the Third Week of Advent
Click here to join the effort!
Bible Lexicons
Old Testament Hebrew Lexical Dictionary Hebrew Lexicon
Strong's #5315 - נֶפֶשׁ
- Brown-Driver-Briggs
- Strong
- soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion
- that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man
- living being
- living being (with life in the blood)
- the man himself, self, person or individual
- seat of the appetites
- seat of emotions and passions
- activity of mind
- dubious
- activity of the will
- dubious
- activity of the character
- dubious
- Book
- Word
did not use
this Strong's Number
2424) spn (נפסה NPSh) AC: Refresh CO: Soul AB: ?: The whole of a person, the body, breath and mind.
V) spn (נסהפ NShP) - Refresh: To refresh the whole of the person. KJV (3): (vf: Niphal) refresh - Strongs: H5314 (נָפַשׁ)
Nf) spn (נפסה NPSh) - Soul: KJV (751): soul, life, person, mind, heart, creature, body, dead, will, desire, man, self, any, appetite - Strongs: H5315 (נֶפֶשׁ)
Jeff Benner, Ancient Hebrew Research Center Used by permission of the author.
1 = that which breathes, the breathing substance or being = ψυχή, anima, the soul, the inner being of man:
a. distinguished from׃בָּשָׂר מִנֶּפֶשׁוְעַד בָּשָׂר Isaiah 10:18; הַנֶּפֶשׁ עִם הַבָּשָׂר Deuteronomy 12:23; from שְׁאֵר Proverbs 11:17; from בֶּטֶן body Psalm 31:10.
b. both the innerנפשׁ and the outer בשׂר are conceived as resting on a common substratum: אַךְ בְּשָׂרוֺעָלָיו יִכְאָ֑ב וְנַפְשׁוֺ עָלָיו תֶּאֱבָֽל׃ Job 14:22 only his flesh upon him is in pain, and his soul upon him mourneth; compare Psalm 42:5; Psalm 42:7; Psalm 131:2; Job 30:16; Lamentations 3:20 [see עַל
1 d], all poetical (compare 6c).
c.׳נ departs at death and returns with life: וַיְתִיבְּצֵאת נַפְשָׁהּ כִּי מֵתָה Genesis 35:18 (E) and it came to pass when her soul was going forth ( for she died); נָָֽפְחָה נַפְשָׁהּ Jeremiah 15:9 she breathed out her soul, compare 1 Kings 17:21,22; Job 11:20; Job 31:39.
d. often desired that theנפשׁ may be delivered: from Sh®°ôl Psalm 16:10; Psalm 30:4; Psalm 49:16; Psalm 86:13; Psalm 89:49; Proverbs 23:14; from שַׁחַת, the pit of Sh®°ôl, Isaiah 38:17; Job 33:18,22,28,30.
2 The נפשׁ becomes a living being: by God's breathing נשׁמת חיים into the nostrils of its בשׂר; of man Genesis 2:7 (J); by implication of animals also Genesis 2:19 (J); so Psalm 104:29; Psalm 104:30; compare Psalm 66:9; man is נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה, a living, breathing being Genesis 2:7 (J); elsewhere נפשׁ חיּה always of animals Genesis 1:20,24,30; Genesis 9:12,15,16 (all P), Ezekiel 47:9; so נפשׁ החיּה Genesis 1:21; Genesis 9:10 (both P), Leviticus 11:10,46 (H); נפשׁ השׁרצת Leviticus 11:46 (H); נפשׁ כל חי Job 12:10. נפשׁ is frequently used with the verb ׃חיה וחיתה נפשׁ Genesis 12:13; Genesis 19:20 (both J), 1 Kings 20:32 (E), Psalm 119:175; Jeremiah 38:17,20; חֵי נַפְשְׁךָ 1 Samuel 1:26; 1 Samuel 17:55; 1 Samuel 20:3; 1 Samuel 25:26; 2 Samuel 11:11; 2 Samuel 14:9; 2 Kings 2:2,4,6; 2 Kings 4:30 (all J E); compare ׳יְחַיֶּה נ 1 Kings 20:31 (E), Ezekiel 18:27; Psalm 22:30; also Genesis 19:19; Isaiah 55:3; Proverbs 3:22.
