Of the hundreds of times Nehphesh is used in the Old Testament only five are used in the same passage as sheol. Of these five in the Kings James Version sheol is translated Hell three times (Psalm 16:10; 86:13; Proverbs 23:14). The other two they had to translate grave (Psalm 30:3; 89:48). In all five a nehphesh (soul–life) is delivered from or brought up from sheol (grave). What is said in all five is as far from today’s teaching on Hell as it is possible to be. The New International Version translates sheol into grave in all five passages, and translates nehphesh into, (1) me, (2) himself, (3) me, (4) me, (5) and soul.
The only way for the translators to hide that a nehphesh of the Old Testament can die, bleed, be dead was by rightly translating it as something mortal as it is. In most translations nehphesh is sometimes translated to be immortal, sometime as mortal, often in the same passages. How could it be known when it was mortal and when it was immortal? The only answer is that the translators were trying to put Plato’s immortal soul in the Bible by mistranslating when they could, but many times found nehphesh would not make sense if translated into something immortal and deathless.
Not one time is nehphesh an immortal something, but it is translated mortally in the King James Version. “And smite him mortally (nehphesh)” (Deuteronomy19:11).
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The Companion Bible, Appendix 13 says nehphesh (life-soul) is used:
o Of the lower animals (nehphesh–soul) in 22 passages
o Of the lower animals and man (nehphesh–soul) in 7 passages
o Of man (nehphesh–soul) as an individual person in 53 passages
o Of man (nehphesh–soul) as exercising certain powers or performing certain acts in 96 passages
o Of man (nehphesh–soul) as possessing animal appetites and desires in 92 passages
o Of man (nehphesh–soul) as exercising mental faculties and manifesting certain feelings, affection and passions in 231 passages
o Of man (nehphesh–soul) being cut off by God and as being killed or slain by man in 54 passages
o Of man (nehphesh–soul) as being mortal, subject to death of various kinds, from which it can be saved and delivered and life prolonged in 243 passages
o Of man (nehphesh–soul) as actually dead in 13 passages
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Just one of the many examples of the absurdity of the translations of nehphesh in the King James Version with the meaning of "soul" as it is used today, an invisible, no substance something that is in a person that no one has ever seen, that no one can see this immortal something that cannot be seen. "For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul (nehphesh) take counsel together" (Psalm 71:10). How could anyone lay in wait (ambush) for an undying invisible something that is now in a person that no one can see? How could anyone kill something that cannot die even if they could see it?
"Deliver my soul" (nehphesh) Psalm 17:13 in today's English would be "Save my life" (nehphesh).
o "They also that seek after my life" (soul-nehphesh). Psalm 38:12. "That seeks after my soul" (nehphesh). Psalm 40:14. Both soul and life are from the same word (nehphesh). Why were the translators so inconsistent; life and soul, according to the theology they believed, are two completely different things, yet they translated both from the same Hebrew word many times.
o "They smote all the souls (nehphesh)" Joshua 11:11 in today's English would be, "They killed all the people." "Whosoever kills any person" (soul-nehphesh) Joshua 20:9. Again, both soul and person are translated from the same Hebrew word; they could smite (kill) all the persons, but to smite (kill) all the deathless souls would be completely impossible, but the King James Version says they did the impossible.
o "They that lay wait for my soul" (nehphesh) in today's English would be, "They that are waiting in ambush for my life" Psalm 70:10.
Many more times "soul" (nehphesh) would only make sense if translated "life." To apply today's meaning, "an undying invisible something that is now in a person" makes many passages be total nonsense. Today's meaning of "soul" is very different from the meaning of nehphesh in Biblical times, which makes "soul" be a mistranslation. When anyone reads the Bible, and reads "soul," and knows only what the word "soul" means today, they cannot understand what God said. Many English translations use "soul" and "person" interchangeable. The Revised Standard uses "person" frequently where the King James used "soul." The problem is that most English readers would not know that when the translators said a "person" died, that the translators are hiding the fact that "person" (soul-nehphesh) is the same word that is translated "soul" in many places. Why did some translators do this? Was it because they did not believe an immortal "soul" can die, but a person can die? If a "soul" (nehphesh) dies, it would not be immortal; therefore, they were forced to use "person" or "life" in many places to hide the fact from you that a nehphesh can die. The truth is that they were trying to put "soul" with today's meaning in the Bible despite the fact that it is not. If they had been consistent in translating, they would not have been able to add the doctrine of an undying soul in the Bible.
