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Bible Encyclopedias
Hell
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
or
1. The Word in the King James Version
The English word, from a Teutonic root meaning "to hide" or "cover," had originally the significance of the world of the dead generally, and in this sense is used by Chaucer, Spenser, etc., and in the Creed ("He descended into hell"); compare the English Revised Version Preface. Now the word has come to mean almost exclusively the place of punishment of the lost or finally impenitent; the place of torment of the wicked. In the King James Version of the Scriptures, it is the rendering adopted in many places in the Old Testament for the Hebrew word
2. The Word in the Revised Version
In the above cases the Revised Version (British and American) has introduced changes, replacing "hell" by "Sheol" in the passages in the Old Testament (the English Revised Version retains "hell" in Isaiah 14:9 , Isaiah 14:15; the American Standard Revised Version makes no exception), and by "Hades" in the passages in the New Testament (see under these words).
3. Gehenna
Besides the above uses, and more in accordance with the modern meaning, the word "hell" is used in the New Testament in the King James Version as the equivalent of Gehenna (12 t; Matthew 5:22 , Matthew 5:29; Matthew 10:28 , etc.). the Revised Version (British and American) in these cases puts "Gehenna" in the margin. Originally the Valley of Hinnom, near Jerusalem, Gehenna became among the Jews the synonym for the place of torment in the future life (the "Gehenna of fire," Matthew 5:22 , etc.; see GEHENNA ).
4. Tartarus
In yet one other passage in the New Testament (2 Peter 2:4 ), "to cast down to hell" is used (the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American)) to represent the Greek
On theological aspect, see
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Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Hell'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/isb/h/hell.html. 1915.