3 The נפשׁ (without חיה noun or verb) is specified:
a. a living being whose life resides in the blood [so in Arabic We Skizzen iii. 217 G. Jacob Arab. Dicht. iv. 9f.] (hence sacrificial use of blood, and its prohib. in other uses; first in D), Deuteronomy 12:23,24 only be sure that thou eat not the blood, for the blood is the living being (הַדָּם הוּא הַנֶּפֶשׁ); and thou shalt not eat the living being with the flesh (הַנֶּפֶשׁ עִם הַבָּשָׂר); thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water; this is enlarged in H, Leviticus 17:10,11,12,14and in P Genesis 9:4,5, compare Jeremiah 2:34.
b. a serious attack upon the life is an attack upon this inner living being 2 Samuel 1:9; Jeremiah 4:10; Jonah 2:6; Psalm 69:2; Psalm 124:4; Psalm 124:5; Job 27:3.
c.נפשׁ is used for life itself 171t., of animals Proverbs 12:10, and of man Genesis 44:30 (J); נפשׁ תחת נפשׁ life for life Exodus 21:23 (E), Leviticus 24:18 (H), 1 Kings 20:39,42; 2 Kings 10:24; נפשׁנו תחתיכם Joshua 2:14 (J); נפשׁ בנפשׁ Deuteronomy 19:21; בנפשׁ for the life of 2 Samuel 14:7; Jonah 1:14; שׂם נפשׁ בכף put life in one's own hand Judges 12:3; 1 Samuel 19:5; 1 Samuel 28:21; Job 13:14; חרף נפשׁולמות Judges 5:18 risked his life to die; בנפשׁ at the risk of life Numbers 17:3 (P), 2 Samuel 23:17 = 1 Chronicles 11:19 (twice in verse), 1 Kings 2:23; Proverbs 7:23; Lamentations 5:9; בקּשׁ נפשׁ Exodus 4:19 (J), 1 Samuel 20:21; 1 Samuel 22:23 (twice in verse); 1 Samuel 23:15; 1 Samuel 25:29; 2 Samuel 4:8; 2 Samuel 16:11; 1 Kings 19:10,14; Jeremiah 4:30; Jeremiah 11:21; Jeremiah 19:7,9; Jeremiah 21:7; Jeremiah 22:25; Jeremiah 34:20,21; Jeremiah 38:16; Jeremiah 44:30 (twice in verse); Jeremiah 46:26; Jeremiah 49:37; Psalm 35:4; Psalm 38:13; Psalm 40:15; Psalm 54:5; Psalm 63:10; Psalm 70:3; Psalm 86:14; Proverbs 29:10; ׳שׁאל נ 1 Kings 3:11 2 Chronicles 1:11; 1 Kings 19:4 = Jonah 4:8; הִכָּה נפשׁ smite mortally Genesis 37:21 (J), Deuteronomy 19:6,11; Jeremiah 40:14,15; ׳לקח נ 1 Kings 19:4; Jonah 4:3; Psalm 31:14; Proverbs 1:19; הִצִּילנֶפֶשׁ מִמָּוֶת deliver life from death Joshua 2:13; Psalm 33:19; Psalm 56:14; מלּט נפשׁ 1 Samuel 19:11; 2 Samuel 19:6 (4t. in verse); 1 Kings 1:12 (twice in verse); Jeremiah 48:6; Jeremiah 51:6,45; Ezekiel 33:5; Amos 2:14,15; Psalm 89:49; Psalm 116:4; פדה׳נ 2 Samuel 4:9; 1 Kings 1:29; Psalm 34:23; Psalm 49:16; Psalm 55:19; Psalm 71:23; ׳שׁמר נ Psalm 25:20; Psalm 97:10; Job 2:6; Proverbs 13:3; Proverbs 16:17; Proverbs 19:16; Proverbs 22:5.
4 The נפשׁ as the essential of man stands for the man himself:
a. paraphrase for personal pronoun especially in poetry and ornate discourse, 70t.; (1) נַפְשִׁי = me: אל תבא נפשׁי Genesis 49:6 let me not enter (poem in J); מות ישׁרים׳תָּמֹת נ Numbers 23:10 let me die, etc. (poem); תָּמוֺת נַפְשְׁי Judges 16:30 (J); אמרה נפשׁי Lamentations 3:24 I say. (2) נַפְשְׁךָ = thee: לְאֻמִּים תַּחַת נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ Isaiah 43:4 peoples instead of thee; אָֽמְרוּ לְנַפְשֵׁךְ Isaiah 51:23. (3) נַפְשׁוֺ = he: נפשׁו בטובתלין Psalm he will not dwell in good circumstances. (4) נַפְשֵׁנוּ = we: נַפְשֵׁנוּ כְּצִמּוֺר נִמְלְטָהמִמַּח יוֺקְשִׁים Psalm 124:7. (5) נַפְשָׁם = they, them: נַפְשָׁם בַּשְּׁבִי הָלָ֑כָה Isaiah 46:2 they are gone into captivity; אוי לנפשׁם Isaiah 3:9.
