4B “Hades,” “Sheol”—The Common Grave of Mankind; Gravedom

Gr., ᾅδης (haiʹdes); Lat., in·ferʹnus; Heb., שאול (sheʼohlʹ); Syr., shiul

The Ten Occurrences of Hades

“Hades,” perhaps meaning “the unseen place,” occurs ten times in the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, namely, in Matthew 11:23; 16:18; Luke 10:15; 16:23; Acts 2:27, 31; Revelation 1:18; 6:8; 20:13, 14.

In Acts 2:27, Peter’s quotation of Psalm 16:10 shows Hades is the equivalent of Sheol and is applied to the common grave of mankind (in contrast with the Greek word taʹphos, an individual grave). The Latin word corresponding to Hades is in·ferʹnus (sometimes inʹfe·rus). It means “that which lies beneath; the lower region,” and well applies to gravedom. It is thus a fitting approximation of the Greek and Hebrew terms.

In the inspired Scriptures the words “Hades” and “Sheol” are associated with death and the dead, not with life and the living. (Revelation 20:13) In themselves these words contain no thought or hint of pleasure or pain.

The Sixty-Six Occurrences of Sheol

“Sheol” occurs 66 times in the New World Translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, namely, in Genesis 37:35; 42:38; 44:29, 31; Numbers 16:30, 33; Deuteronomy 32:22; 1 Samuel 2:6; 2 Samuel 22:6; 1 Kings 2:6, 9; Job 7:9; 11:8; 14:13; 17:13, 16; 21:13; 24:19; 26:6; Psalm 6:5; 9:17; 16:10; 18:5; 30:3; 31:17; 49:14, 14, 15; 55:15; 86:13; 88:3; 89:48; 116:3; 139:8; 141:7; Proverbs 1:12; 5:5; 7:27; 9:18; 15:11, 24; 23:14; 27:20; 30:16; Ecclesiastes 9:10; Song of Solomon 8:6; Isaiah 5:14; [7:11]; Isa 14:9, 11, 15; 28:15, 18; 38:10, 18; 57:9; Ezekiel 31:15, 16, 17; 32:21, 27; Hosea 13:14, 14; Amos 9:2; Jonah 2:2; Habakkuk 2:5.

The occurrences of “Sheol” in the Hebrew Scriptures cover the 65 times it occurs in Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 1977, and one instance in Isaiah 7:11, where the text reads “Sheol” by a slight change in vowel pointing. In all cases the New World Translation uses “Sheol” for the Hebrew word sheʼohlʹ. The Greek Septuagint generally renders sheʼohlʹ as haiʹdes.

While several derivations for the Hebrew word sheʼohlʹ have been offered, apparently it is derived from the Hebrew verb שּׁאל (sha·ʼalʹ), meaning “to ask” or “to request.” This would indicate Sheol to be the place (not a condition) that asks for or demands all without distinction, as it receives the dead of mankind within it. (See NW Ref. Bi., Genesis 37:35 and Isaiah 7:11 ftns.) It is in the earth and is always associated with the dead, and plainly means the common grave of mankind, gravedom, or the earthly (not sea) region of the dead. In contrast, the Hebrew word qeʹver means an individual grave or burial place.—Genesis 23:4, 6, 9, 20.