Sheol שְׁאוֹל

Sheol (Hebrew שְׁאוֹל, Strong's H7585) is a place name in the Old Testament, glossed “hell: Sheol”. It occurs 66 times.

Definition

From the STEPBible Brief Lexicon of Hebrew (based on the abridged Brown-Driver-Briggs), STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0.

Translated as

Verses

Every verse with Sheol, with the English words that translate it highlighted (KJV or BSB; other translations show the KJV here).

Genesis

• Genesis 37:35
  And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said. “I will go down to Sheol mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him.
• Genesis 42:38
  And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If any harm comes to him on your journey, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.”
• Genesis 44:29
  And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.Now if you also take this one from me and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.’
• Genesis 44:31
  It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave.sees that the boy is not with us, he will die. Then your servants will have brought the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow.

Numbers

• Numbers 16:30
  But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord.But if the LORD brings about something unprecedented, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them and all that belongs to them so that they go down alive into Sheol, then you will know that these men have treated the LORD with contempt.”
• Numbers 16:33
  They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.They went down alive into Sheol with all they owned. The earth closed over them, and they vanished from the assembly.

Deuteronomy

• Deuteronomy 32:22
  For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.For a fire has been kindled by My anger, and it burns to the depths of Sheol; it consumes the earth and its produce, and scorches the foundations of the mountains.

1 Samuel

• 1 Samuel 2:6
  The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.The LORD brings death and gives life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up.

2 Samuel

• 2 Samuel 22:6
  The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me;The cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.

1 Kings

• 1 Kings 2:6
  Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace.So act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace.
• 1 Kings 2:9
  Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood.Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man. You know what you ought to do to him to bring his gray head down to Sheol in blood.”

Job

• Job 7:9
  As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come back up.
• Job 11:8
  It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?They are higher than the heavens—what can you do? They are deeper than Sheol—what can you know?
• Job 14:13
  O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!If only You would hide me in Sheol and conceal me until Your anger has passed! If only You would appoint a time for me and then remember me!
• Job 17:13
  If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.If I look for Sheol as my home, if I spread out my bed in darkness,
• Job 17:16
  They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust.Will it go down to the gates of Sheol? Will we go down together into the dust?”
• Job 21:13
  They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.They spend their days in prosperity and go down to Sheol in peace.
• Job 24:19
  Drought and heat consume the snow waters: so doth the grave those which have sinned.As drought and heat consume the melting snow, so Sheol steals those who have sinned.
• Job 26:6
  Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering.

Psalms

• Psalm 6:5
  For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?For there is no mention of You in death; who can praise You from Sheol?
• Psalm 9:17
  The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.The wicked will return to Sheol— all the nations who forget God.
• Psalm 16:10
  For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.
• Psalm 18:5
  The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.The cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.
• Psalm 30:3
  O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.O LORD, You pulled me up from Sheol; You spared me from descending into the Pit.
• Psalm 31:17
  Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.O LORD, let me not be ashamed, for I have called on You. Let the wicked be put to shame; let them lie silent in Sheol.
• Psalm 49:14
  Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.Like sheep they are destined for Sheol. Death will be their shepherd. The upright will rule them in the morning, and their form will decay in Sheol, far from their lofty abode.
• Psalm 49:15
  But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.But God will redeem my life from Sheol, for He will surely take me to Himself. Selah
• Psalm 55:15
  Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.Let death seize them by surprise; let them go down to Sheol alive, for evil is with them in their homes.
• Psalm 86:13
  For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.For great is Your loving devotion to me; You have delivered me from the depths of Sheol.
• Psalm 88:3
  For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol.
• Psalm 89:48
  What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.What man can live and never see death? Can he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah
• Psalm 116:3
  The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.The ropes of death entangled me; the anguish of Sheol overcame me; I was confronted by trouble and sorrow.
• Psalm 139:8
  If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there.
• Psalm 141:7
  Our bones are scattered at the grave’s mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth.As when one plows and breaks up the soil, so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of Sheol.

Proverbs

• Proverbs 1:12
  Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit.
• Proverbs 5:5
  Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to Sheol.
• Proverbs 7:27
  Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.Her house is the road to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death.
• Proverbs 9:18
  But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.But they do not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
• Proverbs 15:11
  Hell and destruction are before the Lord: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD— how much more the hearts of men!
• Proverbs 15:24
  The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.The path of life leads upward for the wise, that he may avoid going down to Sheol.
• Proverbs 23:14
  Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.Strike him with a rod, and you will deliver his soul from Sheol.
• Proverbs 27:20
  Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
• Proverbs 30:16
  The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.Sheol, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’

Ecclesiastes

• Ecclesiastes 9:10
  Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.

