The Meaning of Nefesh & Neshama

 
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Description:

A look at Strongs reference to Nefesh (ref. 756)

756:

נֶ֫פֶשׁ - soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion

  • n.f. Gn 49:6 (so even Gn 2:19 Nu 31:28 1 K 19:2)
  • (Ecclus 3:18; 4:1(×2), 2(×2) 13:12; 14:11);
  • נ׳ Gn 1:20 +;
  • נָ֑פֶשׁ Gn 37:21 +;
  • sf. נַפְשִׁי Gn 12:13 +;
  • pl. נְפָשׁוֹת Ez 13:18 + 13 times;
    • נְפָשֹׁת Ex 12:4; Lv 27:2;
    • cstr. נַפְשׁוֹת Gn 36:6 + 4 times;
    • נַפְשֹׁת Lv 21:11;
    • נְפָשִׁים Ez 13:20 (but read חָפְשִׁים, v Co Berthol Toy);
    • sf. נַפְשׁוֹתָם 2 S 23:17 +;
    • נַפְשֹׁתָם Nu 17:3 +:

  1. = that which breathes, the breathing substance or being = ψυχή, anima, the soul, the inner being of man:

    a. distinguished from בָּשָׂר :

    • מִנֶּפֶשׁ וְעַד בָּשָׂר Is 10:18;
    • הַנֶּפֶשׁ עִם הַבָּשָׂר Dt 12:23; from שְׁאֵר Pr 11:17;
    • from בֶּטֶן body ψ 31:10.

    b. both the inner נפשׁ and the outer בשׂר are conceived as resting on a common substratum:

    • אַךְ בְּשָׂרוֹ עָלָיו יִכְאָ֑ב וְנַפְשׁוֹ עָלָיו תֶּאֱבָֽל׃ Jb 14:22 only his flesh upon him is in pain, and his soul upon him mourneth; cf. ψ 42:5, 7; 131:2; Jb 30:16; La 3:20 [v. עַל 1 d], all poetical (cf. 6 c).
      c. נ׳ departs at death and returns with life:
    • וַיְהִי בְּצֵאת נַפְשָׁהּ כִּי מֵתָה Gn 35:18 (E) and it came to pass when her soul was going forth (for she died);
    • נָֽפְחָה נַפְשָׁהּ Je 15:9 she breathed out her soul, cf. 1 K 17:21, 22; Jb 11:20; 31:39.
      d. often desired that the נפשׁ may be delivered:
    • from Sheʾôl ψ 16:10; 30:4; 49:16; 86:13; 89:49; Pr 23:14;
    • from שַׁחַת, the pit of Sheʾôl, Is 38:17 Jb 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 Gn 2:7 (J);
    • by implication of animals also Gn 2:19 (J);
    • so ψ 104:29, 30 cf. 66:9 man is נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה, a living, breathing being Gn 2:7 (J);
    • elsewhere נפשׁ חיּה always of animals Gn 1:20, 24, 30; 9:12, 15, 16 (all P), Ez 47:9;
      • so נפשׁ החיּה Gn 1:21; 9:10 (both P), Lv 11:10, 46 (H);
      • נפשׁ השׁרצת Lv 11:46 (H); נפשׁ כל חי Jb 12:10.
    • נפשׁ is frequently used with the verb חיה:
      • †וחיתה נפשׁ Gn 12:13; 19:20 (both J), 1 K 20:32 (E), ψ 119:175; Je 38:17, 20;
      • †חֵי נַפְשְׁךָ 1 S 1:26; 17:55; 20:3; 25:26 2 S 11:11; 14:19; 2 K 2:2, 4, 6; 4:30 (all JE); cf.
      • †יְחַיֶּה נ׳ 1 K 20:31 (E), Ez 18:27 ψ 22:30; also Gn 19:19 Is 55:3; Pr 3:22.

