What does שְׁאוֹל (šə’ôl) mean in the Bible?
שְׁאוֹל (sheol) is Hebrew language for the grave, the realm of the dead, or the underworld. Narratives can use descent to Sheol as an expression of anticipated death and grief.
Hebrew · H7585
שְׁאוֹל
Hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranean retreat ), including its accessories and inmates
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שְׁאוֹל H7585
Pronunciation šə’ôl
What does שְׁאוֹל (šə’ôl) mean in the Bible?
שְׁאוֹל (sheol) is Hebrew language for the grave, the realm of the dead, or the underworld. Narratives can use descent to Sheol as an expression of anticipated death and grief.
Reader summary
Full entry for שְׁאוֹל (H7585) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H7585?
The BSB source-word alignment has 66 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include to Sheol (20), of Sheol (14), Sheol (13), in Sheol (5), for Sheol (2).
Where does שְׁאוֹל (šə’ôl) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 37:35. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (16), Isaiah (10), Proverbs (9), Job (8).
What This Word Actually Means
שְׁאוֹל (sheol) is Hebrew language for the grave, the realm of the dead, or the underworld. Narratives can use descent to Sheol as an expression of anticipated death and grief. Poetry and prophecy portray it as deep, dark, silent, hungry, imprisoning, or populated by the dead. These images communicate mortality and death's power from varied literary angles; they should not be assembled into a precise map of compartments, physical coordinates, or postmortem experience.
Sheol is beyond human escape but not beyond God's knowledge or rule. Hannah says the Lord brings down to Sheol and raises, Amos says no fugitive can hide there, Psalm 139 says God's presence reaches the depths, and Psalm 49 hopes for redemption from Sheol's power. These texts open a trajectory of divine sovereignty and hope without making every occurrence a full statement about resurrection. Laments that say the dead do not praise must also be heard as urgent speech from threatened worshipers, not isolated as the canon's only account of life after death.
Psalm 16:10 expresses confidence that God will not abandon the speaker to Sheol or allow the faithful one to see the pit or decay. Acts 2 and 13 apply the psalm to Jesus' resurrection. That canonical reading is decisive for Christian interpretation, while the psalm's own voice and vocabulary should remain visible. Sheol is not simply identical with Gehenna, the lake of fire, every use of Hades, or modern ideas of hell.
Lexical sourceCanonical synthesis
How the Bible Uses It
Sheol appears in grief, threats of death, wisdom reflection, royal taunt, prayer, judgment, and hope. Its images overlap around death and the world of the dead but vary by genre and speaker.
- Gen.37.35
Jacob says he will go down mourning to Sheol for Joseph, expressing grief and anticipated death.
- Num.16.33
Korah's company descends alive to Sheol as the earth closes over them in a singular judgment narrative.
- 1Sam.2.6
Hannah confesses that the Lord brings down to Sheol and also raises up.
- Isa.14.9
A taunt song personifies Sheol as stirring the shades to greet the fallen king of Babylon.
- Isa.38.18
Hezekiah's death lament contrasts Sheol's silence with the praise and testimony of the living.
- Hos.13.14
The verse addresses ransom, death, and Sheol in a context whose rhetorical movement toward rescue or summoned judgment is translated differently.
- Jonah.2.2
Jonah describes his distress from the belly of Sheol while praying from within the fish and near-death imagery.
- Ps.16.10
The psalmist trusts not to be abandoned to Sheol or allowed to see the pit, a text later applied to Jesus' resurrection.
- Ps.49.15
The psalmist confesses that God will redeem life from Sheol's power and receive the speaker.
- Ps.139.8
The psalm's heaven-and-Sheol merism says no height or depth escapes God's presence.
- Prov.27.20
Sheol and Abaddon are pictured as never satisfied in a comparison with insatiable human eyes.
