Sheol: What Does it Mean? Is it an Inferno or a Grave?

Today I listened once more to a couple of teachings James Flanders did on the topic of hell which focused in on the word Sheol which is often translated as Hell in the KJV version of Bible. At other times it is translated as the grave.

If you have never taken time to study the topic of hell on your own, especially the original words that have been translated as hell, it may very well be worth your time to listen to these teachings.

Here are the links to them:

http://www.jamesflanders.com/3/post/2012/11/sheol-an-inferno-or-a-grave.html

http://www.jamesflanders.com/3/post/2012/11/sheol-an-inferno-or-a-grave-part-2.html

As I consider the very different translations used for this word in the KJV, it boggles my mind.

How could the same word refer to the grave (which every dead person enters into) and also refer to a chamber of eternal torture and torment?

Doesn't it seem to be more than a little strange?

At this point, I'm convinced that the proper rendering is "the grave" which is how literal translations such as Young's and the Concordant Literal New Testament word it.

The more I think about it, it seems that the doctrine of eternal torment is a doctrine of demons which has been used by religious institutions to control, manipulate, and profit from people who have not come to know the truth.

The doctrine of eternal torment also diminishes the work of Christ and makes the work of Adam greater.

My mind is still boggled that I spent so many years in the institutional religious world and never thought to question what was being taught.