as being the same day in which
the dead -- both those justified in this life and those are not
justified in this life -- are raised as "the last day". (John
6:39,40,44,54; 12:47,48) Jehovah speaks of gathering the captive ones of
Sodom and Samaria along with the captive ones of Jerusalem. (Ezekiel
16:53) They are spoken of as returning to their 'former state', that is,
they return from the prison house of death to their former state of
sentiency upon the earth. So with those who are thrown into this prison
at Armageddon - after many days they will be "visited." To be visited by
Jehovah can mean to visited with his anger, or to be visited with his
blessings. (Isaiah 26:14; Psalm 65:9) Since Jehovah's anger had already
been expressed upon those shut up in prison at Armageddon, their being
"visited" after many days would have to signify that they would then be
released from the prison and have the opportunity to respond to the
blessings that will then be upon the earth during the thousand year
reign of Christ, the "last day" of judgment that Jesus spoke of. - John
12:47,48; Revelation 20:11-15;21:1-4.
The
word "pit", used in Isaiah 24:22, is translated from the Hebrew word often transliterated as bowr.
Bowr in many cases can be seen to be a close synonym to the Hebrew word,
Sheol. Many scriptures use these terms in parallel, thus indicating
that, at least in those instances, they refer to one and the same place:
"For it is not Sheol that can laud you; death itself cannot praise you.
Those going down into the pit [bowr] cannot look hopefully to your
trueness." - Isaiah 38:18; See also Psalm 30:3,9; 88:3,4,6; 143:7.
Psalm 16:9,10
Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices. My body shall also dwell in safety. For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, Neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption. — World English.
Peter applies this scripture to our Lord Jesus. (Acts 2:27-32) Many combine the scripture in Acts with Jesus’ statement in Luke 23:43, and thus by use of their imagination commingled with Hellenistic Jewish philosophy, they seek to see in this that paradise was a part of sheol (hades). Some even further imagine that Jesus took paradise from sheol into heaven. In reality, in examining all the verses concerning sheol as well as paradise, we never find any mention at all about paradise as a part of sheol. Such teaching is derived from the later Judaic doctrines that were in turn adopted from Grecian philosophy and blended into the Bible. Nor is there anything in the Bible that says that Jesus took paradise from sheol (hades) to heaven. All this has to be thought up beyond what is written, added to what is written, and read into what is written.
The King James translators evidently realized that the “Holy One” of this text is Jesus, yet they translated sheol here as “hell”, despite the fact that usually where the righteous were concerned they translated sheol by the words “grave” or “pit”. The reason for this is apparent, because of th e fact that it is Jesus’ soul that is said to be in sheol. Had they used the word “grave”, they would have been admitting that Jesus’ soul was in the grave. So, knowing that in the minds of the average reader hell was at least a place of life, they used the word “hell”. They either were hoping perhaps no one would inquire too diligently as to why Jesus was in hell, or just what his experience there might have been, or if they did, they could misuse scriptures such as 2 Peter 2:4 (in their mistranslation of that verse) and 1 Peter 3:19 to claim that Jesus went to hell to preach to those being tortured there. But to admit, through a translation, that Jesus’ soul was in the grave, the oblivious realm of death, would have disproved another of the dogmas of man’s traditions that have been added to and read into the Bible: namely, the erroneous theory of the immortality of the soul. Actually, Jesus’ soul did go into the oblivious condition of death, into sheol. (Ecclesiastes 9:5,10) The Prophet Isaiah writes concerning him that “he poured out his soul to death”; his soul was made “an offering for sin.” (Isaiah 53:12,10) It was essential that Jesus thus give his life, his soul, in order for the human race to be redeemed from death. It was because Jesus took the sinner’s place in sheol, in death, that an will be awakened from death and given an opportunity to live forever — “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” — 1 Corinthians 15:22; see also: Romans 5:12-19; Acts 2:27; Acts 2:31.
Nor did Jesus go into a place of eternal suffering/torture. Sheol is the resulting condition of the wages of sin. (Romans 6:23) The wages of sin is never in the bible said to be eternal suffering or eternal torture. We can tell what the wages of sin is because Jesus paid the wages of sin as the offsetting price for all condemned in Adm. (1 Corinthians 15:21,22; Romans 5:12-19; 1 Timothy 2:5,6) If the wages of sin through Adam is eternal suffering, then Jesus is now suffering for all eternity to pay the wages of sin. However, Peter says: “Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.” (1 Peter 3:18) Jesus’ flesh, his sinless terrestrial glory (1 Corinthians 15:40), is dead forever, but his soul was raised out of sheol in the spirit, with the celestial glory. Jesus’ suffering ended with his death, thus we also read: “Now once at the end of the ages, he has been revealed to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Hebrews 9:26) And, “Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, without [apart from] sin.” — Hebrews 9:28.
The cords of Sheol were round about me; The snares of death came on me. -- World English.
The words recorded in this verse are exactly the same as recorded in 2 Samuel 22:16. Therefore, please see out comments on 2 Samuel 22:16.
Psalm 30:3
[Jehovah], you have brought up my soul from Sheol. You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. — World English.
“Meaning, that he escaped death most narrowly.” (Geneva Study Bible Notes*) Verse 9 is very revealing, for David says: “What profit is there in my destruction, if I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise you? Shall it declare your truth?” Thus David realized sheol as a condition of destruction, and that his soul in the dust of the ground could not praise Jehovah. These scriptures show that David did not think of sheol, which he parallels with the pit (Hebrew, Bowr, Strong’s #953), as containing paradise, or that it contained a place where the spirits of the dead were in an eternal state of consciousness so as to be tortured for eternity.
========
Let me not be put to shame, O Jehovah; for I have called upon thee: Let the wicked be put to shame, let them be silent in Sheol. -- American Standard Version.
Psalm 31:17 is sometimes cited as referring to sheol as the abode of alleged immortal living souls of the wicked after the death of the body. We have already shown, however, that not just the wicked go to sheol, but also the righteous go to sheol.
There is certainly nothing in this verse that gives one the idea that David thought the wicked were going to be tormented with excruciating and eternal suffering in Sheol. Rather, he says, “Let them be silent in Sheol.” While this verse definitely refers to the silence as “in Sheol,” many would like to have this verse conform to the heathen mythological philosophies that the soul or spirit is immortal and that it continues to be alive after the death of the body. Thus some have claimed that, while the wicked are not actually silent in hell, the Psalmist meant that their voices can no longer be heard among the living, so that to the living, they are silent. Of course, in reality, the scripture does say that the wicked are “silent in sheol.” They are not shrieking from being tortured in a sea of fire, as some have described “hell.” This verse totally agrees with Ecclesiastes 9:5,10, that those in the Bible hell are in an oblivious condition.
The King James Version renders sheol as "the grave" in this verse, possibly because the translators did realize that the idea of silence in sheol would not fit their idea of a hell with screams caused by agonizing pain from torture.
Psalm 49:14
They 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. — World English.
