16. Job 37:10 "By the BREATH [nshahmah] of God frost is given"
17. Psalms 18:15 "At the BLAST [nshahmah] of the breath of your nostrils"
18. Psalms 150:6 "Everything that has BREATH [nshahmah]" All living being, man and animals
19. Proverbs 20:27 "The SPIRIT [nshahmah] of man"
20. Isaiah 2:22 "Man, whose BREATH [nshahmah] is in his nostrils"
21. Isaiah 30:33 "The BREATH [nshahmah] of the Lord"
22. Isaiah 42:5 "He that gives BREATH [nshahmah]"
23. Isaiah 57:16 " And the SOULS [nshahmah], which he made"
24. Daniel 19:17 "Neither is there BREATH [nshahmah] left in me"
[3] Ruach/spirit-breath: Is used to of:
God [Exodus 15:8; 2 Samuel 22:16; Isaiah 4:4]
Spirit of the Lord [Zephaniah 4:6]
Heavenly being [Psalms 104:4]
[4] Ruach/spirit-breath: Is also used to describe all earthly living beings.
All flesh, birds, cattle, beasts, and every creeping thing - all have the same spirit [ruach] as man [Genesis 7:22].
Man and beasts, "I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all
flesh in which is the BREATH [ruach] of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish" [Genesis 6:17]. Also Ecclesiastes 3:19.
Man [Ecclesiastes 12:5-7; Psalms 104:29] See Genesis 6:17; 7:15; 54:27; Job 4:9.
Ruach is translated sixteen different
ways
In the King James
Version
1. WIND [ruach-spirit] Of about 389 times ruach is used in the Old Testament it is translated about 84 times in the King James Version as wind, windy, whirlwind, tempest, breath, blast and air.
"God made a WIND [ruach-spirit] to pass over" [Genesis 8:1].
"Like the chaff, which the WIND [ruach-spirit] drives" [Psalms 1:4].
"You did blow with your WIND [ruach-spirit]" [Exodus 15:10].
"Clouds and WIND [ruach-spirit] without rain" [Proverbs 25:14].
"My escape from the WINDY [ruach-spirit] storm" [Psalms 55:8].
"A WHIRLWIND [ruach-spirit] came out of the north" [Ezekiel 1:4].
"A destroying WIND [ruach-spirit]" [Jeremiah 51:1].
"A strong WIND [ruach-spirit]" [Job 8:2].
"An horrible TEMPEST [ruach-spirit]" [Psalms 11:6].
"You shall scatter in the WIND [ruach-spirit]" [Ezekiel 5:2].
"An east WIND [ruach-spirit]" [Exodus 10:13].
"A mighty strong west WIND [ruach-spirit]" [Exodus 10:19].
Psalms 1:4, Exodus 15:10
2. WINDY ―‖My escape from the WINDY [ruach] storm‖ [Psalms 55:8].
3.WHIRLWIND ―A WHIRLWIND [ruach] came out of the north" [Ezekiel 1:4].
4. TEMPEST ―An horrible TEMPEST [ruach]" [Psalms 116].
5.
BREATH
[ruach-
spirit].
―All in whose nostrils was the BREATH [ruach] of life‖ [Genesis 7:22; 6:17; 7:15].
"By the BREATH [ruach] of his mouth" [Genesis 6:17; Psalms 104:29, Job 15:30].
"By the BREATH [ruach-spirit] of his mouth" [Job 15:30].
"All in whose nostrils was the BREATH [ruach-spirit] of life" [Genesis 7:22].
"To destroy all flesh in which is the BREATH [ruach-spirit] of life" [Genesis 6:17].
"So they went into the ark to Noah, by twos of all flesh in which was the BREATH [ruach-spirit] of life" [Genesis 7:15].
"No BREATH [ruach-spirit] in them" [Jeremiah 10:14]. Why not, "No SPIRIT
[ruach-spirit] in them" or "Takes away their SPIRIT [ruach-spirit]" [Psalms 104:29]? How did the translators know when the same word was wind, breath, spirit, blast, air, mind, courage, cool, or anger? How are those who read their translation to know that these are all the same word in the Hebrew? Idols are described as not having breath [ruach] [Habakkuk 2:19].
"Every goldsmith...his molten images are deceitful, and there is no BREATH
[ruach-spirit] in them"
[Jeremiah 51:17].
"Takes away their BREATH [ruach-spirit]" [Psalms 104:29].
"As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same BREATH [ruach-spirit] and there is no advantage for man over beast" [Ecclesiastes 3:19].
6.
SPIRIT
[ruach-
spirit].
―And the SPIRIT [ruach] of God in my nostrils” [Job 27:3].
"SPIRIT [ruach] of God" [Genesis 1:2].
"And the SPIRIT [ruach] shall return unto God" [Ecclesiastes 12:7].
"And the SPIRIT [ruach] of the beast that goes downward" [Ecclesiastes 3:21].
