Where Are the Dead?
The Bible declares that the dead are “conscious of nothing at all.” At death there is no torment in hellfire, no agonizing wait in Limbo, but simply a return to the dust. Therefore, God’s Word advises the living: “All that your hand finds to do, do with your very power, for there is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in Sheol, the place to which you are going.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10; Genesis 3:19) “Sheol” is an unfamiliar term to many. It is a Hebrew word of uncertain derivation. Many religions teach that the dead are still alive, but as the inspired Word of God shows, those in Sheol are dead, without consciousness. Sheol is the common grave of mankind.
In the Bible, we find the first occurrence of the word “Sheol” at Genesis 37:35. Following the apparent loss of his beloved son Joseph, the patriarch Jacob refused to take comfort, declaring: “I shall go down mourning to my son into Sheol!” Believing that his son was dead, Jacob desired to die and be in Sheol. Later, nine of Jacob’s older children wanted to take his youngest son, Benjamin, down to Egypt to find relief from the famine. However, Jacob refused, saying: “My son will not go down with you men, because his brother is dead and he has been left by himself. If a fatal accident should befall him on the way on which you would go, then you would certainly bring down my gray hairs with grief to Sheol.” (Genesis 42:36, 38) These two references link death, not some kind of afterlife, with Sheol.
The Genesis account reveals that Joseph had become the food administrator in Egypt. Consequently, Jacob was able to journey there for a joyous reunion with Joseph. After that, Jacob resided in that land until his death at the very advanced age of 147. According to his dying wishes, his sons took his remains and buried them in the cave of Machpelah in the land of Canaan. (Genesis 47:28; 49:29-31; 50:12, 13) Thus, Jacob joined Isaac, his father, and Abraham, his grandfather.
‘Gathered to Their Forefathers’
Earlier, when Jehovah confirmed his covenant with Abraham and promised that his seed would become many, he indicated what would happen to Abraham. “As for you,” Jehovah said, “you will go to your forefathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age.” (Genesis 15:15) And this is exactly what happened. Genesis 25:8 states: “Then Abraham expired and died in a good old age, old and satisfied, and was gathered to his people.” Who were these people? Genesis 11:10-26 lists his ancestors as far back as Noah’s son Shem. So it was to these already sleeping in Sheol that Abraham was gathered at death.
The expression “gathered to his people” occurs frequently in the Hebrew Scriptures. Thus, it is logical to conclude that Abraham’s son Ishmael and Moses’ brother, Aaron, both went to Sheol at their death, there to await a resurrection. (Genesis 25:17; Numbers 20:23-29) Accordingly, Moses too went to Sheol, although no one knew where his grave was. (Numbers 27:13; Deuteronomy 34:5, 6) Similarly, Joshua, Moses’ successor as leader of Israel, along with a whole generation of people also descended to Sheol at death.—Judges 2:8-10
Centuries later, David became king of the 12 tribes of Israel. At his death, he “lay down with his forefathers.” (1 Kings 2:10) Was he too in Sheol? Interestingly, on the day of Pentecost 33 C.E., the apostle Peter referred to David’s death and quoted Psalm 16:10: “You will not leave my soul in Sheol.” After mentioning that David was still in his tomb, Peter applied those words to Jesus and indicated that David “saw beforehand and spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he forsaken in Hades nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God resurrected, of which fact we are all witnesses.” (Acts 2:29-32) Peter here used the word “Hades,” the Greek counterpart of the Hebrew word “Sheol.” Thus, those said to be in Hades are in the same situation as those said to be in Sheol. They are sleeping, awaiting a resurrection.
Are There Unrighteous Ones in Sheol?
After Moses led the nation of Israel out of Egypt, a rebellion broke out in the wilderness. Moses told the people to separate themselves from the ringleaders—Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. They would die violently. Moses explained: “If it is according to the death of all mankind that these people will die and with the punishment of all mankind that punishment will be brought upon them, then it is not Jehovah that has sent me. But if it is something created that Jehovah will create, and the ground has to open its mouth and swallow up them and everything that belongs to them and they have to go down alive into Sheol, you will then know for certain that these men have treated Jehovah disrespectfully.” (Numbers 16:29, 30) So whether by the earth opening and swallowing them or by fire consuming them as in the case of Korah and the 250 Levites who sided with him, all these rebels ended up in Sheol, or Hades.—Numbers 26:10.