The Flat Earth Bible

05 of 10 – Sheol - Land of the Dead

 1. Dead people exist under the
ground in Sheol (Not Hell)
• It is possible to dig down to Sheol. (Amos 9:2)
• Korah goes down to Sheol (Numbers 16:32 – 33)
• Samuel comes up from Sheol (1 Samuel 28: 11 – 14 )
• Saul and his sons will end up in Sheol after death.
(1 Samuel 28:19 )
• Jacob expects to go down to Sheol (Genesis 37:35 )
• Job expects to go down to Sheol (Job 17:16 )
• The King of Babylon will go down to Sheol after death
(Isaiah 14: 9-11 )
• Pharaoh will go down to Sheol after death (Ezekiel 31:
15 – 16)
Orpheus in the Greek Underworld

The Bible contains

similar ideas about
an underground
land of the dead
 Sheol : The Land of the Dead*

In the Old
Testament, the
dead go to an
underground
region called
Sheol, or the Pit.
Earth
Both the good and
wicked went there
Sheol except for a few
special individuals
who were taken up
to Heaven.

*NB: Gehenna or “Hell” was an idea developed in only the last couple of centuries BC,
by which time, most of the Old Testament had already been written without it.
 Amos 9:2 Digging down to Sheol
“Though they dig into Sheol,from there shall my hand take them;
though they climb up to Heaven,from there I will bring them down.” RSV

“Though they dig into Hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they
climb up to Heaven, thence will I bring them down.” KJV

“Even if they dig their way down to the world of the dead, I will catch them.
Even if they climb up to Heaven, I will bring them down. .” GNB

“Should they burrow into Sheol, my hand will haul them out; should they climb
to Heaven, I shall bring them down . “ JB

“'If they dig down into She´ol, from there my own hand will take them; and if
they go up to the Heavens, from there I shall bring them down” NWT
Numbers 16:32 & 33 - Korah goes
down to Sheol

God sends Korah &

His supporters
down to Sheol for
rebelling against
Moses

“The Lord kills and

brings to life;
he brings down to
Sheol and raises up”
(1 Samuel 2: 6 RSV)
Numbers 16:32 & 33 - Korah goes down
to Sheol
“And the Earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households
and all the men that belonged to Korah and all their goods.
So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol; and the Earth
closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly.” RSV

“And the Earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses,
and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all
that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the Earth closed upon
them: and they perished from among the congregation. “ KJV

“and ( the ground) swallowed them and their families, together with all of Korah's
followers and their possessions. So they went down alive to the world of the
dead, with their possessions. The Earth closed over them, and they vanished. “
GNB
Numbers 16:32 & 33 - Korah goes down
to Sheol (Continued)

“The Earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their families, all Korah's
people and all their property. They went down alive to Sheol with all their
belongings. The Earth closed over them and they disappeared in the middle
of the community. ” JB

“'And the Earth proceeded to open its mouth and to swallow up them and
their households and all humankind that belonged to Ko´rah and all the
goods. So down they went, and all who belonged to them, alive into She´ol,
and the Earth went covering them over, so that they perished from the midst
of the congregation. .“ NWT
1 Samuel 28: 11 – 14 King Saul &
the Witch of Endor

The dead Prophet

Samuel comes up
from Sheol

“The Lord kills and

brings to life; he
brings down to
Sheol and raises up”
(1 Samuel 2: 6 RSV)
 1 Samuel 28: 11 – 14 King Saul & the
Witch of Endor
“Then the woman said, "Whom shall I bring up for you?" He said, "Bring up
Samuel for me." …..He said to her, "What is his appearance?" And she said,
"An old man is coming up; and he is wrapped in a robe." And Saul knew that it
was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance. ”
RSV

“Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me
up Samuel. …..And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old
man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it
was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself”
KJV

“"Whom shall I call up for you?" the woman asked. "Samuel," he answered.
…..."What does it look like?" he asked. "It's an old man coming up," she
answered. "He is wearing a cloak." Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he
bowed to the ground in respect. “ GNB
 1 Samuel 28: 11 – 14 King Saul & the
Witch of Endor (Continued)
“The woman asked, 'Whom shall I conjure up for you?' He replied, 'Conjure
up Samuel.‘…..'What is he like?' he asked. She replied, 'It is an old man
coming up; he is wrapped in a cloak.' Saul then knew that it was Samuel
and, bowing to the ground, prostrated himself. ” JB

“'At this the woman said: “Whom shall I bring up for you?” To this he said:
“Bring up Samuel for me. …..At once he said to her: “What is his form?” to
which she said: “It is an old man coming up, and he has himself covered with
a sleeveless coat.” At that Saul recognized that it was “Samuel,” and he
proceeded to bow low with his face to the earth and to prostrate himself..“
NWT
1 Samuel 28:19 The death of Saul

The death of King Saul as

foretold by the Prophet
Samuel.