b. = reflexive, self, 53t.: אסר על נפשׁ bind oneself Numbers 30:3; Numbers 30:5 (twice in verse); Numbers 30:6; Numbers 30:7; Numbers 30:8; Numbers 30:9; Numbers 30:10; Numbers 30:11; Numbers 30:12; ׳לְעַנֹּת נ Numbers 30:14 to afflict oneself . (1) נַפְשִׁי = myself: לא אדע נפשׁי Job 9:21 I know not myself. (2) נַפְשְׁךָ = thyself: ׳שׁמר נ Deuteronomy 4:9 keep thyself. (3) נַפְשׁוֺ = himself: ׳אהב כנ 1 Samuel 18:1,3; 1 Samuel 20:17 loved as himself. (4) נַפְשָׁהּ = herself: ׳צדּקה נ Jeremiah 3:11 justified herself. (5) נַפְשָׁם = themselves: ׳הציל נ deliver themselves Isaiah 47:14; Ezekiel 14:14,20. (6) נַפְשְׁכֶם, נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם = yourselves: ׳אַלתַּֿשִּׁאוּ נ Jeremiah 37:9 deceive not yourselves, also Jeremiah 42:20; Jeremiah 44:7; ׳ענּה נ Leviticus 16:29,31; Leviticus 23:27,32; Numbers 29:7 (P); ׳נשׁמרתם לנ Deuteronomy 4:15; Joshua 23:11 (D). (7) נַפְשׁוֺתֵינוּ = ourselves: ׳על נ Jeremiah 26:19 against ourselves.
c. = person of Prayer of Manasseh , individual, 144t., first in D2; especially in H, P, and kindred writers: (1) with אָדָם: אדם׳נ Leviticus 24:17 opposed to בהמה׳נ Leviticus 24:18 (both H), and so אדם׳נ human persons Numbers 31:35,40,46 (P) 1 Chronicles 5:21; Ezekiel 27:13. Elsewhere without אדם: ברכה׳נ Proverbs 11:25 one who blesses; רְמִיָּה׳נ Proverbs 19:15 idle person; ׳תחת נ׳נ person in place of person, Job 16:4; כמּר׳על נ Exodus 30:15,16; Numbers 15:28; Numbers 31:50 (all P) Leviticus 17:11 (H). (2) נפשׁ = person, any one: Deuteronomy 24:7; Deuteronomy 27:25; Proverbs 28:17; Ezekiel 18:4 (3t. in verse); Ezekiel 33:6; elsewhere only H P: Leviticus 2:1; Leviticus 4:2,27; Leviticus 5:1,2,4,15,17; Leviticus 5:21; Leviticus 7:18,20,21,25,27; Leviticus 23:29,30 (twice in verse); Numbers 5:6; Numbers 15:27,30; Numbers 19:22; Numbers 31:19,28; Numbers 35:11,15,30 (twice in verse); Joshua 20:3,9 (all P), Leviticus 17:10,12,15; Leviticus 20:6 (twice in verse); Leviticus 22:6,11 (all H); ׳נכרתה הנהַהִוא מן that person shall be cut off from: only in Genesis 17:14; Exodus 12:15,19; Exodus 31:14; Leviticus 7:20,21,27; Numbers 9:13; Numbers 15:30,31; Numbers 19:13,20 (all P), Leviticus 19:8; Leviticus 22:3 (both H). (3) נפשׁ collective for persons, in enumerations: Deuteronomy 10:22; Joshua 10:28,30,32,35,37 (twice in verse); Joshua 10:39; Joshua 11:11 (all D2) Jeremiah 43:6; Jeremiah 52:29,30 (twice in verse); Ezekiel 22:25; elsewhere only Genesis 12:5; Genesis 46:15,18,22,25,26 (twice in verse); Genesis 46:27 (twice in verse); Exodus 1:5 (twice in verse); Exodus 12:16; Numbers 31:35,40 (all P). (4) נְפָשׁוֺת persons Genesis 36:6; Exodus 12:4; Exodus 16:16; Numbers 19:18 (all P), Leviticus 18:29; Leviticus 20:25; Leviticus 27:2 (all H), 2 Kings 12:5; Proverbs 11:30; Proverbs 14:25; Ezekiel 13:18 (3t. in verse); Ezekiel 13:19 (twice in verse); Ezekiel 13:20 (twice in verse); Ezekiel 17:17; Ezekiel 18:4; Ezekiel 22:27 (נפשׁים Ezekiel 13:20 see above). (5) נפשׁ = deceased person, sometimes with מֵת, נֶפֶשׁ מֵת Numbers 6:6 (P), נַפְשֹׁת מֵת (ᵐ5ᵑ6 נֶפֶשׁ) Leviticus 21:11 (H); usually without מֵת, נפשׁ (ה)אדם Numbers 9:6,7; Numbers 19:11,13 (P); or simply נפשׁ, Leviticus 19:28; Leviticus 21:1; Leviticus 22:4 (all H) Numbers 5:2; Numbers 6:11; Numbers 9:10 (all P); elsewhere only Haggai 2:13.