  3. The נפשׁ (without חיה noun or verb) is specific:
    a. a living being whose life resides in the blood [so in Arabic WeSkizzen iii. 217 G. Jacob Arab. Dicht. iv. 9 f.]

    • (hence sacrificial use of blood, and its prohib. in other uses;
    • first in D), Dt 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 enlarged in H, Lv 17:10, 11, 12, 14 and in P Gn 9:4, 5, cf. Je 2:34.
      b. a serious attack upon the life is an attack upon this inner living being
    • 2 S 1:9 Je 4:10; Jon 2:6 ψ 69:2; 124:4, 5; Jb 27:3.
      c. נפשׁ is used for life itself 171 times, of animals Pr 12:10, and of man Gn 44:30 (J);
    • נפשׁ תחת נפשׁ life for life Ex 21:23 (E), Lv 24:18 (H), 1 K 20:39, 42; 2 K 10:24;
    • נפשׁנו תחתיכם Jos 2:14 (J);
    • נפשׁ בנפשׁ Dt 19:21;
    • בנפשׁ for the life of 2 S 14:7 Jon 1:14;
    • שׂם נפשׁ בכף put life in one’s own hand Ju 12:3 1 S 19:5; 28:21 Jb 13:14;
    • חרף נפשׁו למות Ju 5:18 risked his life to die;
    • †בנפשׁ at the risk of life Nu 17:3 §, 2 S 23:17 = 1 Ch 11:19(×2), 1 K 2:23 Pr 7:23; La 5:9;
    • †בקּשׁ נפשׁ Ex 4:19 (J), 1 S 20:1; 22:23(×2) 23:15; 25:29 2 S 4:8; 16:11; 1 K 19:10, 14; Je 4:30; 11:21; 19:7, 9; 21:7; 22:25; 34:20, 21; 38:16; 44:30(×2) 46:26; 49:37 ψ 35:4; 38:13; 40:15; 54:5; 63:10; 70:3; 86:14; Pr 29:10;
    • †שׁאל נ׳ 1 K 3:11 = 2 Ch 1:11, 1 K 19:4 = Jon 4:8;
    • †הִכָּה נפשׁ smite mortally Gn 37:21 (J), Dt 19:6, 11; Je 40:14, 15;
    • †לקח נ׳ 1 K 19:4; Jon 4:3 ψ 31:14; Pr 1:19;
    • †הִצִּיל נֶפֶשׁ מִמָּוֶת deliver life from death Jos 2:13 ψ 33:19; 56:14;
    • †מלּט נפשׁ 1 S 19:11 2 S 19:6(×4) 1 K 1:12(×2) Je 48:6; 51:6, 45; Ez 33:5; Am 2:14, 15 ψ 89:49; 116:4;
    • †פדה נ׳ 2 S 4:9 1 K 1:29 ψ 34:23; 49:16; 55:19; 71:23;
    • †שׁמר נ׳ ψ 25:20; 97:10; Jb 2:6 Pr 13:3; 16:17; 19:16; 22:5.

  4. The נפשׁ as the essential of man stands for the man himself:
    a. paraphrase for pers. pron. especially in poetry and ornate discourse, 70 times;

