Does anyone know what the ANCIENT concept of hell was among Jewish people?

Question

I mean maybe in the days of King David? Is there any historical documentation that proves what the ancient Jews believed? Has Judaism changed or branched off in it's thinking since those days? Thank you!

Answer 1

Daniel 12:2 proclaims "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt." Judaism does not have a specific doctrine about the afterlife, but it does have a tradition of describing Gehenna. Gehenna is not Hell, but rather a sort of Purgatory where one is judged based on his or her life's deeds. The Kabbalah describes it as a "waiting room" (commonly translated as an "entry way") for all souls (not just the wicked). The overwhelming majority of rabbinic thought maintains that people are not in Gehenna forever; the longest that one can be there is said to be 11 months, however there has been the occasional noted exception. Some consider it a spiritual forge where the soul is purified for its eventual ascent to Olam Habah "The world to come", often viewed as analogous to Heaven). This is also mentioned in the Kabbalah, where the soul is described as breaking, like the flame of a candle lighting another: the part of the soul that ascends being pure and the "unfinished" piece being reborn.
Note that the Kabballah has been in existence long before King David, therefore it is safe to say that the aforementioned beliefs were shared by ancient Jews.

Answer 2

In the Greek New Testament, you find that what we call Hell is the Greek word Hades. Hades was simply known to the Greeks as the land of the Dead. It was a waiting place for the next event. To the Jews, their concept is Sheol which is the land of the dead. A waiting place to where God decides you have been righteous enough to enter into eternal rest or whether or not you would be punished. The modern Christian Concept of Hell is the Lake of Fire which does not exist in the Jewish literature and is not to be confused with Hell at all. The Lake of Fire is shut up till after the Final Battle.

Answer 3

There is some good evidence that the devil and hell was borrowed from the Babylonians who had fully developed the concept and this cross influence is estimated to have taken place around 600-800 B.C.

Given that for a long time the Bible, like the Koran and others, was verbally handed down there is no written records on the issue apart from what survives from the Babylonians.

The Pagans, Egyptians, Greeks, Norse, Buddhists, Hindus and others have types of hells defined in some detail. The concept of hell was not part of any core Jewish and even early Christian teachings but rather found its way in through beliefs about punishment hence the creation of Dante's famous works.

That does not necessarily mean that hell or hells do not exist just that it was not part of those core teachings.

Answer 4

There was no concept of an afterlife in ancient Judaism. They believed that one went down into sheol -- the unknown.

Today's Judaism is called Rabbinic Judaism and has evolved in many directions.

Thank you for your question. I'm always pleased to find someone with an open mind.
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Answer 5

There isn't a mention of hell nor heaven in the ancient hebrew Sanscrit texts. In ancient Hebrew Scriptures, the authors stated that everyone would go to the same place after death--Sheol. They would be isolated from God. It would not matter whether one had led a good or an evil life while on earth.

You also have to keep in mind the time period in which the OT scriptures were written. The vast majority of scriptures were written during the reign of Josiah--Solomon's son. King Solomon was said to have defied tradition and elevate 2 men to the position of High Priest--a reflection of his majesty and arrogancy.

Upon taking the throne, Josiah fell back on tradition and deposed on the high priests which started a political/religous civil war. The two factions came known as the House of Israel and the House of Judea. Which is why when you read some books in the OT, they say the house of Judea fell away from God, while others say that it was the house of Israel that fell away from god, and then there are books like Ezekiel that say that they BOTH fell away from god.

One of the issues that was created in forming the bible. They pulled scriptures from different 'denominations'.

The history of the Hebrew tradition is interesting. The continual distruction of the their societies and various exiles from the 'holy land' has create many separate sects within Judism. For a short overview try http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_history

Answer 6

Based on the Old Testament alone, it appears that the ancient Jews seemed to have only a vague concept of the afterlife and the judgement that came after.

Answer 7

The documentation we have is based on the documentation from the time of David and earlier. The written Torah (five Books of Moses) obviouslyt preceed David- but they have only a few vague hints about the World to Come. A lot more is learnt from the Midrash (Stories based on the esoteric meaning of the text and initially passed down only orally) which goes into more detail. A more complete picture is obtained from Sefer Yetziraj which is said to have been passed down orally after being composed by Abraham- and support for this is found in the Talmud where it is sometimes referred to in passing (like all works in the realm of sod (secret), it is never directly quoted or expounded on in the Talmud)

Additionally- the book of Job is probably one of the oldest of the texts in the Tanach (what non-Jews refer to as the Old Testament). The book of Job is understood by most as being the first written book in the realm of ksod and not to be taken literally. At the most simplistic level of understanding- it shows that when it was written (probably before the time of David) their understanding of the World to Come and heavenly trial after we die were the same as our modern understanding- so in a simplistic way (the only way I can explain this since I have not studied the more in depth understandings of Job since I am not yet at a level to study Kaballah):
In the story Job is representative of the soul after we die. The soul is confronted with its life- Satan (literally the accusser at the trial as their is no fallen angel in Judaism) challenges the soul and tries to show it in the worst possible light- just as Satan in the book of Job challenges God about the righteousness of Job. The soul flinches and suffers from the accusations - just as we see God making Job suffer. In the end the soul is purified and gets its reward in the World To Come, just as Job is ultimately rewarded.

A question asked is why is a righteous person used in the story- since most people are not righteous? The answer is that because God is a loving God and overlooks our transgressions- seeing everyone as righteous. that is why ultimately everyone passes through to the World to Come.

This period of Satan accussing and confronting the soul lasts for a maximum of 12 months- the reason we say kaddish (the memorial prayer for the dead) daily for 11 months and not twelve is that we do not want to imply that our deceased loved one was so evil as to have to be faced with judgement for a full 12 months!

Answer 8

The Jews were more focused on this life. After all, the old covenant promised that if you were faithful to God, then he would bless and protect you. There were a whole section of Jews called the saducees that didnt even believe in resurrection of the dead.

I think the idea with everyone else, was that the unrighteous WERENT resurrected and simply ceased to exist.

Answer 9

Gehinnom: A Jewish Hell
Only truly righteous souls ascend directly to Gan Eden, say the sages. The average person descends to a place of punishment and/or purification, generally referred to as Gehinnom.

The name is taken from a valley (Gei Hinnom) just south of Jerusalem, once used for child sacrifice by the pagan nations of Canaan (II Kings 23:10). Some view Gehinnom as a place of torture and punishment, fire and brimstone. Others imagine it less harshly, as a place where one reviews the actions of his/her life and repents for past misdeeds.

The soul's sentence in Gehinnom is usually limited to a twelve-month period of purgation before it takes its place in Olam Ha-Ba (Mishnah Eduyot 2:9, Shabbat 33a). This twelve-month limit is reflected in the yearlong mourning cycle and the recitation of the Kaddish (the memorial prayer for the dead).

Only the utterly wicked do not ascend to Gan Eden at the end of this year. Sources differ on what happens to these souls at the end of their initial time of purgation. Some say that the wicked are utterly destroyed and cease to exist, while others believe in eternal damnation (Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Law of Repentance, 3:5-6).

Hope this helps

Answer 10

The first time the word hell appears n the Bible is in Deu 32:32

and the word translates from SHEOL meaning:

1) sheol, underworld, grave, hell, pit

a) the underworld

b) Sheol - the OT designation for the abode of the dead

1) place of no return

2) without praise of God

3) wicked sent there for punishment

4) righteous not abandoned to it

5) of the place of exile (fig)

6) of extreme degradation in sin

SOURCE:

http://cf.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H07585&Version=kjv