The
New King James Version reads: “Like sheep they are laid in the grave; Death shall feed on them; The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; And their beauty shall be consumed in the grave, far from their dwelling.” This describes the wicked as going to sheol, gravedom, the realm of death. (Ecclesiastes 9:10) The words translated “beauty” literally means “rock image”. It appears to be speaking of the physical body, that their bodies will be decaying in sheol; this corresponds with the known facts that our bodies do decay after death, and whatever beauty that was once seen in that body decays also.
Young renders this as: “their form is for consumption.” Fausset tells us that these words mean: “
literally, 'form' or shape.*
The Psalmist here also describes the time when these wicked are released from sheol. This corresponds to Revelation 20:12,13. The Psalmist says that in that millennial morning the “upright”, the just, will have dominion over them. This agrees with other prophecies, such as Daniel 7:22,27; 1 Corinthians 6:2; Revelation 2:26,27 and Revelation 20:4.
What we do not find is any thought that the dead in the Bible hell -- sheol -- are conscious and in a condition of eternal torture.
But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, For he will receive me. Selah. — World English.
This connects with verse 14. The Psalmist tells us that God will redeem his soul from the power of Sheol. The word translated “power” literally means “hand”. In this sense, it reflects the grasp that sheol had on its victims. No one under condemnation through Adam (Romans 5:12-19) can escape the wages of sin (Romans 6:23) at hand of Sheol (Psalm 89:48), except that God redeem or deliver them from the hand of Sheol.
Again the Psalmist does not give us reason to believe that he expected to be in an alleged compartment of sheol called paradise. Why would one need to be redeemed from the hand of paradise? But the Psalmist points to the deliverance from sheol, that sheol will not have an eternal grasp on his soul. We also need to note that the writer expected that his soul would be in the hand of sheol, and that it would be his soul that would be delivered from its grasp. This agrees with other scriptures that show that is is the soul that sins, thus it is the soul that is condemned to death in sheol. (Ezekiel 18:4,20) The wages of sin is death, not eternal torture. (Romans 6:23) Thus, Jesus died for our sins, his soul is not suffering eternal torture for our sins. “Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6); he is not suffering an eternity of torture for the ungodly. Jesus “poured out his [human] soul [sentient existence] to death” for our sins, he did not give his soul over to eternal torture for our sins. (Isaiah 53:12) Thus, the days of his flesh are spoken of as past in Hebrews 5:7.
Jehovah provides the means of deliverance by means of the ransom sacrifice of his Son. Our Redeemer made His soul [being] an “offering for sin” (Isaiah 53:10,12), and it was the soul of Adam (and his posterity) that he thus bought with his precious blood – by making his soul (his sentiency as a human being) an offering for sin. Since all were condemned in one man who sinned, only one righteous man would be needed to pay the wages of sin for all who were condemned in the one man. (Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22; 1 Timothy 2:5,6; Hebrews 2:9) Consequently souls are to be delivered from sheol/hades; souls are to be awakened, resurrected, in the last day, because of the salvation of the world provided through the ransom sacrifice of Jesus. — John 5:28,29; 6:39,40,44,54; 11:24; 12:47,48; Acts 24:15; Revelation 20:6,13
Some commentators claim that the Psalmist meant here that his body would be in the hand, or grasp of sheol, but that his soul, being immortal, would be delivered from its power in order to be received into glory. Some have claimed that sheol has no power over
the soul at all since the human soul is immortal. This would make void the ransom sacrifice of Jesus, for if the human soul is already immortal, and cannot die, what need is there for Jesus give his human soul as a ransom? (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45) Additionally this view would make void the scripture written by David: “You will not leave my soul in Sheol,” (Psalm 16:10), which Peter quotes as applicable to the soul of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 2:27,31) As the scriptures show, Jesus gave not only his body, but his soul, his entire human being, as an offering for sin. — Isaiah 53:10,12; Matthew 20:28.
It is the human soul that has been condemned, dying, and thus enters into the oblivious condition of sheol, and it is the human soul that needs to be delivered from sheol. Many suppose that the bodies buried are to be restored atom for atom, but, on the contrary, the apostle declares, “you don’t sow the body that will be…. But God gives it a body even as it pleased him.” In the resurrection God gives to each person (to each soul or sentient being) such a body as His infinite Wisdom has been pleased to provide; to the joint-heirs, selected during the Gospel Age, spirit bodies; to others, human bodies, but not the same exact bodies that they lost in death. — 1 Corinthians 15:37,38.
Nevertheless, as with other scriptures throughout the Old Testament pertaining to sheol, the Bible hell, we do not find any thought of consciousness or eternal suffering in sheol in Psalm 49, nor do we find any thought of various compartments in sheol.
Psalm 55:15
Let death come suddenly on them. Let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is in their dwelling, in the midst of them. — World English.
Was David here praying for his enemies to go into eternal torture? This is what some think when they read this verse. However, in reality, David was praying for his enemies to go into sheol, the oblivious condition of the dead — that absence of life. — Ecclesiastes 9:10.
Some read into the expression “Let them go down alive into sheol” that those going down in sheol are kept alive in sheol, but that is not what David is saying. David did not pray that they be “alive in sheol,” but rather that they go down alive “into” sheol. The expression simply means that death would come upon them suddenly, prematurely.
Fausset says concerning this expression: “or, living in the midst of life, death will come (compare Numbers 16:33).”
Wesley says it means: “Cut off by a sudden and violent death.”
We do not find anything in the verse about anyone consciously suffering while sheol. The verse is in harmony with the testimony of Ecclesiastes 9:10.
For your lovingkindness is great toward me. You have delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol. — World English.
Many read into what is stated in this verse that there are sections in sheol. According to these, “lowest hell” -- as it reads in the
King James Version -- is the compartment of eternal torture, where souls of humans spend an eternity in fiery flames. To view this verse in this manner, however, would mean that the David was in expectancy of entering such a place.
Some claim that "the lowest hell" in this verse refers to
tartarus, which was considered by the ancient Greeks to be the lowest region of hades. Indeed, this idea comes from Greek mythology. At some time, many professed Christians adopted much of the Greek mythology and adapted it to verses in the Bible.
In actually, the words “lowest sheol”, appears to be not the best translation. The New American Standard translation reads: “For Your lovingkindness toward me is great, And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.” The condemnation of death placed upon man through Adam (Romans 5:12-19) would have been eternal were it not for the redemption God provides through his Son. It is from this death that David prophetically states his deliverance.
Nothing, however, is said about anyone being tormented for eternity in sheol, or that the souls are alive in sheol and consciously suffering for all eternity. These thoughts have to assumed, added to, and read into, what is stated.
The KJV and other translators chose “lowest hell” as a rendering here, evidently with some kind of desire to promote the hell of man’s traditions, even though it would put David’s soul in hell, and evidently in eternal torture, according the man’s traditions. To have said that David’s soul was in the grave, of course, would not have been in harmony with their traditional thought that the soul does not die, and would have given the readers the impression that David expected his soul to be dead. Additionally, if David thought that he was going to go to an alleged compartment of Sheol called, “Paradise,” why would he have needed deliverance from sheol? The text actually does prove that human souls are not immortal, for sheol is the oblivious condition of death; there is nothing about a compartment in sheol where David was saved from being eternally tortured. — Ecclesiastes 9:10.
