Hibernate is an object-relational mapping tool that allows developers to more easily write applications that interact with relational databases. It does this by allowing developers to map Java classes to database tables and columns, so that developers can interact with data through Java objects rather than directly with SQL statements. Hibernate handles the conversion between Java objects and database rows behind the scenes. Some key benefits of using Hibernate include faster data retrieval, avoiding manual database connection management, and easier handling of database schema changes.