Gehenna
Gehenna is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew ge-hinnom, meaning “Valley of [the sons of] Hinnom”, south of Jerusalem, where some of the ancient Israelites “passed children through the fire”, sacrificing them to the Canaanite god Molech [1]. The place is called “Tophet” in Isaiah 30:33. In later years, Gehenna continued to be an unclean place used for burning trash from the city of Jerusalem, notorious for the fact that it continuously smoldered, with smoke and decayed animal remains covered with maggots and worms, and occasional outbursts of flame. Jesus used Gehenna as an illustration of hell.[2]
"how will you escape the judgment of Gehenna? Matthew 23:33.
- KJV: "how can ye escape the damnation of hell?"
The judgment of Gehenna is a metaphor for the judgment of burning, an allusion to the everlasting condemnation to eternal torment in the lake of fire in Revelation 14:9-11; 20:10, 14-15.