5נפשׁ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46t.) —
a. hunger: רְעֵבָה׳נ hungry soul Psalm 107:9; Proverbs 27:7; with noun or verb of שׂבע satisfy Isaiah 56:11; Isaiah 58:10; Jeremiah 50:19; Ezekiel 7:19; Psalm 63:6; Psalm 107:9; Proverbs 13:25; Proverbs 27:7; ׳מתוק לנ Proverbs 16:24 sweet to the taste.
b. thirst:עֲיֵפָה ׳נ weary soul Proverbs 25:25; Jeremiah 31:25; כארץ עיפה׳נ Psalm 143:6; ׳צמאה נ Psalm 42:3; Psalm 63:2.
c. appetite in General:יַקִּיפוּ עָלָיו ׳אֹיְבַי בנ Psalm 17:9 my enemies compass me about with greed; הִרְחִיבָה שְׁאוֺל נַפְשָׁהּ וּפָֽעֲרָה פִיהָ Isaiah 5:14 Sh®°ôl enlarged her appetite, etc., compare Habakkuk 2:5; Proverbs 23:2 בַּעַל נֶפֶשׁ; Ecclesiastes uses נפשׁ only in the sense of a, b, c; the נפשׁ craves, lacks, and is filled with good things: Ecclesiastes 2:24; Ecclesiastes 4:8; Ecclesiastes 6:2,3,7,9; Ecclesiastes 7:28.
6 = ׳נ seat of emotions and passions (151t.) —
a. desire: ׳אִוְּתָה נ soul desires Deuteronomy 12:20; Deuteronomy 14:26; 1 Samuel 2:16; 2 Samuel 3:21; 1 Kings 11:37; Job 23:13; Proverbs 13:4; Proverbs 21:10; Micah 7:1; ׳תַּאֲוַת נ Psalm 10:3; Isaiah 26:8; ׳אַוַּת נ Deuteronomy 12:15,20,21; Deuteronomy 18:6; 1 Samuel 23:20; Jeremiah 2:24; so also לנפשׁ according to one's desire Deuteronomy 21:14; Psalm 78:18; Jeremiah 34:16; כנפשׁ Deuteronomy 23:25; האח נפשׁנו ah, our desire Psalm 35:25; בנפשׁ at one's desire Psalm 105:22; Ezekiel 16:27; יָָֽצְאָה׳נ בְדַבְּרוֺ Song of Solomon 5:6; ׳נשׂא נ lift up the soul, desire Deuteronomy 24:15; 2 Samuel 14:14 (read אליהם, not אלהים), Psalm 24:4; Psalm 25:1; Psalm 86:4; Psalm 143:8; Proverbs 19:8; Jeremiah 22:27; Jeremiah 44:14; Hosea 4:8.
b. abhorrence, loathing:׳געלה נ soul abhorreth Leviticus 26:11,15,30,43 (H) Jeremiah 14:19; בחלה בי׳וגם נ Zechariah 11:8 and their soul also fell a loathing against me.
c. sorrow and distress: ׳מרי נ bitter, gloomy, discontented of soul Judges 18:25 (E) 2 Samuel 17:8; Job 3:20; Proverbs 31:6; ׳מר נ 1 Samuel 22:2 compare Job 7:11; Job 10:1; Isaiah 38:15; Ezekiel 27:1; ׳עָֽגְמָה נ Job 30:35 grieved; ׳אגמי נ sad of soul Isaiah 19:10; ׳תבכה נ my soul shall weep Jeremiah 13:17; ירעה׳נ his soul trembleth Isaiah 15:4; ׳צרת נ distress of soul Genesis 42:21 (E).