7. SPIRIT [ruach-spirit] in passages that has reference to attitude, behavior, thinking, disposition, mood, or temperament. As ―A happy disposition,‖ ―good attitude‖ or ―bad mood.‖
"A lying SPIRIT [ruach]" [1 Kings 22:23].
"The SPIRIT [ruach] of jealousy came" [Genesis 1:2; 41:8, Numbers 5:14; 5:30].
―The SPIRIT [ruach] of heaviness” [Isaiah 61:3].
"The SPIRIT [ruach] of jealousy came" [Numbers 5:30].
"Because he had another SPIRIT [ruach]" [Numbers 14:24].
"The SPIRIT [ruach] entered into me" [Ezekiel 2:2; 3:24].
“Neither was there SPIRIT [ruach] in them” [Joshua 5:1].
"And a new SPIRIT [ruach] will I put within you" [Ezekiel 36:26].
"God hardened his SPIRIT [ruach]" [Deuteronomy 2:30].
"Anguish of SPIRIT [ruach]" [Exodus 6:9].
"SPIRIT [ruach] of wisdom" [Exodus 28:3].
"Joshua...was filled with the SPIRIT [ruach] of wisdom" [Deuteronomy 34:9].
"Sorrowful SPIRIT [ruach]" [2 Samuel 1:15].
"Why is your SPIRIT [ruach] so sad" [1 Kings 21:5].
"SPIRIT [ruach] was troubled" [Genesis 41:8].
"The sacrifices of God are a broken SPIRIT [ruach]" [Psalms 51:7].
"Hasty of SPIRIT [ruach]" [Proverbs 14.29].
“By sorrow of the heart the SPIRIT [ruach] is broken” [Proverbs 15:13].
"An haughty SPIRIT [ruach]" [Proverbs 16:18].
"An humble SPIRIT [Proverbs 16:19].
W. E. Vine, ―Vine‗s Complete Expository Dictionary,‖ pages 240-241 gives nine ways spirit-ruach is used in the Old
Testame
nt.
First, this word means ―breath‖…
Second, this word can be used with emphasis on the invisible, intangible, fleeting quality of air…
Third, ruach can mean, ―wind‖…
Fourth, the wind represents direction…
Fifth, ruach frequently represents the element of life in a man, his natural ―spirit‖: ―And al flesh died that moved upon the earth…Al in whose nostrils was the breath of life..‖ (Gen. 7:21-22). In these verse the
animals have a ―spirit‖ (cf. Ps. 104:29)…Al the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits [NASB, ―motives‖].
Sixth, ruach is often used of
o
A man’s mind-set, disposition, or “temper”: ―Blessed is the man unto whom the
Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile‖ (Ps. 32:2). In Ezek. 13:3 the word is used of one‗s mind or thinking: ―Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing‖ (cf. Prov. 29:11).
o
Ruach can represent particular dispositions, as it does in Josh. 2:11: ―And as soon as we had heard this things, out hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you…‖ (cf. Josh. 5:1; Job 15:12).
o
Another disposition represented by this word is “temper”: ―If the spirit [temper] of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place…‖ (Eccl. 10:4). David prayed that God would
―restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with the free Spirit‖ (Ps. 51:12). In this verse ―joy of salvation‖ and ―free Spirit‖ are parallel and, therefore, synonymous terms. Therefore,
―spirit‖ refers to one‗s inner disposition, just as ―joy‖ refers to an inner emotion.
Seventh, the Bible often speaks of God‗s ―Spirit.‖
Eight, the non-material beings (angels) in heaven are sometimes cal ed ―spirits.‖
Nine, the ―spirit‖ may also be used of that which enables a man to do a particular job of that which represents the essence of a quality of man…
Just as in the New Testament, when spirit is used in reference to a person, it is the disposition of the persons mind or thinking.
8. BLAST “And at the blast [ruach]" of Thy (God) nostrils the waters were piled up”
[Exodus 15:8]. "BLASH [ruach-spirit] of your nostrils" [2 Kings 19:7]. Also 2
Samuel
22:6.
9. AIR "That no AIR [ruach-spirit] can come between them" [Job 41:16; 41:8].
10. MIND "A fool utters all his MIND [ruach-spirit]‖ [Genesis 26:35, Proverbs 29:11].
11. COURAGE "Neither did there remain any more COURAGE [ruach-spirit] in them"
[Joshua
5:1].
12. COOL "Walking in the garden in the COOL [ruach-spirit] of the day"
[Genesis 3:8].
13. ANGER " Their ANGER [ruach-spirit] was abated" [Judges 8:3].
14. SIDE [Jeremiah 52:23; Ezekiel 42:16; 42:17; 42:18; 42:19; ―side wind‖ in footnote].
15. QUARTERS [ruach-spirit] [1 Chronicles
9:24].
16. SPIRITUAL [ruach-spirit] [Hosea
9:7].
17. VAIN [ruach-spirit] [Job 15:2;
16:3].