For my soul is full of troubles. My life draws near to Sheol. I am counted among those who go down into the pit. I am like a man who has no help — World English.
The psalmist, probably David, was expressing sorrow that, as it appeared to him, his troubles were going to kill him. Nevertheless, the psalmist does not seem to think of his drawing near to Sheol as though he were drawing near to paradise, for in verse four he likens it to going down into the pit. He does not give support to the tradition that would have paradise as a section in Sheol. If the writer is David, who was counted of those of faith (Hebrews 11:32), most would certainly not think that he was expressing that he was expecting to go into eternal torture in sheol. Nevertheless, expressions of the psalmist do fit the Biblical truth that sheol is the oblivious realm of death. — Ecclesiastes 9:5,10.
Indeed, this Psalm, like some other scriptures, parallels sheol with the pit (Hebrew, bowr, Strong’s #953) and the grave (Hebrew, Qeber, Strong’s #6913 — it is from this parallelism that many refer to sheol as “gravedom”, as referring to the common grave, not to a single grave), and describes the dead in sheol as going down into Sheol as those who lie in the grave, whom Jehovah remembers [as in blessing, his lovingkindness — Psalm 88:11] no more and who are cut off from his hand [of blessing]. (Psalm 88:5) It is described as being in the “darkest depths.” Verse 10 confirms the condition of those in sheol, where the psalmist asks Jehovah: “Do you show wonders to the dead? Do the dead rise up and praise you? Is your lovingkindness declared in the grave? Or your faithfulness in Destruction? Are your wonders made known in the dark? Or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?” (Psalm 88:10-12) Notice the terms used in verse 12, “in the dark” and “the land of forgetfulness”. This confirms Ecclesiastes 9:5,10, which shows that those in sheol are not conscious. It also confirms Psalm 6:5, where David speaks of those in sheol as being unable to give thanks (praise) to Jehovah. The fact that when the righteous go to sheol, they cannot praise Jehovah, definitely shows that paradise was not an “alleged” compartment of sheol, as some of the Hellenized Jewish leaders claimed, and as many professed Christians have claimed.
In Psalm 88:6, the psalmist states: “You have laid me in the lowest pit, In the darkest depths.” This relates back to verse 4, in which the psalmist stated, “I am counted among those who go down into the pit. I am like a man who has no help.” This indicates that the psalmist was referring to “the lowest pit” and the “darkest depts” as meaning that the psalmist felt that he had reached a point wherein he had no hope in this life; evidently, it appeared that there was no way that he would escape death. The psalmist was not literally in a pit, nor was he literally in sheol, thus his words are figurative of what he was feeling, or it is possible that he was expressing what his enemies counted him to be.
While the psalmist is speaking pictorially, he does speak in harmony the rest of the Bible concerning the condition of those in sheol; those in sheol are not conscious, and thus they cannot feel hope, nor can they offer praise to Jehovah while in sheol. And, yet, Jesus died and went to sheol so that all who are in sheol may be released in the day of judgment, that they may be tried individually by their own works, according to the truths that are revealed to them in that “last day”. – Psalm 6:6,10; Isaiah 2:2-4; John 5:28,29; 12:47,48; Acts 2:27-32; Romans 5:12-19; Revelation 20:11-13.
See:
What man is he who shall live and not see death, Who shall deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah. — World English.
The question reflects an answer that no man, no human, can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol. This agrees with Paul’s statement that all are dying in Adam. — 1 Corinthians 15:22.
Although many may claim that sheol in this verse refers to a place of eternal torture, obviously this is not what is meant. There is no scriptural reason to give the word Sheol in Psalm 89:48 a different meaning that that given in Ecclesiastes 9:10, which shows the condition of those in Sheol.
Through Adam, the human race was condemned to death, resulting in the condition spoken of in Ecclesiastes 9:5,10. No man under this condemnation is able to deliver himself from death (Psalm 49:7,12,14; Ecclesiastes 8:8; Romans 6:23), but one who is not of this condemnation could pay the price to deliver all from sheol/hades. — John 12:46,47; Acts 2:31; Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22; 1 Timothy 2:5,6; 1 John 2:2; Revelation 20:13.
However, Jesus is not suffering a condemnation of eternal torture to pay the wages of sin, but he died once, as a human being, to paid those wages, and his soul was non-sentient in sheol until he was raised out of sheol/hades (Ecclesiastes 9:10; Acts 2:31), not as a human (his human body of flesh and blood was sacrificed for our sins and thus, in effect, remains dead forever -- Luke 22:19,20; Hebrews 2:9; 10:10), but as a sprit. Jesus was thus “put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit. — 1 Peter 3:18.
The words of Psalm 89:48 shows a connection between the condemnation of death in Adam with sheol. This parallels with Revelation 20:14, which also refers to Adamic death in connection with the Greek equivalent of sheol, hades, and after being emptied of its dead (Revelation 20:13), both the Adamic death condemnation and its resulting condition in sheol/hades is destroyed by being cast into the lake of fire.
The cords of death surrounded me, The pains of Sheol got a hold on me. I found trouble and sorrow. -- World English.
This is similar to 2 Samuel 22:16 and Psalm 18:5. Here, however, the Psalmist expresses figuratively that cords (or nets) of death, rather than the cords of Sheol, had surrounded him, and that "pains of Sheol" had gotten hold of him rather than saying the snares of death came on him. Regardless, sheol is being paralleled with death, not of being alive in sheol. The Psalmist refers to pains leading to the death condition of sheol as found in Ecclesiastes 9:10.
A few may assert that the "pains of hell" (as it reads in the King James Version) refers to conscious suffering after death in hell.
Benson refers to the "pains of hell" as meaning "either cutting, killing pains, or such agonies and horrors as dying persons often feel within themselves." Additionally, in context, the Psalmist is narrating his narrow escape from death at the hands of his enemies and his rejoicing that Jehovah has spared his life, and verse 3 should be understood in this context.
Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence? If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there! -- World English.
Of course, David could not ascend up into the heaven where God lives, for Jesus tells that no man had ascended to heaven. and Peter tells us that David did not ascend to heaven, but was in his grave. (John 3:13; Acts 2:29,34) Evidently, David is not speaking of the heavens where the angels are always able to see God, but rather "heavens" here probably refers to the sky. Thus, it appears that David speaks figuratively, showing that if he could fly into the sky like a bird, he still would not be free of the presence of Jehovah. Likewise, he is speaking figuratively of making his bed in sheol, although one, when laid to rest in a grave, could be said to be laid in a bed in sheol, in that the grave would signify the death condition. Both are pictorial references.
Of course, David had no thought here of a hell of torture, nor was he saying that he could make his “bed” in paradise, as many believe “paradise” was a region of sheol. David was certainly not speaking of making a bed in eternal torture. Nor is David saying that Jehovah would die in order to be present in the realm of death. We need to remember that sheol is often used pictorially in this manner, such as by speaking of digging into sheol (hiding in the earth) in order to escape from God’s presence. (See Amos 9:2) And we also read of Jonah, that he was in sheol when in the belly of the fish. Likewise, David is saying that even if he could enter into sheol in order to try to hide from God, God would still find him.
