שְׁאוֹל (she.ol)
she.ol
hell: Sheol
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 48 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The Hebrew word sheol refers to the abode of the dead, a shadowy realm beneath the earth where all souls gather regardless of their moral standing in life. It is not primarily a place of punishment for the wicked or reward for the righteous, but rather the universal destination for humanity after death. The sources describe it as a place of silence and darkness, far removed from the active praise of God found in the land of the living.
Scripture often uses vivid imagery to convey its depth and finality. In Job 26:6, sheol is described as naked before God, suggesting nothing is hidden from Him even in this deepest realm. Proverbs 9:18 speaks of its depths, while Isaiah 14:9 depicts it as a place with gates where spirits await. The term appears frequently in the Psalms and Prophets to express the terror of premature death or the desire for deliverance from such a fate, as seen when David trusts God will not abandon him to sheol (Psalm 16:10).
Unlike later concepts of hell as a place of eternal torment, sheol is essentially a state of existence cut off from God’s active presence and works. It represents the grave or pit in its most general sense. The Old Testament writers use it to highlight the preciousness of life and the hope that God can rescue the faithful from this finality, as expressed in Psalm 30:3 where God pulls the psalmist up from the pit.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word sheol describes the realm of the dead, a place where all humanity goes regardless of their standing in life. It is not primarily a destination for punishment but rather a shadowy silence far removed from the active praise of God found in the land of the living. The ancient writers used this term to express the deep fear of premature death and the finality of the grave.
Yet the biblical narrative does not leave us in that darkness. Scripture often portrays sheol as a place where God’s presence still reaches, as seen when David writes that even if he makes his bed in sheol, God is there (Psalms 139:8). This reality offers comfort because it reminds us that death is not an escape from God’s sight. The hope of the faithful is not merely avoiding the grave but trusting in a God who can bring life out of death.
This understanding highlights the preciousness of our current lives. We are called to praise and serve God while we remain in the land of the living, knowing that our ultimate hope rests in His power to rescue us from the depths. The tension between the reality of death and the promise of deliverance invites us to rest in God’s sovereignty over every season of life.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 48 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Sheol30×
- Sheol/ towards6×
- like/ Sheol3×
- in/ Sheol3×
- from/ Sheol3×
- to/ Sheol1×
- more than/ Sheol1×
- [as] Sheol1×
- O Sheol1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שְׁא֣וֹל10×
- שְׁא֖וֹל4×
- שְׁאֽוֹל\׃3×
- שְׁאֹ֑לָ/ה3×
- שְׁא֛וֹל3×
- מִ/שְּׁא֥וֹל3×
- שְׁאֹֽלָ/ה\׃2×
- שְׁ֝א֗וֹל2×
- שְּׁאוֹל֙1×
- שְּׁא֣וֹל1×
- שְׁאוֹל֮1×
- שְׁאוֹל֙1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 16:10
For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption.
David expresses confidence that God will not abandon his soul to the silence of sheol, pointing to a hope beyond death.
-
Psalms 139:8
If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there!
This verse emphasizes that God’s presence extends even into the deepest realm of the dead, removing any sense of hiding from Him.
-
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 to my son, mourning.” His father wept for him.
Jacob uses sheol to describe his anticipated descent to the grave, showing it as a place of mourning and separation from his living family.
-
Job 14:13
“Oh that you would hide me in Sheol, that you would keep me secret until your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time and remember me!
Job asks God to hide him in sheol temporarily until wrath passes, illustrating how the dead are viewed as being out of reach yet still known by God.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does sheol mean in the Old Testament?
Is sheol the same as hell?
Does God exist in sheol?
Why do people in the Bible fear sheol?
Every Occurrence (48 verses across 15 books)
Genesis 4 verses
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…
Genesis 42:38He said, “My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left. If harm happens to him along…
Genesis 44:29If you take this one also from me, and harm happens to him, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.’
Genesis 44:31it will happen, when he sees that the boy is no more, that he will die. Your servants will bring down the gray hairs of…