d. joy:תגיל ׳נ my soul rejoiceth Psalm 35:9; Isaiah 61:10; ׳שׂמּח נ rejoice the soul Psalm 86:4; also Psalm 94:19; Psalm 138:3; Proverbs 29:17.
e. love:׳אהבה נ my soul loveth Song of Solomon 1:7; Song of Solomon 3:1,2,3,4; ׳יְדִדוּת נ darling of my soul Jeremiah 12:7; ׳ב׳דבקה נ his soul clave unto Genesis 34:3 (J), with אחרי Psalm 63:9; חשׁקה׳ב ׳נ soul is attached to Genesis 34:8 (P).
f. alienation, hatred, revenge: מן׳תֵּקַע נ the soul is alienated from Jeremiah 6:8; Ezekiel 23:17,18; מן׳נקעה נ Ezekiel 23:18,22,28; ׳שְׂנֻאי נ hated of soul 2 Samuel 5:8 (Qr); ׳שׂנאה נ Psalm 11:5; Isaiah 1:14.
g. other emotions and feelings:׳השׁיב נ bring back soul Lamentations 1:11,19 (i.e. revive, compare with שׁוּב 1 Kings 17:21f.), hence figurative refresh, cheer, 1 Kings 17:16; Psalm 19:8; Proverbs 25:14; Ruth 4:15; ׳שׁובב נ Psalm 23:3; ׳מַחְמַל נ your souls' compassion Ezekiel 24:21; ׳קצרה נ soul was impatient Numbers 21:4 (E), Judges 10:16; Judges 16:16; Zechariah 11:8; כי׳אאריך נ that I should prolong my patience Job 6:11 הגר׳ידעתם אתנֿ ye know the feeling of the stranger Exodus 23:9 (R D).
7 נפשׁ is used occasionally for mental acts + לבב (see
10); possibly also alone, owing to unconscious assimilation by late writers; but most, if not all, examples may be otherwise explained: נפשׁי ידעת מאד Psalm 139:14 my soul knoweth well (or I know well; compare 4 a); בלאלא טוב ׳דעת נ Proverbs 19:2 that the soul be without knowledge is not good (but RVm desire without knowledge, compare 6a); ׳דעה חכמה לנ Proverbs 24:14 know wisdom for thy soul (or according to thy desire, compare 6a); ׳אל תדמי בנ Esther 4:13 think not in thy soul (or in thyself, compare 4 b); כמו שׁער׳בג Proverbs 23:7 as he reckoneth in his soul (but RV in himself, compare 4 b); ׳מה תאמר נ 1 Samuel 20:4 (but AV RV following ᵐ5 ἐπιθυμεῖ = תְּאַוֶּה; see 6a).
8נפשׁ for acts of the will is dubious: אם ישׁנפשׁכם (את) if it is your purpose Genesis 23:8 (P) 2 Kings 9:15 (or if it is your desire, 6a); ׳בחרה נ my soul chooseth Job 7:15; ׳מאנה נ my soul, refuseth Job 6:7; Psalm 77:3; חפצה׳נ their soul delighteth in Isaiah 66:3; רצתה׳נ my soul delighteth in Isaiah 42:1; (all perhaps emotional, 6b, d, g).
9 נפשׁ = character is still more dubious: בּוֺ׳לאֹיָָֽֿשְׁרָה נ Habakkuk 2:4 his soul is not right in him (but ᵐ5 οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν αὐτῷ [εὐδοκεῖ = רצתה], see
6); נַפְשִׁי לאֹ מְטֻמָּאָה Ezekiel 4:14 my soul hath not (or I have not,
4 a) been polluted.