The words of Psalm 139:7,8 carry the same general meaning as Amos 9:1,2. Translators add several words in English which may give the text a greater meaning than what David meant to say. Young’s Literal Translation renders Psalm 139:8 as: “If I ascend the heavens — there Thou [art], And spread out a couch in Sheol, lo, Thee!” While more literal, Young still adds one word, “art”, which he put in brackets to show that it does not appear in the Hebrew text. With this in mind, and in view of the context, the verse could possibly be understood to mean: “If I ascend up into the sky, there you find me; if I make my bed in sheol, there you will find me.” The point that David was making did not have anything to do with the condition of the dead in sheol, but that there was no place that he could hide from the presence of Jehovah.
Nevertheless, God is able to make his presence and power known in sheol, oblivion, the realm of death, for he has shown his power to raise the dead from sheol; likewise, David prophesied that the Messiah’s soul would not be left in sheol. (Psalm 16:9,10) Peter testified that God did raise Jesus’ soul from sheol (hades), thus, in effect, showing that God made his presence known in sheol in order to raise him from the dead. — Acts 2:27-32.
“As when one plows and breaks up the earth, Our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.” — World English.
David is speaking of himself and his friends, and, using figurative language, he speaks of the closeness that they had come to death “at the mouth of sheol.”
It appears that David is likening the plowing and breaking of the earth to the breaking of their bones, figuratively being close to death, or the grave. At any rate, there is nothing here to support the idea that sheol is either a place of torture, or that sheol contains a compartment called “paradise,” and certainly nothing that would contradict the description of sheol in Ecclesiastes 1:10.
If they say, “Come with us, Let’s lay in wait for blood; Let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause; Let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol, And whole, like those who go down into the pit. We’ll find all valuable wealth. We’ll fill our houses with spoil. You shall cast your lot among us. We’ll all have one purse.” My son, don’t walk in the way with them. Keep your foot from their path. — World English.
Here Solomon warns as a father not to follow those who recruit us in the path of robbery and murder. Such often bring sudden death to their victims, as described in this verse. Such would not only rob, but utterly destroy their victim, in order to get rid of the evidence, leaving only the spoils of this horrendous crime. There is nothing here to support the teaching that sheol has either a section for torture or a section of bliss.
Her feet go down to death. Her steps lead straight to Sheol. — World English.
Solomon is here speaking of a harlot, a promiscuous woman, who entices men into sexual pleasures. Some may imagine, assume, add to what is stated here that Solomon was speaking of going into a place of conscious eternal torment. We believe that
Theodore Beza's comment is to the point: "All her doings lead to destruction." Solomon is stating a generalization in saying that following her steps would lead a man to the oblivious condition of sheol. It is possible that Solomon is speaking figuratively of sheol, in saying that such a woman can lead a man into a ruined life. Nevertheless, in view of the possibility of sexually-transmitted diseases, to follow her feet could literally bring one into the realm of death, for many of these diseases can cause one to die. Not only this, but if this woman is married, death could come at the hands of her husband. There is nothing in this verse about anyone being conscious or suffering in sheol.
The King James translators, evidently believing that a place of torment is meant, translated “sheol” in this verse by the word “hell”, with the evident desire to leave the impression of the traditional idea of conscious “eternal suffering.” In Proverbs 1:12, however, they translated the word “sheol” as “the grave”, because it is speaking of the innocent life being taken by the wicked ones. Neither scripture, however, says anything about those in sheol as being either in a paradise of happiness or a conscious realm of misery.
Proverbs 9:18But he doesn’t know that the dead are there, That her guests are in the depths of Sheol. — World English.
The one lured by the deceptions of a prostitute or an adulteress is often ignorant of the fact that to enter into fornication with such a woman is figuratively like entering death, so it is said that her guests are in the depths of sheol. Additionally, fornication can lead to actual death, not only by contracting venereal diseases, but also at the hand of a vengeful husband if one commits fornication with the wife of another.
If one should read into this verse that her guests are in a place of eternal torture, we need to note that the “guests” of the whore are in this condition in this life, not while actually dead; and since all sinners are reckoned as dead, figuratively speaking, such are in the depths of sheol. However, even more so for the whoremonger, as the depths of sheol signify the depth to which they have gone towards imminently entering sheol, the oblivious realm of death. (Ecclesiastes 9:5,10) There is nothing in the verse about anyone suffering for eternity.
Proverbs 15:11
Sheol and Abaddon are before Jehovah; How much more then the hearts of the children of men! -- American Standard Version.
The word “Abaddon” means “destruction”, and is so rendered in many translations. Rather than associating sheol with an eternity of torture, sheol is here associated with Abaddon: destruction. Thus we find no thought of eternal torture in this verse.
The point is that there is nothing that can be hidden from Jehovah. Although we hide the bodies of those who have died in graves and tombs, so that we do not see their bodies being destroyed, Jehovah is able to see all that is happening. How much more is He able to know what is the hearts of men.
Proverbs 15:24
The path of life leads upward for the wise, To keep him from going downward to Sheol.
Some read into this verse the idea that going upward means to heaven when one dies, and to go downward means to go to a place of eternal torture at death. In effect, it would make “paradise” upward, and sheol downward. If one believes that paradise was section of sheol at that time, the idea of going upward to heaven does not fit such a concept. This would actually leave paradise out as a “compartment” of sheol, and therefore would actually go against the “compartment” theory concerning sheol.
Actually, we believe that all this verse is describing the present path of life: that the wise are led upward in righteousness, that he may not go down into sheol and thus live a long life before entering the obvious condition of sheol. (Ecclesiastes 9:10) In otherwords, the steps of wise man can often keep him alive, keep him from descending into sheol prematurely, so to speak.
Additionally, the American Standard Version renders it this way: “To the wise the way of life [goeth] upward, That he may depart from Sheol beneath.” The Hebrew word translated “depart” can mean “avoid”, or it can mean “be returned “. Thus Solomon could be speaking here of the returning from sheol in the resurrection. With this in mind, some have offered the thought of this verse as: ‘The path of life for the wise is an upward one toward righteousness, that they may be delivered by resurrection from oblivion.’
Nevertheless, there is nothing in the verse about eternal suffering or eternal torture, nor is there anything in the verse that speaks of sections or compartments in sheol.
Punish him with the rod, And save his soul from Sheol. -- World English
The word rendered as "punish" above should probably be better rendered as "strike." Many translators choose a more harsher word, such as "beat". As is often the case the words are more than likely used with a figurative meaning. The rod or staff is possibly referring to a rod or staff as a shepherd uses to guide sheep away from danger. (Psalm 23:4; Micah 7:14) So too a parent should figuratively use a rod to guide his child away from danger. A shepherd may gently strike the sheep with the rod, but they do not usually "beat" the sheep with the rod.
Some read into this the idea that the child will be saved from eternal torture in sheol after death. Actually, if we remember that the word sheol signifies the oblivious death condition (Ecclesiastes 9:5,10), we can understand what this is saying. We do not wish our children to be doing foolish things that will destroy him; in order to keep him from entering into death prematurely, he needs to be disciplined.