Why did the translators translate the word "ruach" into "spirit" in one place and "blast" or "wind" in others? The meaning of "spirit" as it was used in 1611
and today (an immortality no substance something in a person is not a thirty-first cousin to "wind" or "breath," yet the translators, at will, translated the same word into two things that are worlds apart. if the same word had two meanings, (1) one meanings that had reference to the mortal person or animal, and (2) one that had reference to the immortal part of a person that animals do not have, how could the Hebrew people know when it was one and when it was the other? How could the translators know?
They could not. They had to put their theology into the Bible even if they could not be consistent. How could anyone read the Kings James Version and know that anger, cool, courage, air, mind, breath, wind, blast, and spirit are the same thing? Most English reader today would not know that "wind" and "spirit" are indiscriminately translated from the same word and almost without exception today's reader would understand "spirit" to be an immortal soul, but would never understand "wind" to be an immortal soul. Those who do not read Hebrew are misled by such indiscriminately translations.
Summary: Nehphesh, nshahmah, and ruach are something that both a person and an animal have in common and are something that can and does die. Both an animal and a man are a soul, a living being of this earth.
Neither animals nor a person has a soul, an immortal inter part that cannot die and will live after the death of the animal or person it is in.
How nehphesh and psukee are translated in seven different versions and in different verses.
| K.J.V. | N.K.J.V. | N.A.S.V. | R.S.V. | Gen 1:20 | creatures |
creatures | creatures | creatures | Gen 2:7 | soul | living being| living being| living being| Gen 9:5 | life | life | life | life | Mt 16:25-26|life & soul | life & soul |life and soul| life 4 times| Acts 3:23 | soul | soul | soul | soul |
1 Cor15:45 | soul | living being| soul | living being|
1 Pet 3:20 | souls | soul | persons | persons |
Rev 16:3 | soul | creature | living thing| living thing|
-----------------------------------------------------
| N.R.S.V. | N.I.V. |Robert Young|
Gen 1:20 | creatures | creatures |creature |
Gen 2:7 | living being| living being |living being-creature|
Gen 9:5 | life | life |life |
Mt 16:25-26| life 4 times| life & soul |soul |
Acts 3:23 | everyone | anyone |soul |
1 Cor15:45 | living being| living being |creature |
1 Pet 3:20 | persons | people |soul |
Rev 16:3 | living thing| living thing |soul |
Nephesh and psukee are used over 976 times. The King James Version translated them soul about half of the time, other translations much less.
KING JAMES VERSION (1611) 498 TIMES
NEW KING JAMES VERSION (1982) 341 TIMES
THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION HAS SOUL 157 TIMES LESS THEN THE KING JAMES VERSION.
NEW AMERICAN STANDARD VERSION (1960) 289 TIMES
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (1987) 136 TIMES
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION UPDATED (2010) 95 TIMES
THE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION 2010 UPDATE TOOK SOUL OUT OF THE NEW
INTERNATIONAL VERSION 41 TIMES. IT USED SOUL ONLY 95 OUT OF OVER 976 TIMES.
TODAY‘S NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (1996) 41 TIMES
ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION (2001) 296 TIMES
AMPLIFIED BIBLE (1987) 190 TIMES
HOLMAN CHRISTIAN STANDARD BIBLE (1999) 58 TIMES
NEW CENTURY VERSION (1987) 35 TIMES
CONTEMPORARY REVISED ENGLISH BIBLE (1995) 26 TIMES
GOD‘S WORD TRANSLATION (1995) 110 TIMES
WORLDWIDE ENGLISH NEW TESTAMENT (1995) 12 TIMES
CHRISTIAN BIBLE NEW TESTAMENT ONLY (1995) 0 TIMES
IN THE NEW TESTAMENT: Is the use of the English word "soul" as a translation of psukee dying? Of the 106 times psukee is used it is translated soul only:
KING JAMES VERSION (1611) 58 TIMES AMERICAN
STANDARD VERSION (1901) 56 TIMES NEW AMERICAN
STANDARD VERSION (1960) 47 TIMES NEW REVISED
STANDARD (1946) 33 TIMES NEW INTERNATIONAL
VERSION (1978) 25 TIMES NEW INTERNATIONAL
VERSION UPDATED (2010) 22 TIMES
36 TIMES LESS THAN THE KING JAMES VERSION
THE CHRISTIAN BIBLE (1991) 0 TIMES
CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH VERSION (1995) 13 TIMES
HOLMAN CHRISTIAN STANDARD BIBLE (1999) 23 TIMES
WORLDWIDE ENGLISH VERSION (2006) 8 TIMES
It is those who are members of churches that believe a person has an immortal soul
that are little by little taking the word "soul" out of the Bible. Why is soul being used less in the newer translations? The translators knew "soul" as the word is used today is not a translation of nehphesh or psukee.
A few of the many examples that show why the numbers above are difficult in difficult translations.
Numbers
29:7
"Ye shall afflict your souls [nehphesh]" King James Version
"You shall humble yourselves [nehphesh]" New American Standard Joshua
11:11
"They smote all the souls [nehphesh]" King James Version
"Not sparing anything that breathed [nehphesh]" New International Version Judges
16:16
"His soul [nehphesh] was vexed unto death" King James Vers