Places & biblical world
Sheol
The Hebrew Bible’s term for the realm of the dead.
Also called · the grave · realm of the dead
What it means
Sheol is pictured as the destination of the dead and as a place of silence, darkness, or powerlessness.
Its use is broader than a simple synonym for final punishment and sometimes overlaps poetic language for the grave or mortal danger.
How it appears in the Bible
Jacob expects to descend to Sheol in grief, while Psalms pray for deliverance from its power.
Translation note
Translations vary among “Sheol,” “grave,” “pit,” and “realm of the dead.”