Samuel foretold that Saul

and his sons would end
up down in Sheol after
death.

Samuel had been in Sheol

Since his death some
time earlier.
 1 Sam 28:19 Saul will end up in Sheol

“Moreover the Lord will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines;
and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me; the Lord will give the army of
Israel also into the hand of the Philistines." RSV

“Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the
Philistines: and tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the Lord also shall
deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines “ KJV

“He will give you and Israel over to the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons
will join me, and the Lord will also give the army of Israel over to the Philistines. “
GNB
 1 Sam 28:19 Saul will end up in Sheol
(Continued)
“What is more, Yahweh will deliver Israel and you too, into the power of the
Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me; and Yahweh will hand
over the army of Israel into the power of the Philistines'.” RSV

“And Jehovah will also give Israel with you into the hand of the Phi·lis´tines, and
tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. Even the camp of Israel Jehovah
will give into the hand of the Phi·lis´tines“ NWT
 Genesis 37: 35 Lament of Jacob

When Jacob was told that Joseph,

his favourite son was dead, he
exclaimed that he would go down to
Joseph in Sheol heartbroken
 Genesis 37:35 Jacob to go down to
Joseph in Sheol after death
“All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be
comforted, and said, "No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning." Thus
his father wept for him.” RSV

“And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to
be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son
mourning. Thus his father wept for him. “ KJV

“All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted
and said, "I will go down to the world of the dead still mourning for my son." So
he continued to mourn for his son Joseph“ GNB

“All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted.
'No,' he said, 'I will go down to Sheol in mourning and join my son.' Thus his
father wept for him. “ JB
 Genesis 37:35 Continued
“'And all his sons and all his daughters kept rising up to comfort him, but he kept
refusing to take comfort and saying: “For I shall go down mourning to my son into
She´ol!” And his father continued weeping for him. .” NWT
 Job 17:13 - 16
Job expects to go
down to Sheol
after death
Job (bottom & 2nd from
the left) talking to God
(middle of picture)
by William Blake.

See also:
Job 7:9
Amos 9:2
Isaiah 38:10
 Job 17:13 - 16 Job expects to go down
to Sheol after death
“If I look for Sheol as my house,if I spread my couch in darkness,
if I say to the pit, `You are my father,'and to the worm, `My mother,' or `My sister,'
where then is my hope?Who will see my hope?Will it go down to the bars of
Sheol?Shall we descend together into the dust?".” RSV

“If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness. I have
said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my
sister. And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it? They shall
go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust. “ KJV

“My only hope is the world of the dead, where I will lie down to sleep in the dark. I
will call the grave my father, and the worms that eat me I will call my mother and
my sisters. Where is there any hope for me? Who sees any? Hope will not go
with me when I go down to the world of the dead. . “ GNB
 Job 17:13 - 16 Continued
“When all I want, in fact, is to dwell in Sheol and in that darkness there to make
my bed! To the tomb, I cry, 'You are my father!' -- to the worm, 'You are my
mother-you, my sister!' Where then is my hope? Who can see any happiness for
me? unless they come down to Sheol with me, all of us sinking into the dust
together? “ JB

“'If I keep waiting, She´ol is my house;In the darkness I shall have to spread out
my lounge. To the pit I shall have to call out, ‘You are my father!’
To the maggot, ‘My mother and my sister!’ So where, then, is my hope?
And my hope—who is it that beholds it? To the bars of She´ol they will go down,
When we, all together, must descend to the very dust.” NWT
Isaiah 14:9 - 11 Nebuchadnezzar to end
up down in Sheol* after death

Isaiah prophesied that

the King of Babylon would
be sent down to Sheol as
shown in this picture by
William Blake