"The Lord of hosts has sworn by Himself (soul-nehphesh)" (Jeremiah 51:14). By His own being or person. God "could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself (psukee-soul)" (Hebrews 6:13). Not even the King James translators wanted God to have an invisible something in Him that would live after the He was dead. God's nehphesh and man's nehphesh are their being, person, not an invisible something that is in God or in a person.
All the Old Testament words, which are translated life, spirit, breath, or soul, are all used referring to both persons and animals. Every word that is used to prove a person has an immortal soul or an immortal spirit would also prove all breathing creatures have an immortal soul or an immortal spirit if they proved a person does.
(1) NEHPHESH/SOUL-LIFE-LIVING BEING is used to describe all living beings.
o Animal, birds, reptiles, and insects have this same nehphesh (soul-life) that a person has. Sea creatures, birds (Genesis 1:20), every living creature that moves in water or on land are a living soul (Genesis 1:21). Every beast, bird, and insect is a soul-life (nehphesh—a living being).
o "Man became a living being" Genesis 2:7. See Genesis 2:19; 9:4; 9:10; 9:12; 9:15-16. Note: The word "soul" as it is used in today's English (an immortal no substance being that is in a person that can never die) is not the meaning of nehphesh.
(2) NSHAHMAH/BREATH is also used to describe all living being/breath of life; all living things that breathes (Used 24 times in the Hebrew Old Testament).
o Used to describe man, "Breathed into his nostrils the BREATH of life" Genesis 2:7; 1 Kings 17:17; Job 27:3.
o Used to describe man and animals, both man and animals have the same nshahmah (breath of life-spirit).
o "All in whose nostrils was the BREATH (nshahmah) of the spirit of life, of all that was on the dry land, died" Genesis 7:22. All living being, man, and animals.
o "But of the cities of these peoples, that Jehovah your God gives you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that BREATHS (nshahmah)" Deuteronomy 20:16. All living being, both man and animals.
o "So Joshua smote all the land, the hill-country, and the South, and the lowland, and the slopes, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but he utterly destroyed all that BREATHED (nshahmah)" Joshua 10:40. All living being, both man and animals that had life, that breathed (nshahmah) were killed.
o "And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them; there were none left that BREATHED (nshahmah)" Joshua 11:11. All living being, both man and animals that breathed were killed.
o Also, Joshua 11:14; 1 Kings 15:29; Job 34:14; Psalm 150:6.
Not one of the 24 times nshahmah is used says anything about anything that is immortal.
Nshahmah as it is translated in the New International Version.
1. Genesis 2:7 “Breathed into his nostrils the breath (nshahmah) of life.”
2. Genesis 7:22 “Everything on dry land that had the breath of life (nshahmah) in its nostrils died.”
3. Deuteronomy 20:16 “Do not leave alive anything that breathes (nshahmah).”
4. Joshua 10:40 “He totally destroyed all who breathed (nshahmah).”
5. Joshua 11:11 “They totally destroyed them, not sparing anything that breathed (nshahmah).”
6. Joshua 11:14 “But all the people they put to the sword until they completely destroyed them, not sparing anyone that breathed (nshahmah).”
7. 2 Samuel 22:16 “At the blast of breath (nshahmah) from his nostrils.”
8. 1 Kings 15:29 “He did not leave Jeroboam anyone that breathed (nshahmah), but destroyed them all.”
9. 1 Kings 17:17 “He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing (nshahmah).”
10. Job 4:9 (Hebrew dualism in Job—the same thing said in two different ways).
o “At the breath (ruach) of God they are destroyed:
o At the blast (nshahmah) of his anger they perish.”
11. Job 26:4
o “Who has helped you utter these words?
o And whose spirit (nshahmah) spoke from your mouth?”