- Eccl.9.10
The teacher urges wholehearted work in life because Sheol lacks the earthly work, planning, knowledge, and wisdom under discussion.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It to Sheol 20× Genesis 37:35, Genesis 42:38, Genesis 44:29, Genesis 44:31
of Sheol 14× Deuteronomy 32:22, 2 Samuel 22:6, Job 17:16, Psalms 18:5
Sheol 13× Job 26:6, Psalms 30:3, Psalms 49:15, Proverbs 5:5
in Sheol 5× Job 14:13, Psalms 31:17, Psalms 49:14, Psalms 139:8
for Sheol 2× Job 17:13, Psalms 49:14
from Sheol 2× Psalms 6:5, Proverbs 23:14
into Sheol 2× Numbers 16:30, Numbers 16:33
like Sheol 2× Proverbs 1:12, Habakkuk 2:5
as Sheol 1× Song Of Solomon 8:6
down to Sheol 1× 1 Samuel 2:6
O Sheol 1× Hosea 13:14
Sheol itself 1× Isaiah 57:9
so Sheol 1× Job 24:19
than Sheol 1× Job 11:8
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 37:35 שְׁאֹ֑לָה to to Sheol Noun - common singular | third person feminine singular Genesis 42:38 שְׁאֽוֹלָה׃ to to Sheol Noun - common singular | third person feminine singular Genesis 44:29 שְׁאֹֽלָה׃ to to Sheol Noun - common singular | third person feminine singular Genesis 44:31 שְׁאֹֽלָה׃ to to Sheol Noun - common singular | third person feminine singular Numbers 16:30 שְׁאֹ֑לָה to into Sheol Noun - common singular | third person feminine singular Numbers 16:33 שְׁאֹ֑לָה to into Sheol Noun - common singular | third person feminine singular Deuteronomy 32:22 שְׁא֣וֹל to of Sheol Noun - common singular 1 Samuel 2:6 שְׁא֖וֹל to down to Sheol Noun - common singular 2 Samuel 22:6 שְׁא֖וֹל to of Sheol Noun - common singular 1 Kings 2:6 שְׁאֹֽל׃ס to to Sheol Noun - common singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 37:35
Aligned rows 66
Books represented 17
Genesis 4 Numbers 2 Deuteronomy 1 1 Samuel 1 2 Samuel 1 1 Kings 2 Job 8 Psalms 16 Proverbs 9 Ecclesiastes 1 Song Of Solomon 1 Isaiah 10 Ezekiel 5 Hosea 2 Amos 1 Jonah 1 Habakkuk 1
Source forms
שְׁא֣וֹל 15x šə·’ō·wl Deuteronomy 32:22, Job 17:13, Job 21:13, Job 24:19
שְׁא֖וֹל 5x šə·’ō·wl 1 Samuel 2:6, 2 Samuel 22:6, Isaiah 28:15, Isaiah 28:18
שְׁא֛וֹל 4x šə·’ō·wl Isaiah 14:11, Isaiah 14:15, Isaiah 38:18, Jonah 2:2
מִשְּׁא֥וֹל 3x miš·šə·’ō·wl Psalms 86:13, Proverbs 15:24, Proverbs 23:14
שְׁאֽוֹל׃ 3x šə·’ō·wl 1 Kings 2:9, Psalms 141:7, Isaiah 57:9
שְׁאֹ֑לָה 3x šə·’ō·lāh Genesis 37:35, Numbers 16:30, Numbers 16:33
שְׁ֝א֗וֹל 2x šə·ʾôl Job 7:9, Proverbs 5:5
שְׁא֗וֹל 2x šə·’ō·wl Psalms 49:14, Isaiah 14:9
Parsing patterns
Noun - common singular 39x Deuteronomy 32:22, 1 Samuel 2:6, 2 Samuel 22:6, 1 Kings 2:6
Noun - common singular | third person feminine singular 9x Genesis 37:35, Genesis 42:38, Genesis 44:29, Genesis 44:31
Preposition-b | Noun - common singular 4x Job 14:13, Psalms 6:5, Ecclesiastes 9:10, Amos 9:2
Preposition-l | Noun - common singular 4x Psalms 16:10, Psalms 31:17, Psalms 49:14, Psalms 88:3
Preposition-m | Noun - common singular 4x Job 11:8, Psalms 86:13, Proverbs 15:24, Proverbs 23:14
Preposition-k | Noun - common singular 3x Proverbs 1:12, Song Of Solomon 8:6, Habakkuk 2:5
Noun - common singular construct 1x Job 24:19
Preposition-l | Noun - common singular | third person feminine singular 1x Psalms 9:17
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Bereaved people should be given space for grief and uncertainty rather than being forced into speculative claims about a deceased person's present experience.