    • נַפְשִׁי (1) = me:
      • אל תבא נפשׁי Gn 49:6 let me not enter (poem in J);
      • תָּמֹת נ׳ מות ישׁרים Nu 23:10 let me die, etc. (poem);
      • תָּמוֹת נַפְשִׁי Ju 16:30 (J);
      • אמרה נפשׁי La 3:24 I say.
    • (2) נַפְשְׁךָ = thee:
      • לְאֻמִּים תַּחַת נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ Is 43:4 peoples instead of thee;
    • (3) נַפְשׁוֹ = he:
    • נפשׁו בטוב תלין ψ 25:13 he will not dwell in good circumstances.
    • (4) נַפְשֵׁנוּ = we:
      • נַפְשֵׁנוּ כְּצִפּוֹר נִמְלְטָה מִפַּת יוֹקְשִׁים ψ 124:7.
    • (5) נַפְשָׁם = they, them:
      • נַפְשָׁם בַּשְּׁבִי הָלָ֑כָה Is 46:2 they are gone into captivity;
      • אוי לנפשׁם Is 3:9.
        b. = reflexive, self, 53 times:
      • אסר על נפשׁ bind oneself Nu 30:3, 5(×2), 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12;
      • לְעַנֹּת נ׳ Nu 30:14 to afflict oneself.
      • (1) נַפְשִׁי = myself:
        • לא אדע נ׳ Jb 9:21; Ct 6:12 I know not myself.
      • (2) נַפְשְׁךָ = thyself:
        • שׁמר נ׳ Dt 4:9 keep thyself.
      • (3) נַפְשׁוֹ = himself:
        • אהב כנ׳ 1 S 18:1, 3; 20:17 loved as himself.
      • (4) נַפְשָׁהּ = herself:
        • צדּקה נ׳ Je 3:11 justified herself.
      • (5) נַפְשָׁם = themselves:
        • הציל נ׳ deliver themselves Is 47:14; Ez 14:14, 20.
      • (6) נַפְשְׁכֶם, נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם = yourselves:
        • אַל־תַּשִּׁאוּ נ׳ Je 37:9 deceive not yourselves, also 42:20; 44:7;
        • ענּה נ׳ Lv 16:29, 31; 23:27, 32; Nu 29:7 §;
        • נשׁמרתם לנ׳ Dt 4:15; Jos 23:11 (D).
      • (7) נַפְשׁוֹתֵינוּ = ourselves:
        • על נ׳ Je 26:19 against ourselves.
          c. = person of man, individual, 144 times, first in D2; especially in H, P, and kindred writers:
      • (1) c. אָדָם:
        • נ׳ אדם Lv 24:17 opp. נ׳ בהמה 24:18 (both H), and so נ׳ אדם human persons Nu 31:35, 40, 46 § 1 Ch 5:21; Ez 27:13.
        • Elsewhere without אָדָם:
          • נ׳ ברכה Pr 11:25 one who blesses;
          • נ׳ רְמִיָּה Pr 19:15 idle person;
          • נ׳ תחת נ׳ person in place of person, Jb 16:4;
          • כפּר על נ׳ Ex 30:15, 16; Nu 15:28; 31:50 (all P) Lv 17:11 (H).
      • †(2) נפשׁ = person, any one:
        • Dt 24:7; 27:25; Pr 28:17; Ez 18:4(×3) 33:6;
        • elsewhere only H P:
          • Lv 2:1; 4:2, 27; 5:1, 2, 4, 15, 17, 21; 7:18, 20, 21, 25, 27; 23:29, 30(×2); Nu 5:6, 15:27, 30; 19:22; 31:19, 28; 35:11, 15, 30(×2); Jos 20:3, 9 (all P), Lv 17:10, 12, 15; 20:6(×2) 22:6, 11 (all H);
        • נכרתה הנ׳ הַהִוא מן that person shall be cut off from:
          • only in Gn 17:14; Ex 12:15, 19; 31:14; Lv 7:20, 21, 27; Nu 9:13; 15:30, 31; 19:13, 20 (all P), Lv 19:8; 22:3 (both H).
      • †(3) נפשׁ coll. for persons, in enumerations:
        • Dt 10:22; Jos 10:28, 30, 32, 35, 37(×2), 39; 11:11 (all D2) Je 43:6; 52:29, 30(×2); Ez 22:25;
        • elsewhere only Gn 12:5; 46:15, 18, 22, 25, 26(×2), 27(×2); Ex 1:5(×2); 12:16; Nu 31:35, 40 (all P).
      • †(4) נְפָשׁוֹת persons
        • Gn 36:6 Ex 12:4; 16:16 Nu 19:18 (all P), Lv 18:29; 20:25; 27:2 (all H), 2 K 12:5; Pr 11:30; 14:25; Ez 13:18(×3); 19(×2); 20(×2); 17:17; 18:4; 22:27 (נפשׁים 13:20 v. supr.).
      • †(5) נפשׁ = deceased person, sometimes c.
        • מֵת, נֶפֶשׁ מֵת Nu 6:6 §,
        • נַפְשֹׁת מֵת (𝔊 𝔖 נֶפֶשׁ) Lv 21:11 (H);
        • usually without מֵת, נפשׁ (ה)אדם Nu 9:6, 7; 19:11, 13 §; or simply נפשׁ, Lv 19:28; 21:1; 22:4 (all H) Nu 5:2; 6:11; 9:10 (all P); elsewhere only Hag 2:13.