The scripture states that the child’s soul is saved from Sheol; this shows that it is the soul that goes to sheol, and thus it is dead souls that will be raised out of Hades in the “last day”. — Revelation 20:13.
We also need to note here that if paradise is a compartment of sheol, we certainly would not think it to be place to be saved from. One who believes in the compartment theory of sheol would have to read into this that it is only speaking of the alleged compartment of torture rather than sheol itself.
Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; And a man’s eyes are never satisfied.
Abaddon (destruction) is here -- as in Proverbs 15:11 -- linked with sheol. Rather than signifying a burning hell, of so immense proportions that it never can be filled, it merely signifies that there is no limit to the capacity of death — oblivion and destruction cannot be overcrowded. This has to be understood in relation to mankind who are now under the condemnation of Adam. (Romans 5:12-19) Eventually, sheol (hades) is to be emptied and then sheol will be eternally destroyed in the symbolic lake of fire. -- Revelation 20:13,14.
There are three things that are never satisfied; Four that don’t say, ‘Enough:’ Sheol, the barren womb; The earth that is not satisfied with water; The fire that doesn’t say, ‘Enough.’ — World English.
Some have viewed this scripture as saying sheol is eternal. However, this idea would conflict with Revealtion 20:13,14 which shows that sheol (hades) is to emptied of all its dead, and the sheol (hades) will be destroyed in the symbolic lake of fire.
Actually there is nothing in this verse that says that sheol is eternal, only that as long as it exists, it is never satisfied. The Hebrew word translated “never” (both in Proverbs 27:20 and 30:16) is Bal, which means “not, hardly, else.” If this should mean that sheol would eternally continue claim victims, then death would never cease, but we are told that death will be no more. — Revelation 21:4.
Ecclesiastes 9:10
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where you are going. -- Ecclesiastes 9:10, World English.
This scripture tells us exactly the condition of those in sheol. The King James Version renders "sheol" as "grave" here. Thus, many believers of dualism read the King James Version and say this only refers to the physical body in the grave, and that it does not apply to the soul (or spirit). In reality, it is the soul itself, not just the physical body (as supposedly separate from the soul), that goes to sheol at death, and thus it is the soul, having ceased as a sentiency, that cannot work or think in sheol. --Psalm 16:10; 49:15; Proverbs 23:14.
The Bible, from beginning to end, portrays man’s hope of future life after death in the resurrection. Job prayed: “Grant that in Sheol you would hide me until your anger is past, that you would set a time for me, and remember me.” (Job 14:13) This corresponds with what Jesus stated as recorded in John 5:28,29: “Do not be surprised at this, for the hour is coming when the dead will leave their graves at the sound of his voice: those who did good will forth to life; and those who did evil will come forth to judgement.” Paul states: “If there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ been raised.”, and he continues: “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith also is in vain. Then they also who are fallen asleep in Christ have perished.” (1 Corinthians 15:13,17,18, World English) Thus Paul considered the resurrection as the only hope of life after death.
We have set forth the basic scriptures pertaining to life after death. The scriptures show that until the resurrection takes place in the last day, both good and bad go to Sheol, the realm of death, or the condition of being dead. “Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.'” (John 6:40; 11:23,24, World English) Sheol is described in Ecclesiastes 9:10 (World English): “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where you are going.” Thus Solomon describes the living and the dead under this present sun of vanity: “The living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything, neither do they have any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.” — Ecclesiastes 9:5, World English.
The Bible tells us that the soul dies and will return to life from Sheol (Greek, Hades) in the last day. “The soul that sins, it shall die!” (Ezekiel 18:4, King James II Version) “Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works.” (Revelation 20:13, World English) Regarding the soul of Jesus, we read prophetic words of the Messiah to his God: “You will not leave my soul in Hades, Neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay.” (Acts 2:27; quoted from Psalm 16:10, World English) Nowhere does the Bible ever state that the human soul never dies or that it is immortal.
Many proponents of dualism claim that this is only the rantings of a worldly, unregenerated man, that it is only the "viewpoint" of a pessimistic skeptic, and is therefore not considered to be true. We have discussed the veracity of these words in the study: "
Under the Sun -- What Does It Mean?", which please see.
Song of Solomon 8:6Set me as a seal upon thy heart, As a seal upon thine arm: For love is strong as death; Jealousy is cruel as Sheol; The flashes thereof are flashes of fire, A very flame of Jehovah. -- American Standard Version.
Obviously, nothing in this verse is contrary to what is stated in Ecclesiastes 9:10. The verse does speak of figurative flashes of fire in connection with "Jealousy", but nothing is said about fire being in sheol. This is evidently a depiction of the espoused. See:
Proper and Improper Jealousy/
Isaiah 5:14
Therefore Sheol has enlarged its desire, and opened its mouth without measure; and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he who rejoices among them, descend [into it]. — Isaiah 5:14, World English
The context here shows that the language being used in this verse is figurative. Sheol is personified as though having a desire and a mouth, which are enlarged without measure to receive the sinful kingdoms of Judah and Israel. Although many individuals of the two kingdoms did actually go into sheol as their kingdoms fell, the thought appears to be not that all of the peoples of the two kingdoms were actually going down into realm of death, but rather that their captivity as a whole is likened to such. The two kingdoms became as though dead, without life.
Vaguely, some commentators read into this verse that the Israelites were going into eternal torture, but such an idea has to be read into what is stated.
Isaiah 7:11
Ask a sign of Yahweh your God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. -- World English.
Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven. -- New American Standard.
Some translations have "Sheol" in this verse; others do not. We highly doubt that this was meant to be speaking of Sheol. Regardless, there is nothing in the usage in this verse that would mean that dead people are conscious in Sheol. There is certainly nothing about anyone suffering for eternity in Sheol.
Isaiah 14:9 - Sheol from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming; it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. -- American Standard Version.
Isaiah 14:9 is sometimes quoted as proof that the saints will recognize each other in heaven. This scripture depicts the cessation of Babylon's existence as the world power, as shown from Isaiah 14:4. The context shows that there is no reference here to the saints nor to afterlife at all. Sheol is moved to meet Babylon when she comes to her destruction. When she does come to her destruction, the "dead" are stirred up, that is, all the chief ones of the earth. All the kings of the nations raise up from a death-like state to their thrones. In Babylon's period of glory all other nations were lying down as dead. The other nations had become dormant, as though buried. Babylon would not join the other nations in such a burial condition. Babylon would be completely cut off. But with Babylon's downfall, all other nations are stirred up. (Isaiah 14:4-23) And so, today, while we still have Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, etc., with us, Babylon has long ago ceased to exist. Babylon did not just go into a slumber, as in Sheol, a death-like state from which to later be awakened. Babylon's empire is gone forever! Thus there is nothing in Isaiah 14 about whether the dead who supposedly go to heaven at death will recognize each other there. Notice how those who want to hold to Satan's lie take symbolic phrases out of context to support Satan's claim.
