Encyclopedia entry
Heaven
Disambiguation
The source enumerates 4 distinct subjects under Heaven. Jump to one below, or read in order.
Heaven (1)
#Definitions. The phrase “heaven and earth” is used to indicate the whole universe (Gen. 1:1; Jer. 23:24; Acts 17:24). According to the Jewish notion there were three heavens,
(a) The firmament, as “fowls of the heaven” (Gen. 2:19; 7:3, 23; Ps. 8:8, etc.), “the eagles of heaven” (Lam. 4:19), etc.
(b) The starry heavens (Deut. 17:3; Jer. 8:2; Matt. 24:29).
(c) “The heaven of heavens,” or “the third heaven” (Deut. 10:14; 1 Kings 8:27; Ps. 115:16; 148:4; 2 Cor. 12:2).
Heaven (2)
#Meaning of words in the original,
(a) The usual Hebrew word for “heavens” is shamayim, a plural form meaning “heights,” “elevations” (Gen. 1:1; 2:1).
(b) The Hebrew word marom is also used (Ps. 68:18; 93:4; 102:19, etc.) as equivalent to shamayim, “high places,” “heights.”
(c) Heb. galgal, literally a “wheel,” is rendered “heaven” in Ps. 77:18 (R.V., “whirlwind”).
(d) Heb. shahak, rendered “sky” (Deut. 33:26; Job 37:18; Ps. 18:11), plural “clouds” (Job 35:5; 36:28; Ps. 68:34, marg. “heavens”), means probably the firmament.
(e) Heb. rakia is closely connected with (d), and is rendered “firmamentum” in the Vulgate, whence our “firmament” (Gen. 1:6; Deut. 33:26, etc.), regarded as a solid expanse.
Heaven (3)
#Metaphorical meaning of term. Isa. 14:13, 14; “doors of heaven” (Ps. 78:23); heaven “shut” (1 Kings 8:35); “opened” (Ezek. 1:1). (See 1 Chr. 21:16.)
Heaven (4)
#Spiritual meaning. The place of the everlasting blessedness of the righteous; the abode of departed spirits.
(a) Christ calls it his “Father’s house” (John 14:2).
(b) It is called “paradise” (Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 12:4; Rev. 2:7).
(c) “The heavenly Jerusalem” (Gal. 4: 26; Heb. 12:22; Rev. 3:12).
(d) The “kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 25:1; James 2:5).
(e) The “eternal kingdom” (2 Pet. 1:11).
(f) The “eternal inheritance” (1 Pet. 1:4; Heb. 9:15).
(g) The “better country” (Heb. 11:14, 16).
(h) The blessed are said to “sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” and to be “in Abraham’s bosom” (Luke 16:22; Matt. 8:11); to “reign with Christ” (2 Tim. 2:12); and to enjoy “rest” (Heb. 4:10, 11).
In heaven the blessedness of the righteous consists in the possession of “life everlasting,” “an eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4:17), an exemption from all sufferings for ever, a deliverance from all evils (2 Cor. 5:1, 2) and from the society of the wicked (2 Tim. 4:18), bliss without termination, the “fulness of joy” for ever (Luke 20:36; 2 Cor. 4:16, 18; 1 Pet. 1:4; 5:10; 1 John 3:2). The believer’s heaven is not only a state of everlasting blessedness, but also a “place”, a place “prepared” for them (John 14:2).
Also from Smith's (1884) +−
There are four Hebrew words thus rendered in the Old Testament which we may briefly notice.
Raki’a, Authorized Version, firmament. [Firmament] Shamayim . This is the word used in the expression “the heaven and the earth,” or “the upper and lower regions.” (Genesis 1:1) Marom, used for heaven in (Psalms 18:16; Isaiah 24:18; Jeremiah 25:30). Properly speaking it means a mountain as in (Psalms 102:19; Ezekiel 17:23) Shechakim, “expanses,” with reference to the extent of heaven. (33:26; Job 35:5) St. Paul’s expression “third heaven,” (2 Corinthians 12:2) had led to much conjecture. Grotius said that the Jews divided the heaven into three parts, viz., The air or atmosphere, where clouds gather; The firmament, in which the sun, moon and stars are fixed; The upper heaven, the abode of God and his angels, the invisible realm of holiness and happiness the home of the children of God.
In the Bible
581
Verses where Heaven is named. Berean Standard Bible (public domain).
- 1 Chronicles 21:16
When David lifted up his eyes and saw the angel of the LORD standing between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem, David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell facedown.
- 1 Chronicles 21:26
And there he built an altar to the LORD and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. He called upon the LORD, who answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering.
- 1 Chronicles 29:11
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in heaven and on earth belongs to You. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom, and You are exalted as head over all.
- 1 Corinthians 8:5
For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many so-called gods and lords),
- 1 Corinthians 15:47
The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven.
- 1 Corinthians 15:48
As was the earthly man, so also are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven.
+575 more verses naming Heaven.