  5. נפשׁ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 times)
    a. hunger:

    • נ׳ רְעֵבָה hungry soul ψ 107:9; Pr 27:7;
    • with noun or verb of שׂבע satisfy
      • Is 56:11; 58:10; Je 50:19; Ez 7:19 ψ 63:6; 107:9; Pr 13:25; 27:7;
    • מתוק לנ׳ Pr 16:24 sweet to the taste.
      b. thirst:
    • נ׳ עֲיֵפָה weary soul Pr 25:25; Je 31:25;
    • נ׳ כארץ עיפה ψ 143:6;
    • צמאה נ׳ ψ 42:3; 63:2.
      c. appetite in general:
    • אֹיְבַי בנ׳ יַקִּיפוּ עָלָיו ψ 17:9 my enemies compass me about with greed;
    • הִרְחִיבָה שְׁאוֹל נַפְשָׁהּ וּפָֽעֲרָה פִיהָ Is 5:14 Sheʾôl enlarged her appetite, etc., cf. Hb 2:5;
    • Pr 23:2 בַּעַל נֶפֶשׁ;
    • Ec uses נפשׁ only in the sense of a, b, c; the נפשׁ craves, lacks, and is filled with good things: Ec 2:24; 4:8; 6:2, 3, 7, 9; 7:28.

  6. נ׳ = seat of emotions and passions (151 times)—
    a. desire:

    • †אִוְּתָה נ׳ soul desires Dt 12:20; 14:26 1 S 2:16 2 S 3:21; 1 K 11:37; Jb 23:13 Pr 13:4; 21:10; Mi 7:1;
    • תַּאֲוַת נ׳ ψ 10:3; Is 26:8;
    • †אַוַּת נ׳ Dt 12:15, 20, 21; 18:6 1 S 23:20; Je 2:24;
    • so also לנפשׁ according to one’s desire Dt 21:14 ψ 78:18; Je 34:16;
    • כנפשׁ Dt 23:25;
    • האח נפשׁנו ah, our desire ψ 35:25;
    • בנפשׁ at one’s desire ψ 105:22; Ez 16:27;
    • נ׳ יָֽצְאָה בְדַבְּרוֹ Ct 5:6;
    • †נשׂא נ׳ lift up the soul, desire Dt 24:15 2 S 14:14 (read אליהם, not אלהים), ψ 24:4; 25:1; 86:4; 143:8; Pr 19:8; Je 22:27; 44:14; Ho 4:8.
      b. abhorrence, loathing:†
    • געלה נ׳ soul abhorreth Lv 26:11, 15, 30, 43 (H) Je 14:19;
    • וגם נ׳ בחלה בי Zc 11:8 and their soul also fell a loathing against me.
      c. sorrow and distress:
    • †מרי נ׳ bitter, gloomy, discontented of soul Ju 18:25 (E) 2 S 17:8; Jb 3:20; Pr 31:6;
    • †מר נ׳ 1 S 22:2 cf. Jb 7:11; 10:1; Is 38:15; Ez 27:31;
    • עָֽגְמָה נ׳ Jb 30:25 grieved;
    • אגמי נ׳ sad of soul Is 19:10;
    • תבכה נ׳ my soul shall weep Je 13:17;
    • נ׳ ירעה his soul trembleth Is 15:4;
    • צרת נ׳ distress of soul Gn 42:21 (E).
      d. joy:†
    • נ׳ תגיל my soul rejoiceth ψ 35:9; Is 61:10;
    • שׂמּח נ׳ rejoice the soul ψ 86:4; also ψ 94:19; 138:3; Pr 29:17.
      e. love:†
    • אהבה נ׳ my soul loveth Ct 1:7; 3:1, 2, 3, 4;
    • יְדִדוּת נ׳ darling of my soul Je 12:7;
    • דבקה נ׳ ב׳ his soul clave unto Gn 34:3 (J), c. אחרי ψ 63:9;
    • חשׁקה נ׳ ב׳ soul is attached to Gn 34:8 §.
      f. alienation, hatred, revenge:
    • †תֵּקַע נ׳ מן the soul is alienated from Je 6:8; Ez 23:17, 18;
    • נקעה נ׳ מן Ez 23:18, 22, 28;
    • שְׂנֻאי נ׳ hated of soul 2 S 5:8 (Qr);
    • שׂנאה נ׳ ψ 11:5 Is 1:14.
      g. other emotions and feelings:
    • השׁיב נ׳ bring back soul La 1:11, 19 (i.e. revive, cf. c. שׁוּב 1 K 17:21 f.),
      • hence fig. refresh, cheer, v 16 ψ 19:8 Pr 25:13; Ru 4:15;
    • שׁובב נ׳ ψ 23:3;
    • מַחְמַל נ׳ your souls’ compassion Ez 24:21;
    • קצרה נ׳ soul was impatient Nu 21:4 (E), Ju 10:16; 16:16; Zc 11:8;
    • כי אאריך נ׳ that I should prolong my patience Jb 6:11;
    • ידעתם את־נ׳ הגר you know the feeling of the stranger Ex 23:9 (RD).