Thus, again we see that the Bible's hope is the resurrection of souls from Sheol/Hades, not in the supposed immortality of a soul or spirit being that survives the body. "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it. Death and Hades delivered up the dead which were in them." (Revelation 20:13) What a marvelous prospect!
Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, [and] the noise of your viols: the worm is spread under you, and worms cover you. — Isaiah 14:11, World English.
This is a continuation of the same prophecy as Isaiah 14:9. The Greatness of Babylon will soon be pass. Her pomp, her pride, and her showy displays of mystical religious rites, symbols, doctrines, etc., will be brought down and silenced in sheol. They will no longer make any peep or utterance, so as deceive the heathen, which, in effect, weakens the heathen, bringing them low, with lies. (Isaiah 14:12; Revelation 16:12; 20:3) The destructive force of the worms of the ground totally destroy all influence of Babylon and its king.
Isaiah 14:15
Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the uttermost parts [“recesses”, New American Standard; “lowest depths”, New King James Version; “deepest regions”, Holman Christian Standard] of the pit. — Isaiah 14:15, World English.
As the real king of Babylon, Satan [along with his cohorts] is totally silenced in sheol, depicted as being brought down to the uttermost parts of the pit. The king of Babylon here, however, is being used a picture of Satan. This pictorial usage of sheol here should not be misunderstood to mean that Satan is under the same condemnation as mankind. (Romans 5:15-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22) While the human king of Babylon was brought down Sheol, as applied to Satan, it should not be understood to mean that Satan came under the condemnation of Sheol. Throughout the Bible, Sheol and Hades are not depicted as being the second death, but are depicted as being the death in Adam. The death in Adam does come upon the human king, but as applied to Satan is has to be understood differently in the sense that the human king is used to figuratively represent Satan. Satan was far removed from his former kingdom, but he was not actually silenced in sheol as was the human king. This is, however, similar to Satan's being abyssed in Revelation 20:1-3, so that he cannot deceive the nations, and finally his being symbolically thrown in the lake of fire, where is he is symbolically touchstoned forever. — Revelation 20:10.
Isaiah 28:15Because you have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come to us; for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves. — Isaiah 28:15, World English.
There is nothing in this verse that indicates that sheol contains a place of torture or a place of bliss. Sheol again is aligned with death, indicating the condition that exists in the realm of death. — Ecclesiastes 9:10.
This message is directed to the rulers in Jerusalem. (Isaiah 28:14) Its time of fulfillment is related to when Christ comes, for we read in Isaiah 28:16: “Therefore thus says Jehovah, ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone {for} the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes {in it} will not be disturbed.'” The stone is Jesus. So the message is directed toward the rulers in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus.
How did the rulers in the time of Jesus think that they had made a covenant with death, an agreement with sheol? We remember that the Jewish leaders had greatly diffused the word of God with Hellenistic philosophy. Both the Sadducees and the Pharisees to a great extent had accepted and blended Hellenistic thought into the Bible. Both the Pharisees and Sadducees had accepted the Hellenistic teaching of the immortality of the human soul, although the Hebrew Scriptures plainly show otherwise. Based on Grecian philosophy, the idea that several compartments existed in sheol in which the dead continued to have conscious existence. This was an agreement with sheol, but the wordage indicates that they thought even more than this: that their agreement with sheol would keep the coming destruction of Jerusalem from happening, that God’s judgment of destruction would not come upon them. The very Son of God himself had visited them; they proudly boasted that they did not need him, that they were self-sufficient in their Torah, and their doctrines and traditions of men, and these would certainly keep God’s scourge away from them.
Today we find the same thing in many of the religious leaders who, in effect, are like the Jewish leaders who had blended Grecian mythology in with the Bible. They have made a pact with sheol. According to a great majority of them, the soul is immortal and the dead in sheol are really not dead, but alive, and is living in one of several compartments of sheol: paradise (some claim that paradise was taken from sheol to heaven); limbo, purgatory, inferno, etc. They continue to seek and teach others to seek refuge in these lies of human traditions and doctrines.
Isaiah 28:18
Your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then you shall be trodden down by it. — Isaiah 28:18, World English.
This is a continuation of the same prophecy as discussed in the last scripture. The Pharisee’s agreement with sheol did not stand, and Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 CE.
Isaiah 38:10I said, In the noontide of my days I shall go into the gates of Sheol: I am deprived of the residue of my years.
King Hezekiah here speaks of his expectancy of dying and entering the gates of sheol, due to his health. By his early death, he would have been deprived the remainder of his years. Hezekiah does not give any indication that he would be rejoicing in paradise in sheol, but laments that he will be deprived of the remainder of his years. Hezekiah’s words confirm the thought that sheol represents the oblivious condition of death. — Ecclesiastes 9:10.
Isaiah 38:18
For Sheol can’t praise you, death can’t celebrate you: Those who go down into the pit can’t hope for your truth.
Righteous King Hezekiah, like King David (Psalm 6:5), expressed the thought that in sheol, the oblivious condition he was expecting to enter (Ecclesiastes 9:10), he would not be able to praise Jehovah. This further shows that he did not expect to go to a supposed compartment of sheol called paradise, for if he expected to go to paradise when he died, he certainly would have also expected to be able to rejoice in praising Jehovah there.
Some claim that Hezekiah was only stating that as a supposed disembodied spirit he could not praise God amongst men. This is simply reading into the verse something that is not there — even denying what the verse does actually say — in order to make it appear to harmonize with inherent immortality theory. There is nothing anywhere in the Bible to warrant adding this thought to what Hezekiah said.
Hezekiah further said that those in sheol cannot hope for God’s truth. This would certainly not be true if they were conscious in paradise, but as being unconscious, they do not know anything (Ecclesiastes 9:5), thus as long as they are dead, they have no hopes. Those in the grave have no hope. In that very day that man’s breath goes forth “his thoughts perish” (Psalm 146:4). There is no “work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). The dead are asleep, unconscious. Though the living have hope on their behalf, and may understand and delight in the truth as God is pleased to unfold it, the dead “know not anything” (Ecclesiastes 9:5, KJV), cannot reason or think, so they cannot hope for God’s truth. Thus again, the scriptural truth of the condition of the dead is upheld.
Isaiah 57:9You went to the king with oil, and did increase your perfumes, and did send your ambassadors far off, and did debase yourself even to Sheol.
Here we find a figurative usage of the word sheol. This verse refers to the debasement of Israel, who is depicted as an unfaithful woman, of whom Jehovah says: “Behind the doors and the posts have you set up your memorial: for you have uncovered [yourself] to another than me, and are gone up; you have enlarged your bed, and made you a covenant with them: you loved their bed where you saw it.” (Isaiah 57:8) The usage of sheol here is figurative of a severe debasement.
The King James translators chose to translate sheol in this verse as “hell”, evidently because of the word debase. If the traditional idea of “hell” should be applied to this verse, this would make the nation of Israel as a whole in eternal torment. This, of course, is not what Jehovah was saying.
Nor could one say that Israel as whole is depicted as being in an alleged compartment of sheol called “paradise.” Paradise is nowhere in the Bible said to have been within sheol. Nevertheless, if this verse is speaking of paradise in sheol, then we could only conclude that paradise is a condition of being debased. In reality, Isaiah 57:9 says nothing about Israel being debased to paradise.
