When i was a little tyke, my Grandpa told me you could catch a Sparrow by putting salt on its tail. You see, it makes it too heavy to fly and thus you can snatch it.
From what I remember, I don't think the Israelites had any definitive belief regarding the afterlife. There is certainly very little information on the matter in the O.T. books that comprise The Torah. The real emphasis is placed on what one accomplishes in this present lifetime here on earth.
It's like saying, "All those in Poland heard The Word.
Would that be Poland, the country, which has a population of 38 MILLION or Poland, Ohio, which has a population of 3 THOUSAND??
So much for, "No one held you there against your will."
edit: I was also subjected to a "locked door" situation in the mid 1970s. Just who the he!! did they think they were, anyways?