Ezekiel prophesied a
similar fate for Pharaoh.
(Ezekiel 31: 15 – 16)
*NB:The reference to “Hell” in the King James Version
rather than “Sheol” is a C17th translation error. See also:
Ezekiel 32:27
Isaiah 14:9 - 11 Nebuchadnezzar to end
up down in Sheol after death
“Sheol beneath is stirred up to meet you when you come,it rouses the shades to
greet you,all who were leaders of the Earth;it raises from their thrones all who
were kings of the nations.All of them will speak and say to you:`You too have
become as weak as we!You have become like us!'Your pomp is brought down to
Sheol,. RSV

“Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the
dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the Earth; it hath raised up from their
thrones all the kings of the nations. All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art
thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? Thy pomp is
brought down to the grave, “ KJV
 Isaiah 14:9 - 11 Continued
"The world of the dead is getting ready to welcome the king of Babylon. The
ghosts of those who were powerful on Earth are stirring about. The ghosts of
kings are rising from their thrones. They all call out to him, 'Now you are as weak
as we are! You are one of us! You used to be honoured with the music of harps,
but now here you are in the world of the dead. “ GNB

'On your account, Sheol below is astir to greet your arrival. He has roused the
ghosts to greet you, all the rulers of the world. He has made all the kings of the
nations get up from their thrones. They will all greet you with the words, "So, you
too are now as weak as we are! You, too, have become like us. Your pride has
been flung down to Sheol. “ JB

'Even She´ol underneath has become agitated at you in order to meet you on
coming in. At you it has awakened those impotent in death, all the goatlike
leaders of the Earth. It has made all the kings of the nations get up from their
thrones. 10 All of them speak up and say to you, ‘Have you yourself also been
made weak like us? Is it to us that you have been made comparable? 11 Down
to She´ol your pride has been brought,.’ NWT
Ezekiel 31:15 – 18 Pharaoh to end up in
Sheol
“When I cast it (a tree representing the king) down to Sheol with those who go
down to the Pit; and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all
that drink water, will be comforted in the nether world” RSV

“When I cast him down to Hell with them that descend into the pit: and all the
trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, shall be
comforted in the nether parts of the Earth. “ KJV

“When I send it down to the World of the dead, the noise of its downfall will shake
the nations. All the trees of Eden and all the choice, well-watered trees of
Lebanon who have gone to the world below will be pleased at its downfall.”
GNB
 Ezekiel 31:15 – 18 Continued

“As I hurled it down to Sheol, with those who sink into oblivion. In the depths of
the underworld all the trees of Eden took comfort, the pick of the loveliest trees of
the Lebanon, to the depths of the underworld ……went down to Sheol with it, to
those who have been slaughtered by the sword ” JB

“'I bring it down to She´ol with those going down into the pit, and in the land down
below all the trees of E´den, the choicest and the best of Leb´a·non, all those
drinking water, will be comforted …… With him they themselves also have gone
down to She´ol, to those slain by the sword, “ NWT
The Waters of the Greek Underworld

In Greek Mythology
it was believed that
the land of the dead
was surrounded by
water.

The Bible contains

similar ideas about
the land of the
dead being encircled
by water.
Charon crossing the River Styx
Exodus 20 :4 Waters under the Earth

Moses and the Ten

Commandments.

These include a
prohibition on making
images of entities
existing in the Waters
under the Earth.

These Waters may

be in Sheol or the
Great Deep or both.
 Exodus 20 :4 Waters under the Earth

“You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything
that is in Heaven above, or that is in the Earth beneath, or that is in the water
under the Earth.” RSV & KJV

“Do not make for yourselves images of anything in Heaven or on Earth or in the
water under the Earth." GNB

“'You shall not make yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything in
Heaven above or on Earth beneath or in the waters under the Earth.“ JB

“'You must not make for yourself a carved image or a form like anything that is
in the Heavens above or that is on the Earth underneath or that is in the waters
under the Earth. ” NWT
Job 26:5-6 Underground waters of Sheol
“The shades below tremble,the waters and their inhabitants.
Sheol is naked before God,and Abaddon has no covering.” RSV

“Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof.
Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.” KJV

“The spirits of the dead tremble in the waters under the Earth. The world of the
dead lies open to God; no covering shields it from his sight." GNB

“Those who are deceased tremble,Those beneath the waters and all that live in
them. Sheol is naked before God and Abaddon has no covering. “ JB

“'Those impotent in death keep trembling.Beneath the waters and those residing
in them. She´ol is naked in front of him,and [the place of] destruction has no
covering. ” NWT
 Ezekiel 31:14-15 Rivers of Sheol
“For they are all given over to death, to the nether world among mortal men, with
those who go down to the Pit ……When it goes down to Sheol I will make the
deep mourn for it, & restrain its rivers, & many waters shall be stopped; .” RSV

