This essay covers the following points.
Summary
1. Gehenna Misinterpretation: “Gehenna” is often incorrectly translated as “Hell.” It originates from the “Valley of Hinnom” (gey Hinnom), a location associated with child sacrifices to the false God Molech during the reigns of Kings Ahaz and Manasseh.
2. Biblical Context: Jeremiah mentions that the Valley of Hinnom is linked to divine wrath and judgment. Jesus used the term “Gehenna” in the Synoptic Gospels to symbolize future eschatological judgment and a place of torment.
3. Practices of Kings Ahaz and Manasseh: Both kings engaged in abominable acts, including child sacrifice and idolatry, leading to God’s anger.
4. Warning Against Sin: Jesus warned against behaviors that could lead to Gehenna, distinguishing it from Hades, which serves as a temporary holding place for the unrighteous.
5. Eschatological Interpretation: There is debate over whether references to Gehenna pertain primarily to eternal torment or a warning against wicked behavior. Some interpret them as references to historical persecution during the Roman conquest.
6. Distinction Between Hades and Sheol: Hades, often linked to the Greek mythological underworld, is seen as a place where only the wicked descend, while Sheol is a broader term for the netherworld, encompassing all souls.
7. Lack of Detailed Descriptions: Detailed descriptions of the torments of Hades and Gehenna arose in postbiblical literature rather than the biblical texts themselves.
For countless eons, the biblical term “Gehenna” has been erroneously translated as “Hell.” In its original translation, “Gehenna” was a transliteration of a location known as the “Valley of Hinnom.” The text itself consists of two words: “gey Hinnom.” The first mention of this place appears in Chronicles 28, referring to King Ahaz of Judah, who committed heinous acts in the eyes of God.
According to the Lexham Bible Dictionary, A transliteration of “Valley of Hinnom” (גֵּי הִנֹּם, gey hinnom), a boundary marker between Judah and Benjamin (Joshua 15:8; 18:16). Jeremiah began to associate the place-name with God’s divine wrath and judgment (Jeremiah 7:32, 19:6) because Kings Ahaz and Manasseh started to sacrificing their children to Molech there (2 Kings 16:3, 21:6). The term “Gehenna” is primarily used in the Synoptic Gospels as a symbol of future eschatological judgment (Matthew 23:33). The term is almost always used by Jesus Himself (except in James 3:6), and bears the sense of a place of physical and spiritual torment and destruction (Matthew 5:29–30, Jas 3:6; Matthew 10:28; Luke 12:5). The Gospel writers based their usage on Jeremiah’s reinterpretation of the sacrifices in the Hinnom Valley and Isaiah’s final prophecy of the undying worm and unquenchable fire (Isaiah 66:24; compare Mark 9:48). Winters, C. T. (2016).
Grk “the Gehenna of fire.” sn The word translated hell is “Gehenna” (γέεννα, geenna), a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew words ge Hinnom (“Valley of Hinnom”). This was the valley along the south side of Jerusalem. In OT times, it was used for human sacrifices to the pagan God Molech (cf. Jeremiah 7:31; 19:5–6; 32:35), and it came to be used as a place where human excrement and rubbish were disposed of and burned. In the intertestamental period, it came to be used symbolically as the place of divine punishment (New English Translation).
During the reign of King Ahaz, the Israelites engaged in the abhorrent practice of sacrificing infants and children to the false God Molak, in addition to offering sacrifices to the false God Baals. As recorded in 2 Chronicles 28:3, “He burned sacrifices in the Valley of Ben Hinnom and sacrificed his children in the fire, perpetrating the despicable customs of the nations the Lord had expelled before the Israelites.”
In the subsequent chapters of 2 Chronicles 33, we encounter another king who followed the same path as the preceding one. This king, Manasseh, engaged in highly reprehensible practices. He sacrificed his children in the fire of the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination and witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. His actions were deeply offensive to the Lord, arousing his anger. Manasseh’s wickedness extended beyond these practices. He worshipped the stars, erected altars dedicated to Baals, and erected sacred poles to honor the false goddess Asherah. Additionally, he desecrated God’s temple.
Another commentary states that although not describing the torments of Gehenna, Jesus warned his disciples to take all precautions so as not to fall victim to them. Those who call their brother a fool (Matthew 5:22), those who give in to sinful inclinations (Matthew 5:29–30; Mark 9:45, 47; Matthew 18:9; Mark 9:43), and the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23:15, 33) are liable to Gehenna. A person destined to Gehenna can be designated “a child of Gehenna” (Matthew 23:15). Besides being the fate of the wicked (Revelation 20:15; 21:8), Gehenna is the fate awaiting the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10), the beast and the false prophet (Revelation 19:20; 20:10), and death and Hades (Revelation 20:13–14). With the possible exception of Luke 12:5, the New Testament distinguishes Gehenna from Hades. Whereas Hades is the provisional place of the ungodly between death, resurrection, and final judgment (cf. Revelation 20:13–14 where Hades yields up its dead for judgment and is thrown into the lake of fire at the last judgment), Gehenna is the eternal place of the wicked after final judgment. Hades receives the soul only (Acts 2:27, 31), and Gehenna receives both body and soul (Matthew 10:28; cf. Luke 12:5). The New Testament does not describe the torment of Gehenna or portray Satan as the Lord of Gehenna. These are later literary accouterments. Watson, D. F. (1992).
