Hades  The Greek name used in the New Testament to refer to the world of the dead.

Hagar  The slave woman of Sarah, the wife of Abraham. When Sarah could not have any children, she followed the ancient custom of letting her husband Abraham have a child by Hagar. The boy's name was Ishmael (see Genesis 16; 21.8-21).

Harvest Festival  The Israelite festival celebrating the wheat harvest, held in the latter part of May, fifty days after Passover.  The Jewish name for this festival is Shavuoth (the Feast of Weeks). It has also been called Pentecost.

Heaven  According to the Bible, the place where God lives and rules.  

Hebrew  The language used by most of the people of Israel until the Exile. After the people returned, more and more of them spoke Aramaic instead. Most of the Hebrew Bible was written in Hebrew.

Hebrew Scriptures  A common way to refer to what Christians call the Old Testament.  See also Tanak.

Hell   In the New Testament, hell is the place of judgment where God sends all evildoers to face fiery torture and everlasting punishment.

Hermes  The name of a Greek god who served as messenger of the gods.

Herod  The name of several rulers of Palestine. (1) Herod the Great was the king of Palestine 37-4 B.C.  He was king at the time Jesus was born.  (2) Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great and was the ruler of Galilee 4 B.C.-A.D. 39.  (3) Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod the Great, ruled Palestine A.D. 41-44.

High Priest  The priest who occupied the highest office the Jewish priestly system and was president of the supreme Council of the Jews.  Once a year (on the Day of Atonement), the High Priest would enter he Most Holy Place in the Temple and offer sacrifice for himself and for the sins of the people of Israel.

Hittites  A nation whose capital city was located in what is now Turkey.  The Hittites had an empire that at times controlled some kingdoms in Canaan before 1200 B.C.  Many Hittites remained Canaan even after the Israelites settled there.

Hivites One of the original tribes in Palistine believed to be an offshoot of the Hittites. The name means “villagers” or “midlanders.”

Holy Spirit  The Holy Spirit is God's presence at work in the world.  The Old Testament declares that God's Spirit was at work in the creation of the world, giving life to plants, animals, and humans.  It was this Spirit that empowered Israel's leaders and prophets to speak and act.  The Holy Spirit is also a central figure in the New Testament.  For examples, the Holy Spirit came over Jesus "in the form of a dove" at his baptism (Luke 3.22) and was later promised to the disciples to give them the power to take the good news about Jesus "everywhere in the world."

Holy War  Early Israel understood warfare to be closely connected with their conception of God as a might warrior who fights on their behalf.  With the Divine Warrior on their side, Israel was confident victory would be theirs.  Following the battle, the Israelites would often destroy part or all of the city or country along with its people, animals, and possessions.  This practice, known as "the ban," meant devoting or settling aside the spoils or war for God, the true victor.  The practice signaled that everything now belonged to God and was therefore sacrificed to God.

Hyssop  A small bushy plant, used in religious ceremonies to sprinkle liquids.