  7. נפשׁ is used occasionally for mental acts + לבב (see 10); poss. also alone, owing to unconscious assimilation by late writers; but most, if not all, exx. may be otherwise explained:

    • נפשׁי ידעת מאד ψ 139:14 my soul knoweth well (or I know well; cf. 4 a);
    • בלא דעת נ׳ לא טוב Pr 19:2 that the soul be without knowledge is not good (but RVm desire without knowledge, cf. 6 a);
    • דעה חכמה לנ׳ Pr 24:14 know wisdom for thy soul (or according to thy desire, cf. 6 a);
    • אל תדמי בנ׳ Est 4:13 think not in thy soul (or in thyself, cf. 4 b);
    • כמו שׁער בג׳ Pr 23:7 as he reckoneth in his soul (but RV in himself, cf. 4 b);
    • מה תאמר נ׳ S 20:4 (but AV RV foll. 𝔊 ἐπιθυμεῖ = תְּאַוֶּה; v. 6 a).

  8. נפשׁ for acts of the will is dub.:

    • אם ישׁ נפשׁכם (את) if it is your purpose Gn 23:8 § 2 K 9:15 (or if it is your desire, 6 a);
    • בחרה נ׳ my soul chooses Jb 7:15;
    • מאנה נ׳ my soul refuses Jb 6:7 ψ 77:3;
    • נ׳ חפצה their soul delights in Is 66:3;
    • נ׳ רצתה my soul delights in Is 42:1;
    • (all perhaps emotional, 6 b, d, g).

