Gehenna* — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

English transliteration of the Greek form of an Aramaic word, which is derived from the Hebrew phrase “the Valley of [the son(s) of] Hinnom.” The name properly designates a deep valley delimiting the territories of the tribes of Benjamin and Judah (Jos 15:8; 18:16). It is commonly identified with Wadi el-Rababi that runs from beneath the western wall of the Old City, forming a deep ravine south of Jerusalem.

Show passage in OET: JOS 15:8

OET-RV JOS 15:8

8 From there the border went up the valley of Ben Hinom to the edge of the Yevusi region from the south (that is Yerushalem (Jerusalem)). Then the border went to the head of the hill opposite the Hinom valley to the west, which is at the end of the valley of the Refaim to the north.

OET-LV JOS 15:8

8 And_ the_border _he/it _would _go _up the _valley _of _Ben Hinnom the _valley _of _Ben to the _slope _of the_Yəⱱūşī from_the_south that is_Yərūshālaim/(Jerusalem) and_ the_border _he/it _would _go _up to the _top _of the _mountain which is_on the _face _of the _valley _of_Ben westward_on which is_at_the _end _of the _valley _of Rəfāʼīm northward_to.

Show passage in OET: JOS 18:16

OET-RV JOS 18:16

16 then downhill to the Ben -Hinom valley (in the valley of the Refaim to the north) then downhill to Hinom valley to the edge of the Yevusim and downhill to Eyn -Rogel.

OET-LV JOS 18:16

16 And_ the_border _it _goes _down to the _end _of the _mountain which is_on the _face _of the _valley _of _Ben Hinnom the _valley _of _Ben which is_in_the _valley _of Rəfāʼīm northward_at and_it _goes _down the _valley _of_Ben Hinnom to the _slope _of the_Yəⱱūşī south_to_the and_it _goes _down ˊĒyn Rogel.

Jump to OET JOS 15:8 section.

Jump to OET JOS 18:16 section.

The place became notorious because of the idolatrous practices that were carried out there in the days of Judah’s kings Ahaz and Manasseh, especially involving the heinous crime of infant sacrifices associated with the Molech ceremonies (2 Kgs 16:3; 21:6; 2 Chr 28:3; 33:6; Jer 19:6; 32:35). The spiritual reformation of King Josiah brought an end to these sinister proceedings (2 Kgs 23:10). The prophet Jeremiah referred to the valley in picturing God’s judgment upon his people (Jer 2:23; 7:30-32; 19:5-6).

Show passage in OET: KI2 16:3

OET-RV KI2 16:3

3 Actually he followed the behaviour of the kings of Yisrael, and he even sacrificed his son as a burnt offering like they do in the nations that Yahweh hated and which Yahweh had driven out of the land as the Israelis had entered.

OET-LV KI2 16:3

3 And_he/it _went in_the _way _of the _kings _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) and_also DOM his/its_son he _made _pass in_fire according_to _the _abominations _of the_nations which YHWH he _had _dispossessed DOM_them from_face/in _front _of the _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).

Show passage in OET: KI2 21:6

OET-RV KI2 21:6

6 He even sacrificed his own son as a burnt offering. He practised divination and read omens, and consulted mediums and fortune-tellers. He did so much that Yahweh had said was evil, provoking Yahweh to get angry.

OET-LV KI2 21:6

6 And_he _made _pass DOM his/its_son in_fire and_he _practiced _soothsaying and_he _practiced _divination and_he _dealt _with necromancer and_soothsayers he _increased for_doing (the)_evil in/on_both _eyes _of YHWH to_provoke_him_to _anger.

Show passage in OET: CH2 28:3

OET-RV CH2 28:3

3 He offered incense in the Ben-Hinom valley and he burnt his children with fire, following the detestable customs of the nations that Yahweh had driven away as the Israelis had entered the region,

OET-LV CH2 28:3

3 And_he he _made _smoke in_valley _of son _of Hinnom and_he _burnt DOM sons _of_his in_fire according_to _the _abominations _of the_nations which YHWH he _had _dispossessed from_face/in _front _of the _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).

Show passage in OET: CH2 33:6

OET-RV CH2 33:6

6 and he made his sons pass through the fire in the Ben-Hinom valley, and he practiced fortune-telling and sorcery and magic, and connected with mediums and spirits. He did so much evil in Yahweh’s eyes that it provoked him into getting angry.

OET-LV CH2 33:6

6 And_he he _made _pass DOM sons _of_his in_fire in_valley _of son _of Hinnom and_he _practiced _soothsaying and_he _practiced _divination and_he _practiced _sorcery and_he _dealt _with necromancer and_soothsayer he _increased for_doing (the)_evil in/on_both _eyes _of YHWH to_provoke_him _to _anger.