10׳נ in D, when used with לבב, is assimilated to it, and shares with it the meanings of
7,8, 9; and so in later writers influenced by D (unless we may think that ׳ל is used of intellect, while ׳נ is used of the feelings): thus, בכל לבבובכל נפשׁ (see לבב): with דרשׁ Deuteronomy 4:29; 2 Chronicles 15:12; עשׂה Deuteronomy 26:16; אהב Deuteronomy 6:5; Deuteronomy 13:4; Deuteronomy 30:6; ידע Joshua 23:14; עבד Deuteronomy 10:12; Deuteronomy 11:13; Joshua 22:5; שׁמע בקלו Deuteronomy 30:2; שׁוב אל Deuteronomy 30:10; 1 Kings 8:48 2 Chronicles 6:38; 2 Kings 23:25; שׁמר מצות 2 Kings 23:3 2 Chronicles 34:31; הלך לפני 1 Kings 2:4; and Deuteronomy 11:18; 1 Samuel 2:35; 1 Chronicles 22:19; 1 Chronicles 28:9; Jeremiah 32:41; Psalm 13:8; Proverbs 2:10; Proverbs 24:12. Note. — In three cases is Generally found closer approach to supposed radical meaning breath: —
a.שׁמן וקטרת ישׂמח לב ומתק רעהו מעצת נפשׁ Proverbs 27:9. Ges (after Döderlein) renders a. ׳מעצת נ more than odorous trees, so later edds., even Buhl; but ᵑ9 De SS transpose) מֵעֲצַת רֵעֵהוּ׳וּמֶתֶק נ. ᵐ5 Hi Bi ומתקרעה = the soul is rent asunder by cares. In any case נפשׁ is "" לב, compare
10. b.נַפְשׁוֺ גֶּחָלִים תְּלַהֵט Job 41:13 his breath kindleth coals (of the crocodile).The piece is one of the latest in the book; primitive meaning hardly in such a passage; context favours reference to passion or fury; perhaps below
6f, his passion or fury kindleth coals.
c. בָּתֵּי הַנֶּפֶשׁ Isaiah 3:20 perfume boxes; meaning evident from context; but not necessarily scent (breath)-boxes; may be
6a, boxes of desire, or
5, boxes exciting the sense of smell; = smelling boxes or bottles. No sufficient evidence in Biblical Hebrew, therefore, for meaning breath, odour. — See, for complete study of נֶפֶשׁ (all passages), Br JBL 1897,17 ff.
נֶפֶשׁ with suff. נַפְשִׁי; plur. נְפָשִׁוֹת (נְפָשִׁים once Ezekiel 13:20); comm. but more frequently, f. (Arab. نَفْسُ, Syr. ܢܰܦܫܐܳ).
(1) breath, Job 41:13 נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה breath of life, Genesis 1:20, 30 also a (sweet) odour, which is exhaled, Proverbs 27:9 בָּתֵּי נֶפֶשׁ smelling bottles, Isaiah 3:20.
(2) the soul, anima, ψυχή, by which the body lives, the token of which life is drawing breath (compare רוּחַ, Lat. anima; compare Gr. ἄνεμος), the seat of which was supposed to be in the blood (Leviticus 17:11 Deuter. 12:23 Genesis 9:4, compare Ovid. Fast. V. 469); hence life, vital principle. Genesis 35:18, וַיְהִי בְּצֵאת נַפְשָׁהּ “and it came to pass as her soul was in departing,” as she gave up the ghost. 1 Kings 17:21, תָּשָׁב־נָא נֶפֶשׁהַיֶּלֶד הַזֶּה עַל־קִרְבּוֹ “let now the soul of this child return into him.” Exodus 21:23, נֶפֶשׁ תַּחַת נָפֶשׁ “life for life.” The soul is also said both to live, Genesis 12:13; Psalms 119:175 and to die, Judges 16:30 to be killed, Numbers 31:19 to ask, 1 Kings 3:11 to be poured out (inasmuch as it departs along with the effused blood), Lamentations 2:12; Isaiah 53:12. יָרֵא לְנֶפֶשׁ he feared for his life, Joshua 9:24; Ezekiel 32:10. As to the phrase הִכָּה פ׳ נֶפֶשׁ see נָכָה. It is often used in phrases which relate either to the loss or to the preservation of life,
(a) אֶל־נֶפֶשׁ on account of life, to save life, 2 Kings 7:7 compare Greek τρέχειν περὶ ψυχῆς, Od. ix. 423. Valk. ad Herod. vii. 56; ix. 36; and even (of a hare) περὶ κρεῶν. But, Jeremiah 44:7, it is against life, in detriment of life.
(b) בְּנֶפֶשׁ with peril of life, 2 Samuel 23:17, 18:13 (קרי). 1 Kings 2:23, בְּנַפְשׁוֹ דִּבֶּר אֲדֹנִיָּהוּ אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה “at the peril of his life has Adonijah said this,” Lamentations 5:9; Proverbs 7:23 compare בְּרָאשֵׁינוּ 1 Chronicles 12:19. In other places for life (taken away), i.e. on account of the killing of some one, Jonah 1:14; 2 Samuel 14:7.
(c) לְנֶפֶשׁ פּ׳ for the good of one’s life, Genesis 9:5; Deuteronomy 4:15; Joshua 23:11.