Scripture on Heaven
322
See all 322 +−
- John 6Matthew 13Matthew 18Deuteronomy 4Nehemiah 9Daniel 2Matthew 24Revelation 12Revelation 10Revelation 11Revelation 14Exodus 9Deuteronomy 28Deuteronomy 33Psalms 78Psalms 115Jeremiah 44Jeremiah 51Matthew 6Matthew 11Matthew 19Mark 11Mark 13Luke 10Acts 2Acts 72 Corinthians 12Colossians 1Hebrews 121 Peter 1Revelation 18Revelation 19Revelation 21Genesis 7Genesis 22Exodus 20Deuteronomy 10Deuteronomy 11Deuteronomy 302 Kings 12 Chronicles 7Ezra 7Nehemiah 1Job 35Job 38Psalms 18Psalms 89Isaiah 14Isaiah 24Jeremiah 8Ezekiel 32Daniel 7Matthew 10Matthew 16Matthew 23Matthew 25Luke 11Luke 15Luke 20Luke 21John 3Acts 1Acts 112 Corinthians 5Hebrews 9Revelation 8Revelation 16Revelation 20Genesis 14Genesis 24Genesis 27Genesis 28Exodus 10Deuteronomy 1Deuteronomy 9Deuteronomy 17Joshua 102 Samuel 222 Kings 22 Kings 72 Kings 212 Kings 231 Chronicles 212 Chronicles 22 Chronicles 33Ezra 5Ezra 6Nehemiah 2Job 22Job 37Psalms 68Psalms 77Psalms 102Psalms 103Isaiah 13Isaiah 34Jeremiah 7Jeremiah 19Jeremiah 23Jeremiah 33Lamentations 3Lamentations 4Ezekiel 31Daniel 5Daniel 8Amos 9Zephaniah 1Matthew 3Matthew 7Matthew 8Matthew 22Matthew 28Luke 3Luke 9Luke 16Luke 17Luke 18John 1John 14Acts 4Acts 10Acts 14Acts 171 Corinthians 152 Corinthians 4Hebrews 8James 52 Peter 1Revelation 3Revelation 4Revelation 5Revelation 6Revelation 13Revelation 15Genesis 2Genesis 6Genesis 8Genesis 11Genesis 15Genesis 19Genesis 21Genesis 26Genesis 49Exodus 16Exodus 17Exodus 24Exodus 31Exodus 32Leviticus 26Deuteronomy 2Deuteronomy 3Deuteronomy 5Deuteronomy 7Deuteronomy 25Deuteronomy 26Deuteronomy 29Deuteronomy 31Deuteronomy 32Joshua 2Joshua 8Judges 5Judges 13Judges 201 Samuel 21 Samuel 52 Samuel 182 Samuel 211 Kings 181 Kings 222 Kings 142 Kings 172 Kings 191 Chronicles 292 Chronicles 182 Chronicles 202 Chronicles 282 Chronicles 302 Chronicles 322 Chronicles 36Ezra 1Job 1Job 2Job 11Job 16Job 20Job 25Job 26Job 28Job 41Psalms 2Psalms 8Psalms 11Psalms 14Psalms 19Psalms 20Psalms 33Psalms 53Psalms 57Psalms 69Psalms 73Psalms 75Psalms 76Psalms 79Psalms 80Psalms 85Psalms 104Psalms 105Psalms 107Psalms 113Psalms 119Psalms 121Psalms 123Psalms 124Psalms 134Psalms 135Psalms 136Psalms 139Psalms 146Psalms 147Psalms 148Proverbs 23Proverbs 25Proverbs 30Ecclesiastes 1Ecclesiastes 2Ecclesiastes 3Ecclesiastes 5Isaiah 7Isaiah 37Isaiah 40Isaiah 55Isaiah 63Isaiah 66Jeremiah 10Jeremiah 15Jeremiah 16Jeremiah 25Jeremiah 31Jeremiah 32Jeremiah 34Jeremiah 49Lamentations 2Ezekiel 1Ezekiel 8Ezekiel 17Ezekiel 29Ezekiel 38Daniel 6Daniel 9Daniel 11Daniel 12Hosea 2Hosea 4Hosea 7Joel 3Jonah 1Nahum 3Haggai 1Zechariah 2Zechariah 5Zechariah 6Malachi 3Matthew 4Matthew 12Matthew 14Matthew 20Matthew 21Matthew 26Mark 1Mark 6Mark 7Mark 8Mark 10Mark 12Mark 14Mark 16Luke 2Luke 4Luke 6Luke 12Luke 19Luke 22Luke 23Luke 24John 12John 17Acts 3Acts 9Acts 19Acts 22Acts 26Romans 1Romans 101 Corinthians 8Galatians 1Galatians 4Ephesians 1Ephesians 3Ephesians 6Philippians 2Philippians 3Colossians 41 Thessalonians 11 Thessalonians 42 Thessalonians 12 Timothy 22 Timothy 4Hebrews 4Hebrews 10Hebrews 11James 21 Peter 32 Peter 31 John 31 John 5Revelation 2Revelation 9
Entries that reference Heaven
2
Heaven references
22
Voices on Heaven
24
Surfaced by name match — accuracy varies by title clarity.
Sources · Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897) · Smith's Bible Dictionary (1884)
Public-domain text. Modernized only where archaic spelling impedes reading; original facts preserved. Verify against an authoritative modern reference before quoting.