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A. Verb.
(
, 954), “to be ashamed, feel ashamed.” This verb, which occurs 129 times
in biblical Hebrew, has cognates in Ugaritic, Akkadian, and Arabic. The word has
overtones of being or feeling worthless.
0
means “to be ashamed” in Isa. 1:29: “For
they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for
the gardens that ye have chosen.”
B. Noun.
(
"
, 1322), “shame; shameful thing.” The 30 appearances of this noun are
mostly in poetic materials—only 5 appearances are in historical literature.
This word means a “shameful thing” as a substitute for the name Baal: “For shame
hath devoured the labor of our fathers from our youth …” (Jer. 3:24; cf. Jer. 11:13; Hos.
9:10). This substitution also occurs in proper names: Ish-bosheth (2 Sam. 2:8), the “man
of shame,” was originally Esh-baal (cf. 1 Chron. 8:33), the “man of Baal.”
This word represents both “shame and worthlessness”: “Thou son of the perverse
rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse … unto the
confusion of thy mother’s nakedness” (1 Sam. 20:30). The “shame of one’s face” (2
Chron. 32:21) may well mean being red-faced or embarrassed.
SHEOL
(
, 7585), “Sheol.” The 66 occurrences of this word are distributed
throughout every period of biblical Hebrew.
First, the word means the state of death: “For in death there is no remembrance of
thee: in the
2
who shall give thee thanks?” (Ps. 6:5; cf. 18:5). It is the final resting
place of all men: “They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the
2
(Job 21:13). Hannah confessed that it was the omnipotent God who brings men to
(death) or kills them (1 Sam. 2:6). “Sheol” is parallel to Hebrew words for “pit” or
“hell” (Job 26:6), “corruption” or “decay” (Ps. 16:10), and “destruction” (Prov. 15:11).
Second, “Sheol” is used of a place of conscious existence after death. In the first
biblical appearance of the word Jacob said that he would “go down into the
2
unto
my son mourning” (Gen. 37:35). All men go to “Sheol”—a place and state of
consciousness after death (Ps. 16:10). The wicked receive punishment there (Num. 16:30;
Deut. 32:22; Ps. 9:17). They are put to shame and silenced in “Sheol” (Ps. 31:17). Jesus
alluded to Isaiah’s use of
(14:13-15) in pronouncing judgment on Capernaum
(Matt. 11:23), translating “Sheol” as “Hades” or “Hell,” meaning the place of conscious
existence and judgment. It is an undesirable place for the wicked (Job 24:19) and a refuge
for the righteous (Job 14:13). Thus “Sheol” is also a place of reward for the righteous
(Hos. 13:14; cf. 1 Cor. 15:55). Jesus’ teaching in Luke 16:19-31 seems to reflect
accurately the Old Testament concept of
;
it is a place of conscious existence after
death, one side of which is occupied by the suffering, unrighteous dead separated by a
great chasm from the other side peopled by the righteous dead enjoying their reward.
TO SHEPHERD
A. Verb.