Also, in many expressions which belong to the sustaining of life by food and drink, or to the contrary. Thus they say, “my soul (life) is satisfied” with meat and drink, Proverbs 27:7; Isaiah 55:2 to fill the soul, (the life), i.e. to satiate, Proverbs 6:30 and נֶפֶשׁ is used even for the aliment, Isaiah 58:10 and on the contrary, “my soul (life) hungers” (Proverbs 10:3, 27:7 ); thirsts (Proverbs 25:25), fasts (Psal. 69:11 ), abstains from certain kinds of food (Numbers 30:3), is polluted by them, Ezekiel 4:14 also, an empty soul (life), i.e. hungry, Isaiah 29:8 a dry soul, i.e. thirsty, Numbers 11:6 to open wide the soul (or, life) (i.e. the jaws), Isaiah 5:14; Habakkuk 2:5.-The soul as distinct from the body is meant, Job 14:22.
(3) the mind, as the seat of the senses, affections, and various emotions (see לֵב 1, letter ), to which is ascribed love (Isaiah 42:1; Song of Solomon 1:7 -3:14 ; Genesis 34:3), joy (Psal. 86:4 ), fear (Isaiah 15:4 Psal. 6:4 ), piety towards God (Psal. 86:4 104:1 143:8 ), confidence (Psalms 57:2), desire (Psalms 42:3, 63:2 ), appetite both that for food, Proverbs 6:30, 10:3 Micah 7:1; Deuteronomy 12:20, 21 Deuteronomy 12:21(whence בַּעַל נֶפֶשׁ a greedy man, Proverbs 23:2), and also sexual, Jeremiah 2:24; Ezekiel 23:18 also, for slaughter and revenge, Psal. 27:12 41:3 105:22 Exodus 15:9 comp. Proverbs 21:10 and, on the contrary, hatred, Isaiah 1:14 Psal. 17:9 contempt, Ezekiel 36:5; Isaiah 49:7 revenge, Jeremiah 5:9 sorrow, Job 19:2, 27:2 30:25. As the seat of warlike valour, so used when a poet speaks to his own soul. Judges 5:21, תִּדְרְכִי נַפְשִׁי עֹז “tread down, O my soul, the strong.” Jeremiah 4:19, כִּי קוֹל שׁוֹפָר שָׁמַעַתְּי נַפְשִׁי “because thou hast heard the voice of the trumpet, O my soul.” Used of the sensations in general, Exodus 23:9, יְדַעְתֶּם אֶת־נֶפֶשׁ הַגֵּר “ye know the soul of a stranger,” what sort of feelings strangers have. 1 Samuel 1:15, “I have poured out my soul before Jehovah,” i.e. I have opened to Jehovah the inmost feelings of my mind; Proverbs 12:10.
Words, also, by which the sensations of the soul are expressed, are often applied to the soul, נֶפֶשׁ, and thus the soul is said to weep, Psal. 119:28 to be poured out in tears, Job 30:16 to cry for vengeance, Job 24:12 and, on the contrary, to invoke blessings, Genesis 27:4, 25 Genesis 27:25. Rather more rarely, things are attributed to the soul which belong
(a) to the mode of feeling and acting, as pride (רְחַב נֶפֶשׁ Proverbs 28:25), patience and impatience (הֶאֱרִיךְ נֶפֶשׁ Job 6:11).
(b) to will and purpose, Genesis 23:8, אִם־יֵשׁ אֶת־נַפְשְׁכֶם “if it be (in) your mind,” i.e. if ye have so purposed in your mind; 2 Kings 9:15. 1 Chronicles 28:9, בְּנֶפֶשׁ חֲפֵצָה “with a willing mind.”
(c) to the understanding and the faculty of thinking, Psalms 139:14, “my soul (mind) knoweth right well.” Proverbs 19:2. 1 Samuel 20:4, “what thy soul (mind) thinketh.” Deuteronomy 4:9, “keep thy soul; do not forget.” Lamentations 3:20. All of these expressions are more commonly used of the heart; (see לֵב No. 1, letters -ce ).
