sheol

sheol

The traveler descends into the shadowy depths of sheol.

Definition
  1. Proper Noun:
    • The underworld or realm of the dead in ancient Hebrew belief: "Sheol" is the abode of the dead, a shadowy place where all souls go after death, distinct from the later concepts of heaven or hell. It is often depicted as a dark, silent pit or grave.
    • A state of death or the grave: In a broader sense, "Sheol" can refer to the condition of being dead or the physical grave itself, emphasizing finality and separation from the living.
Usage Examples
  • (The speaker feels death approaching, entering the realm of the dead.)
  • (Sheol is portrayed as a permanent, silent underworld.)
  • (Sheol is the destination for all, but some texts suggest escape for the faithful.)
Advanced Usage
  • "to go down to Sheol": to die and be buried, often with a sense of descent into darkness.
    • The proud king was humbled and went down to Sheol, leaving his throne behind. (He died and entered the underworld, losing all earthly power.)
  • "Sheol beneath": a poetic reference to the underworld as a place of judgment or contrast to heaven.
    • The prophet declared, "Though you dig into Sheol, my hand shall take you from there." (Even the depths of the dead cannot hide from divine power.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Sheol (n): the only form; no common derivatives exist in English, though it appears as a transliteration of the Hebrew word שְׁאוֹל (She'ol).
    • The term Sheol is used over 60 times in the Hebrew Bible. (It is a frequent concept in the Old Testament.)
Synonyms
  • Hades: the Greek underworld, similar in concept to Sheol as a realm of the dead.
  • Grave: the physical burial place, often used metaphorically to mean death.
  • Underworld: a general term for the place of the dead in many mythologies.
Related Idioms
  • "The gates of Sheol": a metaphor for the entrance to death or the brink of dying.
    • He was so ill that he felt he had passed through the gates of Sheol. (He was near death and felt its approach.)
  • "Sheol's silence": a poetic phrase for the dead's inability to speak or praise.
    • In Sheol's silence, no one remembers the deeds of the living. (The dead are cut off from all activity and memory.)