Difference between revisions of "Gehenna"

<p> <i> See </i> Hell </p>

<p> ''''' gē̇ ''''' - ''''' hen´a ''''' ( γεέννα , <i> ''''' geénna ''''' </i> (see Grimm-Thayer, under the word)): Gehenna is a transliteration from the [[Aramaic]] form of the [[Hebrew]] <i> ''''' gē ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' hinnōm ''''' </i> , "valley of Hinnom." This latter form, however, is rare in the Old Testament, the prevailing name being "the valley of the son of Hinnom." [[Septuagint]] usually translates; where it transliterates the form is different from Gehenna and varies. In the New Testament the correct form is <i> ''''' Geénna ''''' </i> with the accent on the penult, not <i> ''''' Géenna ''''' </i> ̌ . There is no reason to assume that Hinnom is other than a plain patronymic, although it has been proposed to find in it the corruption of the name of an idol ( <i> Eb </i> , II, 2071). In the New Testament (King James Version margin) Gehenna occurs in &nbsp;Matthew 5:22 , &nbsp;Matthew 5:29 , &nbsp;Matthew 5:30; &nbsp;Matthew 10:28; &nbsp;Matthew 18:9; &nbsp;Matthew 23:15 , &nbsp;Matthew 23:33; &nbsp;Mark 9:43 , &nbsp;Mark 9:15 , &nbsp;Mark 9:47; &nbsp;Luke 12:5; &nbsp;James 3:6 . In all of these it designates the place of eternal punishment of the wicked, generally in connection with the final judgment. It is associated with fire as the source of torment. Both body and soul are cast into it. This is not to be explained on the principle that the New Testament speaks metaphorically of the state after death in terms of the body; it presupposes the resurrection. In the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) Gehenna is rendered by "hell" (see [[Eschatology Of The New Testament]] ). That "the valley of Hinnom" became the technical designation for the place of final punishment was due to two causes. In the first place the valley had been the seat of the idolatrous worship of Molech, to whom children were immolated by fire (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 28:3; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 33:6 ). Secondly, on account of these practices the place was defiled by King Josiah (&nbsp;2 Kings 23:10 ), and became in consequence associated in prophecy with the judgment to be visited upon the people (&nbsp;Jeremiah 7:32 ). The fact, also, that the city's offal was collected there may have helped to render the name synonymous with extreme defilement. Topographically the identification of the valley of Hinnom is still uncertain. It has been in turn identified with the depression on the western and southern side of Jerusalem, with the middle valley, and with the valley to the E. Compare <i> EB </i> , II, 2071; <i> DCG </i> , I, 636; <i> RE </i> 3, VI. </p>

<p> ( '''''Γεέννα''''' , A.V. invariably "hell"), the Greek representative of '''''גֵּיאּהנֹּם''''' &nbsp;Joshua 15:8; Neb. xi) 30 (rendered by the Sept. '''''Γαιέννα''''' '','' &nbsp;Joshua 18:16); more fully, '''''גֵּי''''' '''''בֶןאּהַנֹּם''''' or '''''בְנֵיאּה''''' (&nbsp;2 Kings 23:10; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 28:3; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 33:6; &nbsp;Jeremiah 19:2), the "valley of Hinnone," or "of the son" or children of Hinnom," a deep narrow glen to the sosth of Jerusalem, where, after the introduction of the worship of the fire-gods by Ahaz, the idolatrous Jews offered their children to [[Moloch]] (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 28:3; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 33:6; &nbsp;Jeremiah 7:31; &nbsp;Jeremiah 19:2-6). In consequence of these abominations the valley was polluted by Josiah (&nbsp;2 Kings 23:10); subsequently to which it became the common lay-stall of the city, where the dead bodies of criminals, and the carcasses of animals, and every other kind of filth was cast, and, according to late and some, what questionable authorities, the combustible portion consumed with fire. From the depth asnd narrowness of thee gorge, and, perhaps, its ever-burning fires, as well as from its being the receptacle of all sorts of putrefying matter, and all that defiled the holy city, it became in later times the image of the place of everlasting punishnent, "where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched;" in which the [[Talmudists]] placed the mouth of bell: "There are two palm-trees in the valley of Hinnom, between which a smoke ariseth ... and this is the door of Gehenna" (Talmud, quoted by Barclay, City of Great King, page 90; Lightfoot, Centur. Chorograph. Matt. proem. 2:200). The Mohammedans still use the term as the current designation of the infernal regions (see D'Herbelot, Bibliothique Orient. s.v. Gehennen). In this sense the word is used by our Lord, &nbsp;Matthew 5:29-30; &nbsp;Matthew 10:28; &nbsp;Matthew 23:15; &nbsp;Matthew 23:33; &nbsp;Mark 9:43; &nbsp;Luke 12:5; and with the addition '''''Τοῦ''''' '''''Πυρός''''' , &nbsp;Matthew 5:22; &nbsp;Matthew 18:9; &nbsp;Mark 9:47; and by &nbsp;James 3:6. (See [[Valley Of Hinnom]]); (See [[Tophet]]); (See Hell). </p>

<p> The valley of Hinnom, on the S. of Jerusalem, with Tophet ( <i> q. v </i> .) at its eastern end; became the symbol of hell from the fires kept burning in it night and day to consume the poisonous gases of the offal accumulated in it. </p>