- Statements about wanting death or self-harm require immediate safety assessment, emergency or clinical support, and trusted human presence.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not equate every Sheol occurrence with Gehenna, the lake of fire, or a detailed doctrine of eternal punishment.
- Do not use Sheol texts alone to prove either conscious torment or unconsciousness for all the dead.
- Do not pronounce a particular deceased person condemned or describe their postmortem experience beyond responsible textual and pastoral authority.
- Do not use fear of the afterlife to manipulate, shame, or delay urgent mental-health and suicide-safety care.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. The subterranean realm where all the dead dwell, without moral differentiation until late Judaism
Strong's H7585
Lexical occurrences 66 verses Word forms 1 form 1 reference Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Isaiah 14:9-11 Source Gloss
hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranean retreat ), including its accessories and inmates
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
The subterranean realm where all the dead dwell, without moral differentiation until late Judaism
hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranean retreat), including its accessories and inmates BDB: Shᵉ’ōl Usage: grave, hell, pit.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 1 Aligned forms 1
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 1×
Infinitive construct Isa 7:11 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
The realm of the dead in Hebrew thought.
The realm of the dead.
The grave; the underworld; the place of the dead
Additional Occurrences
Psalms 6:4-7 בִּשְׁאוֹל šə’ôl
in Sheol; in the grave/underworld
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 66 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
שְׁאוֹל is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
Sheol imagery emphasizes the humiliation and leveling of earthly power. Isaiah 14:9-11
Expresses the reality of mortality in Old Testament perspective. Isaiah 38:9-20
Canonical Themes
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Sheol gives biblical language for mortality, grief, fear of death, and hope that God is not defeated by the grave. Jacob's mourning, Hezekiah's lament, Jonah's near-death prayer, and Psalm 88's darkness should be heard without rushing sufferers past sorrow. Psalm 139 denies that any depth escapes God, and Psalm 16 receives a resurrection-centered reading in Acts.
Teachers should distinguish direct textual claims from later doctrinal development and avoid using afterlife images to terrorize children, manipulate conversions, or pronounce a particular dead person condemned. When someone expresses suicidal intent or desire for death, the response should be immediate safety, compassionate presence, emergency or clinical help, and involvement of trusted support, not an abstract debate over Sheol.
Anchor passage
Ps.16.10
Doctrinal connections
- Gen.37.35: grief and anticipated descent
- 1Sam.2.6: the Lord brings down and raises
- Isa.14.9: poetic personification of Sheol
- Isa.38.18: lament from threatened death
- Jonah.2.2: near-death prayer imagery
- Ps.16.10: hope against abandonment
- Ps.49.15: redemption from Sheol's power
- Ps.139.8: God's presence in the depths
H7585 is a proper-like common noun whose translations include Sheol, grave, realm of the dead, and underworld. Parallel terms such as death, pit, and Abaddon overlap without being lexically identical. Genre strongly shapes the imagery.
From Old to New Testament
Acts 2 and 13 apply Psalm 16:10 to Jesus' resurrection, and later New Testament language develops death, Hades, judgment, and resurrection. Hades and Gehenna require their own contexts rather than automatic identification with every Sheol occurrence.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain