GPLindsey

I read the Bible cover to cover last year and one thing that struck me was that the Old Testament was largely silent on an afterlife at all, and Satan was just mentioned in a few places. God gave the Jews lots of warnings about how bad things would be for them if they didn't follow his laws, but my read was that this was referring to their future generations, not to an afterlife concerning them specifically. I cannot recall seeing the word Hell or Hades actually cited in the Old Testament--is it in there?

The New Testament if flush with warnings about Satan and Hell, of course. My Armchair Archeologist conclusion is that the early Christians morphed the pagan Greek legend of the God Hades and his Underworld kingdom for the Dead (Tartarus?) into their myth of a Hell presided over by Satan.

Nectaris

I know that the Hebrew Scriptures often refer to a place called Sheol, and in various bibles this has been translated as underworld, grave, or hell (usually some mixture of the the three). In the KJV there are 31 mentions of hell, while a search of the NRSV lists none. Cross referencing some of the references with the 1917 JPS, it either remains in the text untranslated or it is translated as nether-world. I'm stuck at work now, so I don't have access to my Tanakh, which is a more recent translation.

Tim Callahan in The Secret Origins of the Bible mentions that Sheol was thought to be a final resting place where everyone goes regardless of their behavior in this world. I've often wondered about this myself, so I'll be looking forward to see any replies on this.

Dave

Amlodhi

The Hebrew word in the OT is actually "sheol", but is often translated as hell, hades, etc.

Try:

Deut. 32:22
II Sam. 22:6
Job 11:8
Ps. 9:17
Ps. 16:10
Ps. 18:5
Ps. 55:15
Ps. 86:13
Ps. 116:3
Ps. 139:8
Prov. 5:5
Prov. 7:27
Prov. 9:18
Prov. 15:11
Prov. 15:24
Prov. 23:14
Prov. 27:20
Is. 5:14
Is. 14:9
Is. 14:15
Is. 28:15
Is. 28:18
Is. 57:9
Ez. 31:16
Ez. 31:17
Ez. 32:21
Ez. 32:27
Amos 9:2
Jonah 2:2
Hab. 2:5

Hope that helps,

Amlodhi

Amlodhi

Yes. Thanks Nectaris.

Sheol translated as "grave" in kjv (and others):

Gen. 37:35
Gen. 42:38
Gen. 44:29
Gen. 44:31
I Sam. 2:6
I Kg. 2:6
I Kg. 2:9
Job 7:9
Job 14:13
Job 17:13
Job 21:13
Job 24:19
Job 33:22
Ps. 6:5 - 30:3 - 31:17 - 49:14 - 49:15 - 88:3 - 89:48
Prov. 1:12
Prov. 30:16
Eccl. 9:10
Song 8:6
Is. 14:11
Is. 38:10
Is. 38:18
Ez. 31:15
Hos. 13:14

Note any differences between the concept of Sheol when it is translated as Hell as compared to when it is translated as grave. The KJV and others likes to put their preferred spin on it.

Thanks again Nectaris.

Amlodhi

Roland

The late Jewish and Christian concept of hell as a place of torment seems to derive from Zoroastrianism, which also preached a Day of Judgment similar to the one in Christianity.

Amaleq13

It is my understanding that the conception of Satan as God's opposition, rather than humanity's "Adversary" also derives from Zoroastrianism.

That is why the guy who apparently works for God and hangs out in heaven from Job becomes the fallen angel and ruler of hell in Revelation.

Sensei Meela

Another point I think your post hits on, Lindsey, is that in the OT, 'salvation' was very much a community thing; so, too, was 'retribution.' The idea of personal salvation as a means of victory over the grave is an NT invention.

Or at least, as I understand it.

Roland

Yea, Satan ain't a half bad guy in the OT.

Biff the unclean

Yes, that would be Angra Mainyu.
Interesting though, in Zoroastrianism Hell is not eternal. Once you have paid for your sins your time there ends.

Roland

Hades had a prettier wife though.

That Persephone, I hear, was one hot (pardon the pun) babe.