Ezekiel 31:15-17Thus says the Lord Jehovah: In the day when he went down to Sheol I caused a mourning: I covered the deep for him, and I restrained the rivers of it; and the great waters were stayed; and I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for him.
I 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; and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, were comforted in the lower parts of the earth.
They also went down into Sheol with him to those who are slain by the sword; yes, those who were his arm, that lived under his shadow in the midst of the nations. — World English version
In the above verses Jehovah is probably speaking of Pharaoh of Egypt. (Ezekiel 31:2) Some commentators say that Jehovah is speaking of the king of Assyria. (Ezekiel 31:3) Sheol occurs three times in these verses. The King James Version twice renders it as “hell” and once as “grave”. The JFB Commentary tells us that his being cast into sheol is equivalent to, “I cast him into oblivion” (compare Isaiah 14:9-11)*. There is nothing here that gives us any thought that the ones being spoken of in sheol were being tortured.
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*Fausset, A. R., A.M. “Commentary on Ezekiel 31“. “Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible”. 1874.
The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of Sheol with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie still, even the uncircumcised, slain by the sword. -- American Standard Version.
This speaks of the king of Egypt, and of the death of his rulership. Pictorially, the kings that have gone before into oblivion are said to “speak” with a taunting cry to the King of Egypt, to the effect that he and his helpers would join them in their condition, where they have fallen from their former position of pomp and pride, and have been made to lie still in the oblivious condition of sheol. This scripture is similar to Isaiah 14:9. The language used here is similar to that when we say that history “speaks” to us, not that the former kings actually spoke. (See also Genesis 4:10) Any idea of sheol containing compartments of living souls after death would have to be read into what is being said.
And they shall not lie with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised, that are gone down to Sheol with their weapons of war, and have laid their swords under their heads, and their iniquities are upon their bones; for they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living.
This is a continuation of verse 21 and continues to speak of the same thing. We should note here that it is speaking figuratively of oblivion or the condition of the grave. (Ecclesiastes 9:10) Literally man did take their weapons of war to their graves with them, but this is speaking figuratively of not only these mighty ones of the uncircumcised being in sheol, but also their weapons of war have become inactive along with them in their inactivity in sheol. If this were literal and speaking of some section in sheol where the soul or spirits of people continue in life after death, one would have to also reason that they carried their weapons of war into this section of sheol, and were actually alive there with their literal swords, etc., under their heads. Again, one would have to read into this the compartment theory of sheol, or that these were actually alive in sheol.
Hosea 13:14
Hosea 13:14 - I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; I will redeem them from death: O death, where are thy plagues? O Sheol, where is thy destruction? repentance shall be hid from mine eyes. -- American Standard Version.In Hosea 13:14, we are assured that Sheol (hell, the death-state) will be destroyed. It cannot, therefore, be an eternal place or condition of any kind at all. The verse shows that it is by the resurrection that the death condition -- the result of the condemnation in Adam -- will be destroyed. The words of the prophet are: "I will ransom them from the power of the grave [Sheol]; I will redeem them from death. O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave [Sheol] I will be thy destruction (Strong's #6987, extermination]." All the dead in hades (sheol), death and the sea -- all those who have died in Adam, will be raised for judgment in the last day, after which the emptied hades will be destroyed in the lake of fire. (John 12:47,48; Revelation 20:13,14) The apostle Paul, alluding to this, exclaimed at the end of that wonderful chapter on the resurrection of the dead: "O death where is thy sting? O grave [Hades; marginal reading "hell"), where is thy victory?" -- I Corinthians 15:55.
Amos 9:2
Amos 9:2 – Though they dig into Sheol, there my hand will take them; and though they climb up to heaven, there I will bring them down. — World English Bible version.
Many try to get his verse to harmonize with the Grecian philosophy by imagining that this speaks of the lowest realm of the Grecian concept of hades, in Greek mythology called tartarus. John Wesley states: “Hell – The center of the earth, or the depth of hell.” The NET renders sheol as “the netherworld,” as though Jehovah is speaking of a man digging into the alleged world of the dead where the dead are not actually dead but are claimed to be alive and conscious. In reality, this scripture is in total agreement with the description of sheol/hades as found in Ecclesiastes 9:10. There is no hint here of anyone being conscious in the Biblical concept of sheol/hades, nor is there is any reason to think that Jehovah is here speaking of digging into a spirit realm of dead souls in the “world of the dead” which are not really dead, but are living, conscious, etc. All such ideas have to be imagined using the great spirit of human imagination, added to, and read into, what Jehovah said.
This verse is similar to Psalm 139:8. Sheol here certainly doesn’t depict a place where spirits or souls of the dead are alive, for no one has ever dug into such a place. The context shows that Jehovah is speaking of those who seek to avoid his wrath, and that there is no hiding from his wrath. Remembering that the basic meaning sheol is “hidden”, we can see that this verse is speaking pictorially of digging in Sheol to hide there from the wrath of Jehovah, in an attempt to escape death. Usually, the body of a dead person is laid to rest in the earth, so sheol here represents hidden “in the earth.” With this, the JFB Commentary agrees by saying the phrase, “Though they dig into hell” (King James Version): “though they hide ever so deeply in the earth.”* The thought is that though many may seek to hide in the earth, Jehovah is still able to take them in death. Conversely, though they climb up on a mountaintop into the sky, they still cannot hide from his wrath.
In Jonah 2:2, we find that the prophet Jonah had been thrown overboard into the sea as a result of his disobeying Jehovah’s command to go and preach to the Ninevites. Jonah was swallowed by a whale, and he stated concerning that experience, “I called because of my affliction to Jehovah. He answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried. You heard my voice.” (World English)
Jonah was not actually dead and oblivious in sheol (Ecclesiastes 9:5,10), but he reckoned himself to have as good as dead, being as though in a grave inside the belly of the whale.
Similar to this, we read:
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. (Hebrews 11:17-19, New King James Version) As Isaac was considered figuratively offered up in sacrifice, and thus figuratively dead, so Jonah considered himself to be as good as dead in the belly of the fish.
Thus, Jonah was speaking figuratively when he said that he had been sheol, but the figure provides a type of Jesus, who was in the figurative “heart of the earth” for three days and three nights.
See also our study:
Habakkuk 2:5
Yea, moreover, wine is treacherous, a haughty man, that keepeth not at home; who enlargeth his desire as Sheol, and he is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all peoples.
Again, it should be apparent that there is nothing here that would conflict with Solomon's words regarding Sheol as found in Ecclesiastes 9:10. Sheol is never satisfied so that the dead stop pouring into sheol. Only the destruction of Sheol will stop the enlargement of sheol. Such provides an example of a haughty man who is never satisfied.
****** HADES ******
Matthew 11:23
And thou, Capernaum, shalt thou be exalted unto heaven? thou shalt go down unto Hades: for if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in thee, it would have remained until this day. --
American Standard Version.
