Hell

There are several terms in the Hebrew and Greek used to describe .

Sheol

In the Old Testament the word sheol occurs sixty-five times and is translated by words like grave, hell, pit, and sheol.

The dominant focus of the Old Testament seems to be on the place where the bodies of people go, not where their souls exist. Other words emphasize that focus:

As to the destiny of the soul in the intermediate state, the Old Testament says little.

Hades

The New Testament term used to describe the afterlife is hades, which is equivalent to the Hebrew term sheol. In the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament), sheol is almost always translated as hades.

Originally, Hades was a proper noun—the name of the god of the underworld who ruled over the dead.

Intertestamental Development

During the intertestamental period, a two-compartment theory developed (likely influenced by Persian Zoroastrianism), teaching that sheol/hades had:

The righteous were thought to be waiting for the resurrection of Christ, who would then deliver them from hades into God’s presence. This view was argued from Ephesians 4:9–10 and 1 Peter 3:19, though it is doubtful these passages teach this. Moreover, Moses and Elijah’s appearance at the Transfiguration (Matt. 17:3) suggests they were already in God’s presence.

Usage in the New Testament

The word hades appears ten times in the New Testament and is used in two ways:

As a place of punishment (3 times):

As the state of death, which both believers and unbelievers enter (7 times):

Tartaroo (Tartarus)

This term occurs only once, in 2 Peter 2:4. Tartarus comes from classical mythology, referring to the subterranean abyss where rebellious gods (such as the Titans) were punished. The word was adopted into Hellenistic Judaism and appears in the book of Enoch (Enoch 20:2) in connection with fallen angels.

Abyss

The abyss (Greek abussos), meaning “bottomless,” is translated as pit or abyss.

It is a prison for demons
(Luke 8:31; Rev. 9:1–2, 11).

Satan is the king over the demons in the abyss
(Rev. 9:11).

During a tribulation, Satan releases demonic forces upon the earth
(Rev. 9:1ff.).

At some point,Satan will be bound and confined to the abyss for one thousand years
(Rev. 20:1–3).

Other Terms

Scripture uses multiple images to describe punishment, often combined with a view on hell

Unquenchable fire
(Matt. 3:12; Mark 9:43, 48)

Furnace of fire
(Matt. 13:42, 50)

Outer darkness
(Matt. 8:12; 22:13; 25:30)

Eternal fire
(Matt. 25:41)

The lake that burns with fire and brimstone
(Rev. 21:8)

Unbelievers will be cast into the lake of fire at the Great White Throne Judgment
(Rev. 20:11–15).

Gehenna

The term gehenna occurs twelve times in the New Testament. It is derived from the Hebrew ge hinnom, referring to the Valley of Hinnom on the south side of Jerusalem.

This valley was the site of Molech worship, where infants were sacrificed by fire
(2 Kings 16:3; 17:17; 21:6).

Jeremiah proclaimed it would become a place of God’s judgment
(Jer. 7:32; 19:6).

It later became a refuse dump where garbage and the bodies of animals and criminals were burned.
(Matt. 23:15, 33; 25:41, 46).

Heaven

In scripture, there are actually four concepts that the word "heaven" can refer to:

Physically

  1. Heaven can refer to outerspace (Genesis 1:1).
  2. Heaven can refer to the sky (Genesis 1:8).
  3. Heaven can refer to the throne of God, the place where God is said to rule from (first mentioned in - 1 Kings 8:27-30)

Metaphorically

  1. The sphere of government influence, the seat of authority for a nation or nations, almost always the rulers of Israel. In prophetic and poetic contexts, “heaven” often represents rulers, governing authorities, or those in positions of power, while “earth” represents the people who are governed. This metaphor flows naturally from the physical reality: rulers are “above,” the people are “below.”
V2                           |  V10
-----------------------------|-----------------------------
Hear, O heavens              | Hear, you rulers
Give ear, O earth            | Give ear, you people

Bonus Fact: Stars as Rulers

In Scripture, stars are frequently used as symbols for rulers, leaders, or those placed in positions of authority, especially within Israel. This imagery fits naturally with the broader metaphor of heaven representing authority and earth representing those governed.

Stars are “above,” they give light, and they are visible points of guidance—making them an effective symbol for leadership and rule.

Joseph’s Dream (Genesis 37:9-10)

Joseph’s dream provides one of the earliest and clearest examples of this symbolism (v9)Joseph’s father immediately understands the meaning (V10)

The symbols are explicitly interpreted as:

As Israel develops into a nation, this imagery continues:

When prophets speak of:

They are often describing:

Enter your search text in the box above

Select a result to preview

Powered by Forestry.md