Therefore, the Biblical evidence concerning Gehenna generally parallels the traditional view presented by rabbinic and other sources. That view is that the Valley of Hinnom was used as a place for the disposal of waste matter from the city of Jerusalem. (At Mt 5:30 Ph renders geʹen·na as “rubbish heap.”) Concerning “Gehinnom,” the Jewish commentator David Kimhi (1160?-1235?), in his comment on Psalm 27:13, gives the following historical information: “And it is a place in the land adjoining Jerusalem, and it is a loathsome place, and they throw there unclean things and carcasses. Also there was a continual fire there to burn the unclean things and the bones of the carcasses. Hence, the judgment of the wicked ones is called parabolically Gehinnom.”

Symbolic of Complete Destruction. It is evident that Jesus used Gehenna as representative of utter destruction resulting from adverse judgment by God, hence with no resurrection to life as a soul being possible. (Mt 10:28; Lu 12:4, 5) The scribes and Pharisees as a wicked class were denounced as ‘subjects for Gehenna.’ (Mt 23:13-15, 33) To avoid such destruction, Jesus’ followers were to get rid of anything causing spiritual stumbling, the ‘cutting off of a hand or foot’ and the ‘tearing out of an eye’ figuratively representing their deadening of these body members with reference to sin.​—Mt 18:9; Mr 9:43-47; Col 3:5; compare Mt 5:27-30.

Jesus also apparently alluded to Isaiah 66:24 in describing Gehenna as a place “where their maggot does not die and the fire is not put out.” (Mr 9:47, 48) That the symbolic picture here is not one of torture but, rather, of complete destruction is evident from the fact that the Isaiah text dealt, not with persons who were alive, but with “the carcasses of the men that were transgressing” against God. If, as the available evidence indicates, the Valley of Hinnom was a place for the disposal of garbage and carcasses, fire, perhaps increased in intensity by the addition of sulfur (compare Isa 30:33), would be the only suitable means to eliminate such refuse. Where the fire did not reach, worms, or maggots, would breed, consuming anything not destroyed by the fire. On this basis, Jesus’ words would mean that the destructive effect of God’s adverse judgment would not cease until complete destruction was attained.

Figurative Use. The disciple James’ use of the word “Gehenna” shows that an unruly tongue is itself a world of unrighteousness and that one’s whole round of living can be affected by fiery words that defile the speaker’s body. The tongue of such a one, “full of death-dealing poison” and so giving evidence of a bad heart condition, can cause the user to be sentenced by God to go to the symbolic Gehenna.​—Jas 3:6, 8; compare Mt 12:37; Ps 5:9; 140:3; Ro 3:13.

The Biblical use of Gehenna as a symbol corresponds to that of “the lake of fire” in the book of Revelation.​—Re 20:14, 15; see LAKE OF FIRE.

(Gel·iʹloth) [Regions; Circuits; from a root meaning “roll; roll away”].

A site listed in connection with the boundary of Benjamin. (Jos 18:17) Geliloth’s location, described as “in front of the ascent of Adummim,” matches that of Gilgal (Jos 15:7), for which reason some scholars consider it a variant name for the Gilgal near Jericho. Others suggest that Geliloth is a site or small region in the vicinity of Talʽat ed-Damm (Maʽale Adummim) in the Wadi el Qilt SW of Jericho.​—See ADUMMIM; GILGAL No. 1.

(Ge·malʹli) [possibly, Weaned (or, Receiving Due Treatment); or, Camel Owner].

A Danite whose son Ammiel represented his tribe as one of the spies sent into Canaan.​—Nu 13:12, 16.

(Gem·a·riʹah) [Jehovah Has Perfected (Completed)].

1. “The son of Shaphan the copyist”; one of the princes during the reign of Jehoiakim (628-618 B.C.E.). Gemariah had his own dining room in the upper courtyard of the temple, and it was here that Baruch read aloud the words of the book dictated to him by the prophet Jeremiah. Micaiah the son of Gemariah heard the initial reading of the book and then reported the word of Jehovah to the princes who, in turn, sent for Baruch to have the book read to them. Upon hearing the words of the book, they advised that Baruch and Jeremiah conceal themselves. Later, when the roll was read to King Jehoiakim, Gemariah was one of the princes who pleaded with the king not to burn the roll.​—Jer 36:10-25.

A lump of clay at one time fastened to a document and stamped with a seal was recently found in Jerusalem. The inscription on it read: “Belonging to Gemariah [Heb., Gemar·yaʹhu], son of Shaphan.” This bulla is said to be from about the seventh century B.C.E., and its owner is assumed to be the Gemariah mentioned in Jeremiah chapter 36.

2. “The son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah the king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar.”