It is noteworthy to observe the extensive thought and speculation surrounding the representation of Gehenna. In the study of eschatology, one may find oneself in a position akin to extracting grape juice from an orange. What if references to Gehenna as a location do not predominantly pertain to a place of eternal torment but rather serve as a commentary on the malevolent actions of wicked individuals, encouraging one to refrain from being enticed into such nefarious behavior? For instance, references to Matthew 23, Revelations 19, and 20 could reference the persecution during the war from AD 64 to AD 70, where the Roman forces were conducting these same practices as outlined in Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Mark 13.
Is there a place that we could say is a sort of hell that Scripture supports? Yes!
In the Septuagint, the word shawl is most often translated as “Hades” (‘Αδης, Adēs), which refers to the netherworld in Greek mythology. In the New Testament, Hades resembles Sheol in that people must descend into both places (Matthew 11:23; Luke 10:15), and both locations are inescapable. The main difference between Hades and Sheol is that only the wicked descend into Hades (1 Petter 3:19). The torments of Hades (later called hell) are not intricately detailed until postbiblical times. Neal, D. A. (2016).
For Matthew 11:23, exalted … brought down. Capernaum’s inhabitants may have felt a sense of pride because Jesus had adopted it as His hometown. But their failure to heed His message would plunge them into the depths of Hades, a term that here designates hell. (Lutheran Study Bible).
For Matthew 11:23, Capernaum’s pride and punishment are described in language taken from the taunt song against the king of Babylon (Isaiah 14:13-15). (Catholic Study Bible).
In Matthew 11:23, the place of the dead is Greek Hades, which corresponds to the Hebrew term Sheol. Psalm 6:5: From the grave? Hebrew from Sheol? In the Old Testament, Sheol is the abode of the dead. It is not necessarily associated with punishment (NLT Study Bible).
For Matthew 11:23, Jesus applies to Capernaum an image from the prophecy against Babylon in Isaiah 14:11–12. (NIV Cultural Background Study Bible).
For 1 Peter 3:19, Christ descended into hell to declare His victory over death and all evil forces. His power surpasses all others. Scripture does not teach that He offered these spirits a second chance for salvation. “It is enough if we know that Christ descended into hell, destroyed hell for all believers, and delivered them from the power of death and the devil, from eternal condemnation and the jaws of hell. We will save our questions ‹and not curiously investigate› about how this happened until the other world. Then not only this ‹mystery› but others also will be revealed that we believe here and cannot grasp with our blind reason.” (Lutheran Study Bible).
For 1 Peter 3:19, The spirits in prison: It is unclear who these spirits are. They may be spirits of the sinners who died in the flood, or angelic powers, hostile to God, who Christ has overcome (cf. 1 Peter 3:22; Genesis 6:4; Enoch 6-36, especially 21:6; 2 Enoch 7:1-5). (Catholic Study Bible).
I propose that Gehenna is frequently misinterpreted, and the notion that it represents the ultimate hell is erroneous. Additionally, the Old Testament’s use of the transliterated Gehenna is inaccurate regarding a location known as hell. I reserve the interpretation of these passages to the reader of the Scriptures. I present my perspective on hell, acknowledging the possibility of future revisions to my understanding.
References
Neal, D. A. (2016). Sheol. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, L. Wentz, E. Ritzema, & W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Lexham Press.
Winters, C. T. (2016). Gehenna. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, L. Wentz, E. Ritzema, & W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Lexham Press.
Watson, D. F. (1992). Gehenna (Place). In D. N. Freedman (Ed.), The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (Vol. 2, p. 927). Doubleday.
Biblical Studies Press. (2006). The NET Bible First Edition Notes (Mt 5:22). Biblical Studies Press.
Engelbrecht, E. A. (2009). The Lutheran Study Bible. Concordia Publishing House.
Keener, C. S., & Walton, J. H., eds. (2016). NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture. Zondervan.
Senior, D., Collins, J. J., & Getty, M. A., eds. (2011). The Catholic Study Bible, 2nd ed.: Notes (2nd ed., Vol. 2). Oxford University Press.
New Living Translation Study Bible (2008). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Essay by Mike Kovach 01/10/2025
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