(4) concr. animal, that in which there is a soul or mind (נֶפֶשׁ) Joshua 10:28 כָּל־הַנֶּפֶשׁ “every living thing,” verses 30 Joshua 10:30, 32 Joshua 10:32, 35 Joshua 10:35, 37 Joshua 10:37. Sometimes more fully נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה Genesis 1:24, 2:7, 19 and with the addition of the article נֶפֶשׁ הַחַיָּה Genesis 1:21, 9:10 pr. animal of life, i.e. endued with life (lebendige Seele = lebendiges Wefen), living creature, Genesis 2:7 commonly collect. living creatures, Genesis 1:21, 24 9:10, 12, 15 Leviticus 11:10 in this phrase it should be observed that חַיָּה is genit. of the substantive חַיָּה (life), not the fem. of the adjective חַי (living); so that נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה, equally with נֶפֶשׁ, is of either sex, and may be construed with a masculine. This serves to illustrate the words, Genesis 2:19, where interpreters have differed, וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָא לוֹ הָאָדָם נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה הוּא שְׁמוֹ “and whatsoever Adam called them, the living creatures, that was their name;” for לוֹ and שְׁמוֹ, refer to נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה, which after לוֹ is pleonastic.-Specially it is a man, a person, particularly in certain phrases, in which in German also the word soul is used, as גָּנַב נֶפֶשׁ to steal a man (comp. Germ. Seelenverkäufer) Deuteronomy 24:7 אָכַל נֶפֶשׁ Ezekiel 22:25 also
(a) in laws, Leviticus 4:2 נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶחֱטָא “if any soul (i.e. if any one) sin,” Leviticus 5:1,,, 15, 17 compare the phrase נִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִיא מֵעַמֶּיהָ under the word כָּרת Niph. No. 2.
(b) in a census of the people, as שִׁבְעִים נֶפֶשׁ seventy souls, seventy persons, Exodus 1:5, 16:16 Genesis 46:18, 27 Genesis 46:27; Deuteronomy 10:22 (Gr. similarly ψυχαί, Eurip. 1 Peter 3:20); more fully נֶפֶשׁ אָדָם Numbers 31:46 compare Genesis 14:21.
(c) used of slaves, Genesis 12:5 הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂוּ בְחָרָן “the slaves which they had obtained in Haran,” Ezekiel 27:13 compare ψυχαὶ ἀνθρώπων, Revelation 18:13 1Ma_10:33.
(d) נֶפֶשׁ אֵת (where מֵת is the genit., compare above the phrase נֶפֶשׁ הַיָּה) any dead person, a corpse, Numbers 6:6 עַל־נֶפֶשׁ מֵת לֹא יָבֹא “he shall not come near a dead body,” Leviticus 21:11 and even without מֵת id., in the phrases טָמֵא לָנֶפֶשׁ Numbers 5:2, 9:6,, 10 and מְמֵא נֶפֶשׁ Leviticus 22:4; Haggai 2:13 he who pollutes himself by touching a dead body; compare Numbers 19:13.
(5) With suff. נפְשִׁי, נַפְשְׁךָ etc.; it is sometimes I myself, thou thyself (compare Arab. نَفْسُ and Germ. felb, felber, Swed. sjel of the same stock as Seele, soul, see Adel. iv. p. 47). Hosea 9:4, לַחְמָם לְנַפְשָׁם “their food (is consumed) by themselves.” Isaiah 46:2 also reflex. נַפְשִׁי me myself, Job 9:21. It has also been remarked by interpreters that נַפְשִׁי, נַפְשְׁךָ are often put for the personal pronoun אֲנִי, אַלתָּה, but all the instances which they cite are to be explained by what has here been observed, No. 2, 3. It is often thus used in sentences in which life is said to be in danger. Psalms 3:3, “many say of me (to my soul לְנַפְשִׁי), there is no help for him in God.” Psalms 11:1, “why say ye to me (my soul לְנַפְשִׁי) flee as a bird to your mountain?” Isaiah 3:9, אוֹי לְנַפְשָׁם “woe to them!” (pr. to their life, or soul). Psalms 7:3, 35:3, Psalms 35:7, 120:6 to this head also belongs Isaiah 51:23, “who say to thee (to thy soul לְנַפְשֵׁךְ), lie down, that we may go over;” and in similar instances. In other instances, it refers to the feelings of the soul or mind, e.g. Job 16:4, לוּ יֵשׁ נַפְשְׁכֶם תַּחַת נַפְשִׁי which must not be rendered, “Oh that ye were in my place!” but “Oh that ye felt what I feel!” wäre euch nur zu Muthe wie mir; (compare Exodus 23:9). Once, however, נַפְשִׁי and רוּחִי come so near to the nature of a pronoun, that they are even construed with the first person of verbs, Isaiah 26:9 compare עַבְדְּךָ followed by the 1 pers. Genesis 44:32.