Page "Afterlife" Paragraph 29

Writing that would later be incorporated into the Hebrew Bible names Sheol as the place of the dead.

The Christian writer's traditional re-interpretation is that the Hebrew word Sheol can mean many things, including " grave ", " resort ", " place of waiting " and " place of healing ".

It can also mean " deep ", as it is used when the earth opens up and destroys the rebellious Korah, Dathan and Abiram and their 250 followers ().

One might take this as implying that Sheol is literally underground, although it is as easily read literally, as signifying an earthquake or split in the earth.