By Daymond Duck

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Some people say the grave and hell are the same place. They make this mistake because two different Hebrew words have been translated “grave” in the Old Testament. Both words mean pit. But a study of how the words are used shows that they refer to two different kinds of pits.

The first word, ““Qeber”,” refers to a pit that is a grave, burying place, or sepulcher. The second word, “Sheol,” refers to a pit that is the underworld, subterranean world, or the world of the dead. Notice that “Qeber” and Sheol both mean “pit,” but keep in mind that they refer to different kinds of pits. The body of a lost person might be put in a “Qeber” (a pit called the grave). But the lost person’s soul and spirit will go to a “Sheol” (a pit called hell). There is a big difference.

ABODE OF THE BODY

A study of how the Hebrew word “Qeber” (pit, grave, burying place or sepulcher) is used in the Old Testament shows that:

1. People dug pits called “Qebers” (graves).

2. People touched pits called “Qebers” (graves).

3. People buried people in pits called “Qebers” (graves).

4. People put pits called “Qebers” (graves) on the face of the earth.

5. People don’t know things in pits called “Qebers” (graves).

ABODE OF THE LOST PERSON’S SOUL AND SPIRIT

A study of how the Hebrew word “Sheol” (pit, underworld, subterranean world, or world of the dead) is used in the Old Testament shows that:

1. People never dug a pit called “Sheol” (hell or the underworld).

2. People never touched a pit called “Sheol” (hell or the underworld).

3. People never buried anyone in a pit called “Sheol” (hell or the underworld).

4. People never put a pit called “Sheol” (hell or the underworld) on the face of the earth.

5. People know things in a pit called “Sheol” (hell or the subterranean world).

It is easy to see the difference between “Qebers” (graves or a pit for the body) and “Sheol” (hell or a pit for the lost person’s soul and spirit). But the Old Testament translators were inconsistent. They properly translated the Hebrew word “Sheol” to mean hell about half the time. But they improperly translated it to mean grave the other half of the time. When they improperly translated the word “Sheol” (hell) to mean grave they created a conflict with the Hebrew word “Qeber” (grave). Their improper translation has led to the false teaching that the pit called ”hell” and the pit called “grave” are the same place.

So if someone tells you the grave and hell are the same place, just remember that the confusion is caused by a translation problem.

 

Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck
daymondduck@bellsouth.net
rachelduck@bellsouth.net