By the way, it is 12/25 here in America today so what better thing to do than work on the blog instead of participating in a pagan holiday! : )
Please allow me to set the stage for you. Jacob, also called by God, Israel, has had his 12 sons. You know, the ones whose names will become the Tribes of Israel. The youngest son, Joseph, has just been sold by the brothers into slavery to some Ishmaelites (who were Midianites) because of the nagging dreams Joseph had - you may know the story, already.
In order to hide this fact from the father (the selling into slavery), Jacob (Israel), has been handed Joseph's shredded "coat of many colors", dipped in goat blood, and he has been informed that Joseph is dead; killed by a wild animal!
(ESV)
Gen 37:34 Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days.
Gen 37:35 All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, "No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning." Thus his father wept for him.
Gen 37:36 Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.
שְׁאֹל שְׁאוֹל
she'ôl she'ôl
sheh-ole', sheh-ole'
From H7592; hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranian retreat), including its accessories and inmates: - grave, hell, pit.
(ABP)
Gen 37:34 tore And Jacob his clothes, and placed sackcloth upon his loin, and mourned for his son days many.
Gen 37:35 came together And all his sons and daughters. And they came to comfort him, and he did not want to be comforted, saying that, I will go down to my son in mourning into Hades. And wept for him his father.
Gen 37:36 And the Midianites gave Joseph into Egypt to Potiphar the castrato of Pharaoh the chief guard.
G86
ᾅδης
hadēs
hah'-dace
From G1 (as a negative particle) and G1492; properly unseen, that is, “Hades” or the place (state) of departed souls: - grave, hell.
(BSEP)
Gen 37:33 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
Gen 37:34 And all his sons and his daughters gathered themselves together, and came to comfort him; but he would not be comforted, saying, I will go down to my son mourning to Hades; and his father wept for him.
Gen 37:35 And the Madianites sold Joseph into Egypt; to Petephres, the eunuch of Pharao, captain of the guard.
G86
ᾅδης
hadēs
hah'-dace
From G1 (as a negative particle) and G1492; properly unseen, that is, “Hades” or the place (state) of departed souls: - grave, hell.
(NASB)
Gen 37:34 So Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days.
Gen 37:35 Then all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. And he said, "Surely I will go down to Sheol in mourning for my son." So his father wept for him.
Gen 37:36 Meanwhile, the Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharaoh's officer, the captain of the bodyguard.
שְׁאֹל שְׁאוֹל
she'ôl she'ôl
sheh-ole', sheh-ole'
From H7592; hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranian retreat), including its accessories and inmates: - grave, hell, pit.
[Notes/Conclusion: Alrighty! We have an interesting development here! 2 of the Bibles use 'Sheol" and 2 use "Hades". The definitions of the words are similar; grave, hell, pit. So, which one is it?
We can know by the context. Let me pose a question or two. Does it sound reasonable that Jacob (Israel) and his son, Joseph, given their prominence and importance, might be placed in hell, a burning place of torture? Does it sound reasonable that Jacob and Joseph would be placed in Hades, the pagan Greek place of burning and torture? Would one of the Patriarchs of Judaeo-Christianity, Jacob, be placed in these two foreboding locations? Remember, we are speaking of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob here!
The answer is; not likely at all!
We can use the definition "grave" because we know that these two guys were loved by God! And also, by context we can see that Jacob is lamenting his son's supposed death by saying, in the modern vernacular; "I will grieve for my son until I'm in the grave myself!". We also have another very interesting source to check; the vaunted King James Version!]
(KJV)
Gen 37:34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
Gen 37:35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.
Gen 37:36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.
Yes! The KJV uses "grave" (sheol). The word "grave" is the most likely meaning here.
All this brings up an obvious question. Why did these respected and honored men sodden the Word of God by using words with such bad connotations as "hell" and "Hades"? Again, we don't know what stress they were under during the time of translation so we must intelligently study and verify the text. Whole manuscript families are rumored to have been altered, so, we must "test all things".
Still, it's especially miraculous (in the true sense of the word) that Yehovah's Word comes through even after man's alteration! This amazing book called "Bible" is truly of divine origin and its history, doctrine, and truth is connected and interwoven throughout the text.
... much more to go ...
The Observer
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