This term is used in a variety of meanings in the course of Israelitish and Jewish history. These we shall consider separately according as they appear in OT, Apocalyptic literature, the NT, or in later J udaisin.
I. It.s use in the OT falls under three heads. {a) It is used in a merely topographical sense. Thus it formed the boundary between Judali and Benjamin, Jos 15'' 18"^, and the northern limit of the district occupied by the tribe of Judah after the Captivity, Neh 11*', and lay in front of the gate Harsith of Jerusalem, Jer 19*. See further under HiNNOM (Valley of).
(6) It is used in a religious significance as imply- ing a place of idolatrous ami inhunutn sacrijices. These were first ottered by Ahaz and Manasseh, who made their children to ' pass through the fire ' to Molech in this valley, 2 K 16^ 2 Ch 28^ and 2 K 21', 2 Ch 33'. These sacrifices were probably made on the ' high places of Topheth, which is »«j the valley of the son of Hinnom,' Jer 7" ; cf. -or 32'\ In order to put an end to these abommations, Josiah polluted it with human bones and other corruptions, 2 K 23"'- •'^ ". But this worship of Molech was revived under Jehoiakim, Jer ll'"'", Ezk 20**. In consequence of these idolatrous practices in the Valley of Hinnom, Jeremiah prophesied that one day it would be called the ' Valley of Slaughter,' and that they should ' bury in Topheth till there be no i)lace to bury,' Jer 7^ 19". Many scholars have accepted the statement of Kimchi (c. 1200 A.D.) on Ps27 : 'Gehennam fuit locus spretus, in quem abjecerunt sordes et cadavera, et fuit ibi perpetuo ignis ad comburendum sordes illas et ossa; iiropterea parabolice vocatur judicium impiorum Gehennam.' But this is denied by Rouinson, i. 274, who writes that ' there is no evidence of any other fires than those of Moloch having been kept up in this valley' (Kos'jnmiiLor, Biblisch. Gcogr. II. i. 156, 164).
(c) It signifies the place of punishment for r»- belliotts or apostate Jews in the presence oj the righteous. Gehinnom or Gehenna is not actually mentioned with this signification in the OT, but it is it and no other place that is implied in Is 50" ' in a place of pain shall ye lie down, and 66-" with this new connotation. Both these passages are very late, and ]irobably from the same hand — not earlier than the 3rd cent. B.C. (see ChejTie, Introd. to the Bk. of Isaiah, p. 380; Smend, Alttcstamentliche lieligionsgeschicfue, p. 506). Further, the punish- ment of the apostate Jews in Is 66-'' is conceived as eternal : 'They shall look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me ; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring to all flesh.' The i)unishment of Gehenna is implied also in l)n 12^ ' some to shame and everlasting abhor- rence.' We should observe that the same wortl \»-n ' abhorrence ' occurs in these two passivges, ami in these only, and the reference in botli is to Gehenna.
II. Its Mi;anino AND furtiiek Dkvelop.mk.nt IN Apocalyptic Liteuature.* In this literature
* There is no actual mention of the word Oeheniu in biblical Apocryphal literature ; but in Jth 10'7—
«vai itiilri* ITcoirrdtuitMr r>* yttu fJUHf.
Kt^^iK \\if7utfi*rtip ixdixr.rli «bratr i* kuip^ M^inm,
itvtcLi Tv^ MOLi rMtt\fMM( lit raflmt mirTMr,
wij xXx.rtirtti it mirt/r,rii ut( *ciV.«r — the reference to Oelieniia is undeniable. In Sir 7'', hoireTer, the text iKi.Mrr.t irtievf rvfi Kai rv4«Xr.{ is probably eornipt, iH'inj; wilhout the 8upi>ort of the Syrian Version aiij tlie l>c«t MSS of the ICthiopic. Shcol, moreover, has Iieoome synonym- ous with Gelienua in tlie Similitndt'*, Thus : ' Sii'eol wiU devour the Hiunert in the preeenco of the elect,' 60S, cf, eS>0
120
GELiLorn
GENDER
this conception underwent further development, (a) Thus Gehenna was conceived as a place uf corporal and spiritual punishment for apostate Jews in the presence of the righteous for ever. (See Eth. En. 27--S 90-«-"). In the Similitudes of that book, i.e. chs. 37-70, there is a slight niodihcatiuii of the above idea. Thus, tliough the punisliment is everlasting, only its initial stages will be exe- cuted in the presence of the righteous. On tlie expiration of these, tlie wicked will be swept for ever from the presence of the righteous, 48" 62'^- ".
(6) A place of spiritual punishment for apostate Jews in the presetice of the righteous. Heretofore Gehenna was always conceived as a place of both corporal and spiritual punishment. This new development is attested in the Kth. En. 91-104 (c. 134-95 BC). Thus in 98^ 'their sjiirits will be cast into tlie furnace of fire.' Cf. also 103*. From 99" 103'- * it is clear that Sheol and Gehenna have become equivalent terms in this writer also. See also 100". The same conception is found in an Essene writing, i.e. Eth. En. 108* and in the Assumpt. Mos. 10'°. In the latter passage Gehenna or rather 'the valley' is mentioned by name (see Charles, Assumption of Moses, pp. 43, 44). It is noteworthy that in all these books only a blessed immortality of the souls of the righteous is taught.
(c) A place of corporal and spiritual punishment for all the wicked in the presence of the riifhtcoits. We arrive at this stage of development in 2 Es y36-3a < gt apparebit locus tormenti, et contra ilium erit locus requietionis : clibanus gehennas ostendetur, et contra eum jocunditatis paradisus.