Show passage in OET: JER 19:6

OET-RV JER 19:6

6 So Yahweh declares that the time is coming when this place will no longer be called Tofet or the Valley of Ben-Hinom, but rather, the ‘Slaughter Valley’.

OET-LV JER 19:6

6 For_so/thus/hence HERE days are_coming the _utterance _of YHWH and_not it _will _be _called to_place the_this again (the)_Tofet and_Valley _of son _of Valley _of if/because (if) the _valley _of (the)_slaughter.

Show passage in OET: JER 32:35

OET-RV JER 32:35

35 and they built hilltop shrines for Ba’al along the Ben-Hinom Valley in order to pass their sons and daughters through the fire for Molek. I didn’t command them to do that—it never entered my mind that they should do that detestable thing and so cause Yehudah to sin.’

OET-LV JER 32:35

35 And_they _built DOM the _high _places _of (the)_Baˊal which are_in_Valley _of son _of Valley _of to_make _pass _through DOM sons _of_their and_DOM daughters _of_their to_Molek which not I_had _commanded _them and_not it _had _come _up on heart _of_my for_doing the_abomination (the)_this so _as to _cause _to _sin DOM Yəhūdāh/(Judah).

Show passage in OET: KI2 23:10

OET-RV KI2 23:10

10 Yoshiyah (Josiah) also desecrated the Tofet, which was in the Ben -Hinom valley, so that the people couldn’t sacrifice their children to Molek.

OET-LV KI2 23:10

10 And_he _made _unclean DOM (the)_Tofet which was_in _the _valley _of _the _sons _of _Hinnom_was_in _the _valley _of _Ben Hinnom was_in _the _valley _of _Ben to_not to_ anyone _make _pass DOM his/its_son and_DOM daughter _of_his in_fire to_Molek.

Show passage in OET: JER 2:23

OET-RV JER 2:23

23 How can you say, ‘I’m not defiled—I haven’t worshipped the Baals’?
⇔ Consider your conduct in the valley.
⇔ ≈ Recognise what you’ve done:
⇔ behaving like a young, female camel that flits here and there.

OET-LV JER 2:23

23 How will _you _say not I _have _made _myself _unclean after the_Baˊal not I _have _walked consider conduct _of_your in_valley recognize what have _you _done a _young _camel swift which_entwines paths _of_its.

Show passage in OET: JER 7:30–32

OET-RV JER 7:30

30 Yes, Yahweh says that Yehudah’s (Judah’s) people have done what I consider evil—putting disgusting things in the temple that’s associated with my name, and so have defiled it.

OET-RV JER 7:31

31 They’ve built hilltop shrines to Tofet in Hinom Valley outside Yerushalem (Jerusalem) to burn their sons and daughters in fire—something I’ve never commanded or even considered.

OET-RV JER 7:32

32 So listen, Yahweh says, that days are coming because of that that, when it’ll no longer be called ‘Tofet’ or ‘Hinom Valley’, but rather, ‘The Slaughter Valley’, because so many people will be buried in Tofet that they’ll run out of space.

OET-LV JER 7:30

30 If/because the _people _of Yəhūdāh/(Judah) they _have _done the_evil in_eyes _of_my the _utterance _of YHWH they _have _put things _of_their _detestable in_house which name _of_my it _is _called on/upon/above_him/it to_make_it _unclean.

OET-LV JER 7:31

31 And_they _have _built the _high _places _of (the)_Tofet which is_in_Valley _of son _of Valley _of to_burn DOM sons _of_their and_DOM daughters _of_their in_fire which not I _commanded and_not it _came _up on heart _of_my.

OET-LV JER 7:32

32 For_so/thus/hence HERE days are_coming the _utterance _of YHWH and_not it _will _be _said again (the)_Tofet and_Valley _of son _of Valley _of if/because (if) the _valley _of (the)_slaughter and_people _will _bury in_Tofet because_there_is_not room.

Show passage in OET: JER 19:5–6

OET-RV JER 19:5

5 They built hilltop shrines to burn their children in the fire as offerings to Ba’al,
⇔ something I never instructed or talked about, nor did it even enter my mind.

OET-RV JER 19:6

6 So Yahweh declares that the time is coming when this place will no longer be called Tofet or the Valley of Ben-Hinom, but rather, the ‘Slaughter Valley’.

OET-LV JER 19:5

5 And_they _have _built DOM the _high _places _of (the)_Baˊal to_burn DOM children _of_their in_fire burnt _offerings to_Baˊal which not I _commanded and_not I _spoke and_not it _came _up on heart _of_my.

OET-LV JER 19:6

Jump to OET KI2 16:3 section.

Jump to OET KI2 21:6 section.

Jump to OET CH2 28:3 section.

Jump to OET CH2 33:6 section.

Jump to OET JER 19:6 section.

