Sheol is the Hebrew word for Hell. This word was disseminated throughout the early Oriental World. We find that the origin and usage of this word (prior to 1,000 B.C.) had been a much earlier word than the word used by the Hebrews. The root meaning of SHL (Sheol) did not mean ‘to damn to hell without hope’, rather, it meant “a place to make a legal plea before a jury or oratorium concerning what your grief has been with the hope of a fair ending”. That is to say, the place by which ‘hope’ is given through a legal recourse by stating your sufferance. The final idea: until we are ‘in hell’ we will not call out to God. We need hell to understand our alignment with the eternally Holy. The arguments posited in this audio lecture refer back as far as ca. 5,500 years ago leaving every area on the globe affected. As to what has become of this meaning in contemporary understanding is for another lecture.
