Gehenna The word Gehenna means the valley of Hinnom (lit. Gai-Hinnom), immediately outside Jerusalem (see Joshua 15:8) in 2 Kings 23:10, 2 Chronicles 28:3, 2 Chronicles 33:6, it is the scene of degraded idolatrous customs; and in Jeremiah 1:19-15 . it is described as not only a centre of iniquity, but also a place of retribution in this sense it was used by the Jews in our Lord's time (see e.g. Pirko Aboth), and the Lord Himself takes it as the place or condition of punishment. It is only used by Him (Matthew 5:22, Matthew 1:5-30, Matthew 10:28, Matthew 18:9, Matthew 23:15, Matthew 23:33, Mark 9:43, Mark 9:47, Luke 12:5) and in James 3:6 .