Ge-Hinnom

Ge-Hinnom, c. 1900.

Ge-Hinnom is the name of the valley to the south and south-west of Jerusalem (Josh. 15:8, 18:16; Neh. 11:30; II Kings 23:10; II Chronicles|II Chron. 33:6; Jer. 7:31 ff., 19:2, 32:35). Its Arabic name is Wadi al-Rababah. The southwestern gate of the city, overlooking the valley, came to be known as "The Gate of the Valley". The valley was notorious for the worship of Moloch conducted there (comp. Jer. 2:23). According to Jer. 7:31 ff., 19:6 ff., it was to be turned into a place of burial; hence "the accursed valley Ge-hinnom" ("Gehenna" in the N. T.) came to be synonymous with a place of punishment, and thus with Hell (comp. Isa. 66:24; Enoch 26 ff.; and the Mishnaic Hebrew equivalent).

See also

• Afterlife
• Gehenna
• Jewish eschatology

Reference

• This article incorporates text from the public domain 1901-1906 Jewish Encyclopedia.[1]