Hebrew · Sheol · H7585
Sheol
A Hebrew word for the realm of the dead. The KJV sometimes translates it as “grave,” “hell” or “pit,” so you may have read it without seeing the name Sheol.
Read it in the Bible
10For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
“Hell” here translates the Hebrew Sheol.
Read the surrounding verses · Psalms 16:8–11
- I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
- Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
- For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
- Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
35And 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.
“Grave” here translates the same Hebrew word.
Read the surrounding verses · Genesis 37:31–35
- And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood;
- And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son’s coat or no.
- And he knew it, and said, It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.
- And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
- 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.
A helpful thing to keep in mind
Read the setting before drawing a map. A definition of the word does not tell us the shape, depth or arrangement of the world below.
Check the word and sources
The short explanation is a reading guide. The quoted verses are KJV. Lexical sources explain the words; they do not supply a measured map.
Only the selected verses and bounded surrounding contexts used by this glossary. Whitespace normalized; words unchanged.
Inspected · 2026-10-20Public-domain KJV English text. It is a translation, not a Hebrew/Greek critical edition.
Strong’s and Brown–Driver–Briggs lexical sections and relevant verse usage. Paraphrased in original words; no copied topical commentary.
Inspected · 2026-10-20Historical lexical guidance, not a modern physical map or proof of a chamber hierarchy. Page also contains other commentary not adopted here.