COMPANION BIBLE. APPENDIX 35.  

"SHEOL".  HEBREW, SHEOL.


The first occurrence of this word is in Gen. 37:35, where it is rendered "grave".  It occurs sixty-five times in the Hebrew of the Old Testament; and only by studying each passage by itself can the student hope to gather the Biblical usage of the word.  All heathen or traditional usages are not only worthless, but mischievous.  The following are all the passages where the word "Sheol" occurs, with the rendering in each passage indicated thus : 


1 = Grave
2 = Pit
3 = Hell
1.  Gen. 37:35.
3.  Ps. 18:5.
1.  Ecc. 9:10.
1.  Gen. 42:38.
1.  Ps. 30:3.
1.  Song 8:6.
1.  Gen. 44:29, 31.
1.  Ps. 31:17.
3.  Isa. 5:14.
2.  Num. 16:30, 33.
1.  Ps. 49:14, 14, 15.
3.  Isa. 14:9 (marg. grave).
3.  Deut. 32:22.
3.  Ps. 55:15 (marg. grave).
1.  Isa. 14:11.
1.  1 Sam. 2:6.
3.  Ps. 86:13 (marg. grave). 
3.  Isa. 14:15.
3.  2Sam. 22:6.
1.  Ps. 88:3.
3.  Isa. 28:15, 18.
1.  1Kings 2:6, 9.
1.  Ps. 89:48.
1.  Isa. 38:10.
1.  Job 7:9.
3.  Ps. 116:3.
1.  Isa. 38:18.
3.  Job 11:8.
3.  Ps. 139:8.
3.  Isa. 57:9.
1.  Job 14:13.
1.  Ps. 141.7.
1.  Ezek. 31:15.
1.  Job 17:13.
1.  Prov. 1:12.
3.  Ezek. 31:16, 17.
2.  Job 17:16.
3.  Prov. 5.5.
3.  Ezek. 32:21, 27.
1.  Job 21:13.
3.  Prov. 7:27.
1.  Hos. 13:14, 14.
1.  Job 24:19.
3.  Prov. 9:18.
3.  Amos 9:2.
3.  Job 26:6.
3.  Prov. 15:11, 24.
3.  Jonah 2:2 (marg. grave).
1.  Ps. 6:5.
3.  Prov. 23:14.
3.  Hab. 2:5.
3.  Ps. 9:17.
3.  Prov. 27:20.
3.  Ps. 16:10.
1.  Prov. 30:16.

As meaning "THE grave," it is to be distinguished from keber, A grave, or, burying-place (from kabar, to bury, first occurrence Gen. 23:4) :  and bor, a pit, generally hewn in the rock, hence used of a cistern (Gen. 37:20) or a dungeon, &c., when dry.  (See note on the word "well" in Gen. 21:19.)


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