In their own estimation, the people of Capernaum considered themselves to be exalted figuratively to heaven (the skies), that is, to a very high position. However, because of their misuse of God's favors, the people of that city were debased, brought low, into destruction pictured as being in hades. Obviously, Jesus used "hades" as a symbol of destruction; he was not saying that Capernaum or the people of Capernaum were either kept alive in a conscious place of torment, and he certainly was not saying that they had gone to an eternal bliss in paradise. In the next verse, however, Jesus shows that the people of Capernaum will not be kept in hades for eternity, as he says that they will be in the day of judgment and that it will be more tolerable for them in that day of judgment than for those people to whom Jesus had come to but who rejected him. This harmonizes well with the description of sheol in Ecclesiastes 9:10 as well as with John 5:28,29; Acts 24:15; Revelation 20:13, and many other scriptures.
And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. -- American Standard Version.
Jesus here uses the expression "gates of Hades" as a threat of destruction, but he states that this threat cannot prevail against his church. He certainly was not saying that there was a place of eternal torture and such a place would not prevail against the church. We should certainly not think the gates represent bars that were supposed to keep the church out of hades, or that the church could be thought of as existing behind literal bars in a literal place of fire often ascribed to hades, and is trying to get out. The members of the church, although they may die and go into the Biblical hades, corresponding to sheol of Ecclesiastes 9:10, will not be held by the gates of hades for eternity, for they are raised in the first resurrection so that they may reign and judge with Christ.
There is definitely nothing in Jesus' words that is not in harmony with Ecclesiastes 9:10.
And thou, Capernaum, shalt thou be exalted unto heaven? thou shalt be brought down unto Hades.
See comments to Matthew 11:23.
And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. -- American Standard Version.
This is the
only place in the entire Bible where we find any mention of "torment" in sheol or hades. This is part of the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Jesus, however, was actually presenting a parody of the Jewish dualistic belief which they adopted and adapted from the Greeks. In the parable, he uses their belief to illustrate that the law and the prophets were until John the Baptist. (Luke 16:16) We should not think he was contradicting the entire testimony of scripture so as to condone the Jewish belief. Please see our study on
The Rich Man and Lazarus.
Acts 2:27
Because thou wilt not leave my soul unto Hades, Neither wilt thou give thy Holy One to see corruption [decay]. -- American Standard Version.
This is a quote from Psalm 16:10. In the context, Peter, in effect, says that this is not speaking of David's soul that David is still dead in hades, and that David is not in heaven. (Acts 2:28,34) Peter tells us that David was speaking prophetically as the Messiah, as we see from verse 31. Jesus' sould was in the oblivious condition of hades (sheol -- Ecclesiastes 9:10), but his body was not allowed to decay. It was not until Jesus had ascended that Jesus offered his body of flesh to God for sin. See Psalm 16:10.
he foreseeing this spake of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he left unto Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. -- American Standard Version.
Acts 2:32 - This Jesus did God raise up, whereof we all are witnesses.
Acts 2:33 - Being therefore by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath poured forth this, which ye see and hear. -- American Standard Version.
Jesus. being the oblivious condition of hades (sheol -- Ecclesiastes 9:10), could not escape such except that his Father would save him from that condition. (Hebrews 5:7) He was to become a priest after the manner of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 5:6) For forty days after his Father raised him out of the death condition of hades, Jesus raised up his former body for various appearances, and thus for forty days after his being raised from death, that body still had not seen decay. (Acts 1:3) Jesus could not offer up his body of flesh to God as an offering for sin before he ascended, since he could not be the priest after the manner of Melchizedek as long he was still on earth. (Hebrews 8:4) After his ascension, he became a priest after the manner of Melchizedek, and he officially completed the offering of his still undecayed body of flesh to God for our sins. -- Luke 22:19; John 6:51; Ephesians 5:2; 1 Timothy 2:5,6; Hebrews 9:4,14; 10:5,10,12; 1 Peter 2:14; 3:18.
See: Psalm 16:10.
"Death, where is your sting? Hades, where is your victory?" -- World English.
Hades is paralleled here, not with an eternal conscious existence of suffering, but with death. See: Hosea 13:14.
Revelation 1:18 – And the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.
Some have presented this verse with the claim that Jesus' having the keys of death and hades signifies his having authority of souls that are still alive while their physical bodies are dead. Nevertheless, the verse does not say anything about anyone being alive in death or in hades. This idea has to be first assumed, and thus the use of this scripture for such proof becomes circular reasoning.
“Death” here represents the death we all are dying in Adam. (1 Corinthians 15:21,22; Romans 5:12-19) “Hades” is the condition that results from that death, as described in Ecclesiastes 9:5,10.
To those who believe that hades here means a place of eternal suffering, there is no comfort in these words. One might wonder why Jesus has the keys of death and hades? Does it mean that Jesus will forever make sure that those in hades will remain locked up there for eternity? This cannot be true, because Revelation 20:13 plainly tells us that all in death and hades will be brought forth for a judgment.
In reality, the words of Revelation 1:18, that Jesus has the keys to death and hades, are meant to be a comfort to the church, as well as to the world. These words imply that the Lord’s people go to hades (oblivion) when they die, but as promised by the Lord, the “gates of Hades will not prevail against” his church. (Matthew 16:18) In other words, Jesus’ having the keys of death and hades indicates that he will use those keys to unlock the gates of hades so that the church may be released therefrom in the last day as part of the first resurrection. — John 5:28,29; 6:39,40,44,54; Revelation 20:6.
In preaching at his first advent, he quoted the prophecy of Isaiah respecting himself, which declares that he will open the prison-house, and set at liberty the captives, and declared this to be the Gospel. (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18) It is the Gospel of the resurrection, the message, the good tidings of the deliverance of all the captives from the oblivious condition of death, from the power of the Adversary, “him who had the power of death.” Thus, as Jesus promised, not only will he bring the church from death and hades, but there is also to be a resurrection of the unjust. (Acts 24:15) It is concerning these that Jesus spoke in John 12:47,48: “If anyone listens to my sayings, and doesn’t believe, I don’t judge him. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects me, and doesn’t receive my sayings, has one who judges him. The word that I spoke, the same will judge him in the last day.” Thus, because Jesus came and gave his life as an atoning sacrifice, not only for those who believe in this age, but also for those who do not believe (1 John 2:2), the Revelation tells us that those of the world will be raised for judgment in the last day. — Revelation 20:13.
Revelation 6:8I saw, and behold, a pale horse. He who sat on him, his name was Death. Hades followed with him. Authority over one fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword, with famine, with death, and by the wild animals of the earth was given to them.
Hades is being used here figuratively as a name. There is no indication that it is being used to signify any kind of conscious existence after death.
Revelation 20:13,14
The 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. Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
Death and Hades refer to the death in Adam. (1 Corinthians 15:21,22) The "sea" evidently is used as a parallel here signifying the dead of the world of mankind separated from God due to sin. Regardless, these scriptures show that those in Hades are not there for eternity as many have claimed. Hades, the Bible hell, is here emptied, so that all in hades may be judged after being enlightened with the truth while Satan is abyssed. -- Isaiah 2:2-4; Revelation 20:3.
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