“For they are all delivered unto death, to the nether parts of the Earth, in the midst
of the children of men, with them that go down to the pit ….. In the day when he
went down to the grave I caused a mourning: I covered the deep for him, and I
restrained the floods thereof, and the great waters were stayed” KJV

“All of them are doomed to die like mortals, doomed to join those who go down to
the world of the dead…… On the day when the tree goes to the world of the dead,
I will make the underground waters cover it as a sign of mourning. I will hold back
the rivers and not let the many streams flow out." GNB

“For all of them are doomed to death, to the depths of the underworld, with the
common run of humanity…… The day it went down to Sheol, I imposed mourning,
I closed the deep over it. I stopped its rivers and the plentiful waters dried up“
JB
 Ezekiel 31:14-15 Continued

“‘For they will certainly all of them be given to death, to the land down below, in
the midst of the sons of mankind, to those going down into the pit.’ …… ‘On the
day of its going down to She´ol I shall certainly cause a mourning. On its account I
will cover the watery deep, that I may hold back its streams and [that] the many
waters may be restrained” NWT
 2:Samuel 22:5,17 King David and the
waters of Sheol
“For the waves of death encompassed me,the torrents of perdition assailed me.
He reached from on high, he took me,he drew me out of many waters” RSV

“When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me
afraid; He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters.” KJV

“The waves of death were all around me; the waves of destruction rolled over
me. The Lord reached down from above and took hold of me; he pulled me out of
the deep waters." GNB

“With death's breakers closing in on me, Belial's torrents ready to swallow me.
He reached down from on high, snatched me up, pulled me from the watery
depths,“ JB

“'For deadly breaking waves encircled me;There were flash floods of good-for-
nothing [men] that kept terrifying me. He was sending from on high, he was
taking me,He was drawing me out of great waters. ” NWT
 Psalm 69:14-15 Waters of Sheol
“Let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters. Let not the
flood sweep over me,or the deep swallow me up,or the pit close its mouth over
me.” RSV

“let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.
Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let
not the pit shut her mouth upon me.” KJV

“Keep me safe from my enemies, safe from the deep water. Don't let the flood
come over me; don't let me drown in the depths or sink into the grave." GNB

“I shall be saved from those who hate me, from the watery depths. Let not the
waves wash over me, nor the deep swallow me up, nor the pit close its mouth
on me“ JB

“The productive land also becomes firmly established so that it cannot be made
to totter. ” NWT
 Psalm 69:14-15 Continued

“'O may I be delivered from those hating me and from the deep waters. O may
not the flowing stream of waters wash me away,Nor the depth swallow me up,
Nor the well close its mouth over me. ” NWT
Jonah 2:2 - 6 Sheol is like the belly of
Whale under the sea

In this story, Jonah

compares The belly
of a Whale to Sheol
and the surrounding
Ocean to The
Waters of Sheol.

Sheol is portrayed as
a place deep
underground that
is surrounded by
water.
 Jonah 2:2-6 Sheol like the belly of a
Whale under the sea
“The waters closed in over me,the deep was round about me;weeds were
wrapped about my head at the roots of the mountains.I went down to the
land whose bars closed upon me for ever;yet thou didst bring up my life from
the Pit.” RSV

“And the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed
over me. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the Earth with her
bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from
corruption.” KJV

“The water came over me and choked me; the sea covered me completely,
and seaweed wrapped around my head. I went down to the very roots of the
mountains, into the land whose gates lock shut forever. But you, O Lord my
God, brought me back from the depths alive." GNB
 Jonah 2:2-6 Continued

“The waters round me rose to my neck, the deep was closing round me,
seaweed twining round my head. To the roots of the mountains, I sank into
the underworld, and its bars closed round me for ever. But you raised my life
from the Pit, Yahweh my God! “ JB

“Waters encircled me clear to [the] soul; the watery deep itself kept
enclosing me.Weeds were wound around my head. To the bottoms of [the]
mountains I went down.As for the earth, its bars were upon me for time
indefinite.But out of [the] pit you proceeded to bring up my life, O Jehovah
my God. . ” NWT
The Waters of Sheol beneath the Earth

Waters Waters
of Sheol of Sheol
Earth

Sheol

The Great Deep

Continued on next Presentation ……