Song of Solomon

• Song of Solomon 8:6
  Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.Set me as a seal over your heart, as a seal upon your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as unrelenting as Sheol. Its sparks are fiery flames, the fiercest blaze of all.

Isaiah

• Isaiah 5:14
  Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.Therefore Sheol enlarges its throat and opens wide its enormous jaws, and down go Zion’s nobles and masses, her revelers and carousers!
• Isaiah 7:11
  Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.“Ask for a sign from the LORD your God, whether from the depths of Sheol or the heights of heaven.”
• Isaiah 14:9
  Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.Sheol beneath is eager to meet you upon your arrival. It stirs the spirits of the dead to greet you— all the rulers of the earth. It makes all the kings of the nations rise from their thrones.
• Isaiah 14:11
  Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.Your pomp has been brought down to Sheol, along with the music of your harps. Maggots are your bed and worms your blanket.
• Isaiah 14:15
  Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.But you will be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.
• Isaiah 28:15
  Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:For you said, “We have made a covenant with death; we have fashioned an agreement with Sheol. When the overwhelming scourge passes through it will not touch us, because we have made lies our refuge and falsehood our hiding place.”
• Isaiah 28:18
  And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.Your covenant with death will be dissolved, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand. When the overwhelming scourge passes through, you will be trampled by it.
• Isaiah 38:10
  I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years.I said, “In the prime of my life I must go through the gates of Sheol and be deprived of the remainder of my years.”
• Isaiah 38:18
  For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.For Sheol cannot thank You; Death cannot praise You. Those who descend to the Pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness.
• Isaiah 57:9
  And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell.You went to Molech with oil and multiplied your perfumes. You have sent your envoys a great distance; you have descended even to Sheol itself.

Ezekiel

• Ezekiel 31:15
  Thus saith the Lord God; In the day when he went down to the grave I caused a mourning: I covered the deep for him, and I restrained the floods thereof, and the great waters were stayed: and I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for him.This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘On the day it was brought down to Sheol, I caused mourning. I covered the deep because of it; I held back its rivers; its abundant waters were restrained. I made Lebanon mourn for it, and all the trees of the field fainted because of it.
• Ezekiel 31:16
  I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to hell with them that descend into the pit: and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth.I made the nations quake at the sound of its downfall, when I cast it down to Sheol with those who descend to the Pit. Then all the trees of Eden, the choicest and best of Lebanon, all the well-watered trees, were consoled in the earth below.
• Ezekiel 31:17
  They also went down into hell with him unto them that be slain with the sword; and they that were his arm, that dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the heathen.They too descended with it to Sheol, to those slain by the sword. As its allies they had lived in its shade among the nations.
• Ezekiel 32:21
  The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword.Mighty chiefs will speak from the midst of Sheol about Egypt and her allies: ‘They have come down and lie with the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword.’
• Ezekiel 32:27
  And they shall not lie with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised, which are gone down to hell with their weapons of war: and they have laid their swords under their heads, but their iniquities shall be upon their bones, though they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living.They do not lie down with the fallen warriors of old, who went down to Sheol with their weapons of war, whose swords were placed under their heads, whose shields rested on their bones, although the terror of the mighty was once in the land of the living.

Hosea

• Hosea 13:14
  I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; I will redeem them from Death. Where, O Death, are your plagues? Where, O Sheol, is your sting? Compassion is hidden from My eyes.

Amos

• Amos 9:2
  Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down:Though they dig down to Sheol, from there My hand will take them; and though they climb up to heaven, from there I will pull them down.

Jonah

• Jonah 2:2
  And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.saying: “In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered me. From the belly of Sheol I called for help, and You heard my voice.

Habakkuk

• Habakkuk 2:5
  Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:and wealth indeed betrays him. He is an arrogant man never at rest. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, and like Death, he is never satisfied. He gathers all the nations to himself and collects all the peoples as his own.

Notes

1. Definition and verse list from STEPBible's tagged Hebrew Old Testament (TAHOT) and Greek New Testament (TAGNT) and Brief Lexicons, STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0.
2. English renderings from the public-domain KJV with Strong's numbers (eBible.org) and the Berean Standard Bible interlinear (public domain).