Jump to OET JER 32:35 section.

Jump to OET KI2 23:10 section.

Jump to OET JER 2:23 section.

Jump to OET JER 7:30–32 section.

Jump to OET JER 19:5–6 section.

Subsequently, the valley appears to have been used for the burning of the city’s refuse and the dead bodies of criminals. Interestingly, a well-established tradition locates the scene of Judas’s suicide and the consequent purchase of the Potter’s Field on the south side of this valley.

The ravine’s reputation for extreme wickedness gave rise, especially during the intertestamental period, to use of its name as a term for the place of final punishment for the wicked (1 Enoch 18:11-16; 27:1-3; 54:1ff.; 56:3-4; 90:26; 2 Esd 7:36; cf. Is 30:33; 66:24; Dn 7:10). Jesus himself utilizes the term to designate the final abode of the unrepentant wicked (Mt 5:22; 10:28; 18:9). Since Gehenna is a fiery abyss (Mk 9:43), it is also the lake of fire (Mt 13:42, 50 OET MAT 13:42 · OET MAT 13:50; Rv 20:14-15) to which all the godless will ultimately be consigned (Mt 23:15, 33 OET MAT 23:15 · OET MAT 23:33), together with Satan and his devils (Mt 25:41; Rv 19:20; 20:10).

Show passage in OET: LES 7:36

OET-RV LES 7:36

36 The pit of torment will appear, and near it’ll be the place of rest. The furnace of hell will be shown, and near it the paradise of delight.

Show passage in OET: ISA 30:33

OET-RV ISA 30:33

33 because a cremation place was arranged long ago.
⇔ Indeed, it’s been prepared for the Assyrian king.
⇔ Its funeral pyre is deep and wide with the firewood piled high.
⇔ Yahweh’s breath will ignite it like a stream of burning sulphur.

OET-LV ISA 30:33

33 If/because has _been_arranged from_yesterday a _place _of _burning also it to/for_the _king it _has _been _prepared someone _has _made_it_deep someone _has _made_it_large pile _of_its _wood fire and_wood(s) is_much the _breath _of YHWH like_a _torrent _of sulfur is_about _to _burn (in)_it.

Show passage in OET: ISA 66:24

OET-RV ISA 66:24

24 Then they’ll go out and see the corpses of those who rebelled against me,
⇔ because the maggots won’t die and their fire won’t be extinguished,
⇔ and all creatures will find them abhorrent.

OET-LV ISA 66:24

24 And_they _will _go _out and_they _will _look on_the _corpses _of the _people who_rebelled against_me if/because worm _of_their not it _will _die and_fire _of_their not it _will _be _extinguished and_they _will _be an _abhorrence to/from_all/each/any/every flesh.

Show passage in OET: DAN 7:10

OET-RV DAN 7:10

10 A river of fire was coming out and flowing along in front of him. Thousands and thousands served him, and myriads upon myriads were standing in front of him. The court sat in session and the documents were opened.

OET-LV DAN 7:10

10 A _river of fire was_flowing and_coming _out from before_him a _thousand _of thousands they_were _ministering _to _him and_a _myriad _of myriads before_him they _were _standing the_court it _sat and_books they _were _opened.

Show passage in OET: MAT 5:22

OET-RV MAT 5:22

22 But I’m telling you that anyone who gets angry at another will be liable for judgement, and anyone who calls another person a numbskull will have to face the court, and if you call them a fool, you’re liable for hellfire.

OET-LV MAT 5:22

22 But I am _saying to _you _all that everyone which being _angered by _the brother of _him, will _be liable to _the judgement, and whoever wishfully may _say to _the brother of _him:
Raca, will _be liable to _the council, and whoever wishfully may _say:
Foolish, will _be liable to the geenna of_ the _fire.

Show passage in OET: MAT 10:28

OET-RV MAT 10:28

28 Don’t be afraid of anyone who can kill your body but who can’t touch your soul, but rather work to please the one who can destroy both soul and body in fire.

OET-LV MAT 10:28

28 And be_ not _afraid of the ones killing _off the body, but not being _able to _kill _off the soul, but rather be _fearing the one being _able to _destroy both soul and body in geenna.

Show passage in OET: MAT 18:9

OET-RV MAT 18:9

9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away, because it’s better for you to enter eternal life with only one eye than to be thrown into the pit of fire with two eyes.

OET-LV MAT 18:9

9 And if the eye of _you is _stumbling you, pluck _out it and throw it from you, it _is better for _you to _come _in into the life one-eyed, than to _be _thrown into the geenna of_ the _fire having two eyes.

Show passage in OET: MRK 9:43

OET-RV MRK 9:43

43 If your hand causes you to disobey God, cut it off—it’s better to enter eternal life being maimed, than to have two hands but to be thrown into the fire that never goes out.