  9. נפשׁ = character is still more dub.:

  • לֹא־יָֽשְׁרָה נ׳ בּוֹ Hb 2:4 his soul is not right in him (but 𝔊 οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν αὐτῷ [εὐδοκεῖ = רצתה], v. 6);
  • נַפְשִׁי לֹא מְטֻמָּאָה Ez 4:14 my soul hath not (or I have not, 4 a) been polluted.
  1. † נ׳ in D, when used with לבב, is assim. 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 לבב ובכל נפשׁ (see לבב):
  • c. דרשׁ Dt 4:29; 2 Ch 15:12;
  • עשׂה Dt 26:16;
  • אהב Dt 6:5; 13:4; 30:6;
  • ידע Jos 23:14;
  • עבד Dt 10:12; 11:13; Jos 22:5;
  • שׁמע בקלו Dt 30:2;
  • שׁוב אל Dt 30:10 1 K 8:48 = 2 Ch 6:38, 2 K 23:25; שׁמר מצות
  • 2 K 23:3 = 2 Ch 34:31;
  • הלך לפני 1 K 2:4; and Dt 11:18; 1 S 2:35 1 Ch 22:19; 28:9 Je 32:41 ψ 13:3 Pr 2:10; 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 Pr 27:9. Ges (after Döderlein) renders מעצת נ׳ more than odorous trees, so later edds., even Buhl; but 𝔙 De SS transp. וּמֶתֶק נ׳ מֵעֲצַת רֵעֵהוּ. 𝔊 Hi Bi ומתקרעה = the soul is rent asunder by cares. In any case נפשׁ is ‖ לב, cf. 10.
b. נַפְשׁוֹ גֶּחָלִים תְּלַהֵט Jb 41:13 his breath kindles coals (of the crocodile). The piece is one of the latest in the book; primitive meaning hardly in such a passage; context favours ref. to passion or fury; perhaps sub 6 f, his passion or fury kindles coals.
c. בָּתֵּי הַנֶּפֶשׁ Is 3:20 perfume boxes; meaning evident from context; but not necessarily scent (breath)-boxes; may be 6 a, boxes of desire, or 5, boxes exciting the sense of smell; = smelling boxes or bottles. No sufficient evid. in BH, therefore, for meaning breath, odour. — See, for complete study of נֶפֶשׁ (all passages), BrJBL 1897, 17 ff.

† [נָפַשׁ] vb. denom. (cf. Syriac ܢܰܦܶܫ refresh; ܐܶܬܢܦܶܫ, ܐܶܬܢܰܦܰܫ be refreshed; Ethiopic ነፍሰ );

  • Niph. Impf. 3 ms.
    • יִנָּפֵשׁ Ex 23:12 (E) 2 S 16:14;
    • וַיִּנָּפַ֑שׁ Ex 31:17 §;—take breath, refresh oneself.

נְשָׁמָה n.f. breath;†

  • נ׳ Dt 20:16 + 9 times;
  • cstr. נִשְׁמַת (cf. LagBN 82) Gn 2:7 + 10 times;
  • sf. נִשְׁמָתִי Jb 27:3;
  • נִשְׁמָתוֹ Jb 34:14;
  • pl. נְשָׁמוֹת Is 57:16;
  1. breath of God
    • as hot wind kindling a flame Is 30:33;
    • as destroying wind 2 S 22:16 = ψ 18:16, Jb 4:9;
    • as cold wind producing ice Jb 37:10;
    • as creative, giving breath to man Jb 32:8; 33:4.
  2. breath of man 1 K 17:17 Is 42:5 Jb 27:3 Dn 10:17;
    • breath of life נשׁמת חיים Gn 2:7 (J);
      • cf. נִשְׁמַת רוּחַ חַיִּים Gn 7:22 (J);
    • as breathed in by God it is God’s breath in man Jb 33:4; 34:14;
    • and is characteristic of man
      • אדם אשׁר נשׁמה באפו Is 2:22 man in whose nostrils is but a breath (gloss).
  3. syn. of נֶפֶשׁ in
    • נפשׁ כָּל־נְשָׁמָה every breathing thing Dt 20:16 Jos 11:11, 14 1 K 15:29;
    • כָּל־הַנְּשָׁמָה Jos 10:40 ψ 150:6;
    • נְשָׁמוֹת Is 57:16.
  4. spirit of man, ‖
    • רוּחַ, נֵר י׳ נ׳ אָדָם Pr 20:27 the spirit of man is a lamp of י׳; cf. Jb 26:4.