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Expand on origin of English "hell", as suggested by Kris (11555).
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Ray Butterworth
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  • "qeber" refers to a tomb, sepulchre, burying place, grave site, memorial, etc.
    It is the physical place or evidence of burial that living people can see and visit.

  • "sheol" is the hidden place where a body actually is.
    It can't be seen without exhumation, etc.

Neither word necessarily has any supernatural meaning.

Attaching supernatural attributes to the word "hell" and assuming the Biblical authors intended that meaning is religious doctrine.

For the original derivation of the word "hell", Online Etymology Dictionary says:

Literally "concealed place" (compare Old Norse hellir "cave, cavern"), from PIE root *kel- (1) "to cover, conceal, save."

Storing potatoes in a cellar over winter used to be known as "helling potatoes".

Translators can let personal beliefs affect them. In general consider "sheol" as "grave" as experienced by the body, and "qeber" as the visible "tomb" as experienced by observers.

  • "qeber" refers to a tomb, sepulchre, burying place, grave site, memorial, etc.
    It is the physical place or evidence of burial that living people can see and visit.

  • "sheol" is the hidden place where a body actually is.
    It can't be seen without exhumation, etc.

Neither word necessarily has any supernatural meaning.

  • "qeber" refers to a tomb, sepulchre, burying place, grave site, memorial, etc.
    It is the physical place or evidence of burial that living people can see and visit.

  • "sheol" is the hidden place where a body actually is.
    It can't be seen without exhumation, etc.

Neither word necessarily has any supernatural meaning.

Attaching supernatural attributes to the word "hell" and assuming the Biblical authors intended that meaning is religious doctrine.

For the original derivation of the word "hell", Online Etymology Dictionary says:

Literally "concealed place" (compare Old Norse hellir "cave, cavern"), from PIE root *kel- (1) "to cover, conceal, save."

Storing potatoes in a cellar over winter used to be known as "helling potatoes".

Translators can let personal beliefs affect them. In general consider "sheol" as "grave" as experienced by the body, and "qeber" as the visible "tomb" as experienced by observers.

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Ray Butterworth
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  • 60

  • "qeber" refers to a tomb, sepulchre, burying place, grave site, memorial, etc.
    It is the physical place or evidence of burial that living people can see and visit.

  • "sheol" is the hidden place where a body actually is.
    It can't be seen without exhumation, etc.

Neither word necessarily has any supernatural meaning.