OET-LV MRK 9:43

43 And if the hand of _you may _be _stumbling you, cut_ it _off, it _is better for _you to _come _in into the life maimed, than to _go _away into the geenna having the two hands, into the the inextinguishable fire.

Show passage in OET: MAT 13:42; MAT 13:50

OET-RV MAT 13:42

42 and they’ll throw them into the incinerator, and there’ll be crying and a lot of anguish.

OET-RV MAT 13:50

50 and they’ll throw the evil ones into the incinerator. There’ll be crying and a lot of anguish.

OET-LV MAT 13:42

42 and they _will _be _casting them into the furnace of _the fire, there will _be the weeping and the grating of_ the _teeth.

OET-LV MAT 13:50

50 and they _will _be _casting them into the furnace of _the fire.
There will _be the weeping and the grating of_ the _teeth.

Show passage in OET: REV 20:14–15

OET-RV REV 20:14

14 Then ‘death’ and Haidais were thrown into the lake of fire. That’s the second death—the lake of fire,

OET-RV REV 20:15

15 and anyone whose name couldn’t be found in the book of life was thrown into that lake of fire.

OET-LV REV 20:14

14 And the death and the Haidaʸs were _throw into the lake of_ the _fire.
This the the second death is, the lake of_ the _fire.

OET-LV REV 20:15

15 And if anyone not was _found in the scroll of_ the _life having _been _written, he _was _thrown into the lake of_ the _fire.

Show passage in OET: MAT 23:15; MAT 23:33

OET-RV MAT 23:15

15 “You religious teachers and Farisaios are hypocrites and will have a bad end, because you’d travel all the way around the world to make one convert, and then you’d make him twice the son of hell that you are yourselves.

OET-RV MAT 23:33

33 Bunch of snakes! Brood of vipers! How are you planning to escape being condemned to hell?

OET-LV MAT 23:15

15 Woe to _you _all, scribes and Farisaios_party, hypocrites.
Because you _all _are _going _around the sea and the dry land to _make one convert, and whenever he _may _become, you _all _are _making him a_son of _geenna twice _more than you _all.

OET-LV MAT 23:33

33 Serpents, brood of _vipers, how may _you _all _escape from the judgement of_ the _geenna?

Show passage in OET: MAT 25:41

OET-RV MAT 25:41

41 “Then the king will also speak to the ones on his left, ‘Get away from me you cursed people. You’ll go into the eternal fire which was prepared for the devil and his messengers,

OET-LV MAT 25:41

41 Then he_˓will˒_ also _be _saying to _the ones on the_left:
Be _going from me having _been _cursed ones into the the eternal fire, which having _been _prepared for _the devil and the messengers of _him.

Show passage in OET: REV 19:20

OET-RV REV 19:20

20 But then the animal was captured along with the false prophet who had done miracles in front of him. (That was how he’d deceived the ones who had accepted the mark of the animal and the ones worshipping his image.) The two of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur.

OET-LV REV 19:20

20 And was _caught the wild _animal, and with him the the_false _prophet, the one having _done the signs before him, by which he _deceived the ones having _received the mark of _the wild _animal, and the ones prostrating before _the image of _him.
Living were _throw the two into the lake of_ the _fire, which being _burned with sulfur.

Show passage in OET: REV 20:10

OET-RV REV 20:10

10 Then the devil who’d deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the animal and the false prophet were, and they’ll be tormented day and night throughout the ages.

OET-LV REV 20:10

10 And the devil, the one deceiving them, was _thrown into the lake of_ the _fire and of _sulfur, where were also the wild _animal and the false _prophet, and they _will _be _being _tormented by _day and night for the ages of _the ages.

Jump to OET LES 7:36 section.

Jump to OET ISA 30:33 section.

Jump to OET ISA 66:24 section.

Jump to OET DAN 7:10 section.

Jump to OET MAT 5:22 section.

Jump to OET MAT 10:28 section.

Jump to OET MAT 18:9 section.

Jump to OET MRK 9:43 section.

Jump to OET MAT 13:42 section. · OET MAT 13:50 section.

Jump to OET REV 20:14–15 section.

Jump to OET MAT 23:15 section. · OET MAT 23:33 section.

Jump to OET MAT 25:41 section.

Jump to OET REV 19:20 section.

Jump to OET REV 20:10 section.

Gehenna must be carefully differentiated from other terms relative to the afterlife or final state. Whereas the OT “Sheol” and NT “hades” uniformly designate the temporary abode of the dead (before the last Day of Judgment), “Gehenna” specifies the final place where the wicked will suffer everlasting punishment (cf. Ps 49:14-15 with Mt 10:28). The Greek form “Tartarus” occurs only in 2 Peter 2:4 and identifies the particular abode of the angels who fell in the primeval satanic revolt.