12. Job 27:3
o “As long as I have life (ruach) within me,
o The breath (nshahmah) of God in my nostrils.”
13. Job 32:8
o “But it is the spirit (ruach) in a man,
o The breath (nshahmah) of the Almighty.”
14. Job 33:4
o “The Spirit of God made me;
o The breath (nshahmah) of the Almighty gives me life.”
15. Job 34:14-15 “If it was his intention and he withdrew his spirit and breath (nshahmah).
o All mankind would perish together,
o And man would return to the dust.”
16. Job 37:10
o “The tempest comes out from its chamber, the cold from the driving winds.
o The breath (nshahmah) of God produces ice, and the broad waters become frozen.”
17. Psalm 18:15 “O Lord, at the blast (nshahmah) of breath from your nostrils.”
18. Psalm 150:6 “Let everything that has breath (nshahmah) praise the Lord.”
19. Proverbs 20:27 “The lamp of the Lord searches the spirit (nshahmah) of a man; it searches out his inmost being.”
20. Isaiah 2:22 “Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath (nshahmah) in his nostrils.”
21. Isaiah 30:33 “The breath (nshahmah) of the Lord, like a stream of burning sulfur, sets it ablaze.”
22. Isaiah 42:5 “Who gives breath (nshahmah) to its people, and life to those who walk on it.”
23. Isaiah 57:16 “The breath (nshahmah) of man that I have created.” “Spirit” in King James Version.
24. Daniel 10:17 “My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe (nshahmah).”
o Of the twenty-four times nshahmah is in the Hebrew, it is translated soul only three times in the King James Version, Job 26:4, Proverbs 20:27; Isaiah 57:16.
(3) Ruach/spirit-breath: Is used of:
o God (Exodus 15:8; 2 Samuel 22:16; Isaiah 4:4)
o Spirit of the Lord (Zephaniah 4:6)
o Heavenly being (Psalm 104:4)
(4) Ruach/spirit-breath: Is also used to describe all earthly living beings.
o All flesh, birds, cattle, beasts, and every creeping thing - all have the same spirit (ruach) as man (Genesis 7:22).
o 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
o Man (Ecclesiastes 12:5-7; Psalm 104:29) See Genesis 6:17; 7:15; 54:27; Job 4:9
Both ruach and nshahmah have very near if not the same meaning.
o “All in whose nostrils was the breath (nshahmah) of the spirit of life, died” (Genesis 7:22).
o "To destroy all flesh in which is the breath (ruach) of life" (Genesis 6:17).
Both are used in Hebrew dualism in Job three times as two ways of saying the same thing (Job 4:9; 27:3; 32:8).
o Job 4:9:
o “By the breath (ruach) of God they perish,
o And by the blast (nshahmah) of His anger they come to an end”
o Job 27:3:
o “All the while my breath (nshahmah) is in me,
o And the spirit (ruach) of God is in my nostrils.”
o Job 32:8:
o “But it is a spirit (ruach) in man,
o And the breath (nshahmah) of the Almighty gives them understanding.”
The above is an example of the many times ruach and nshahmush seem to be used interchangeable; they are both the breath, or the life of a living being (man or beast) that is being spoken of. Nshahmah is limited to the air or breath of the mouth of any breathing being; ruach also means any breathing being but has a must broader use in that it is also used of wind and any air movement. Neither the breath (nshahmah) of a person, or the breath (ruach) of a person is not an immortal entity added to the person that has life in itself apart from the life of the person any more then the breath (nshahmah) of God, or the breath (ruach) of God is an entity that has life in itself apart from God.
Ruach Is Translated Sixteen Different Ways
In The King James Version
Of about 389 times ruach is used in the Old Testament it is translated wind about 90 times, breath 28 times, blast 4 times, air, windy, tempest, whirlwind, tempest, and breath. Both ruach and nshahmah are basically translated with the same words, both have something to do with the breath or air without which there would be no life; in Genesis 2:7 it was when God breathed into Adam’s nostrils the breath of life (nshahmah) that Adam became a living being.
There is no suggestion in any one of the many times ruach is used referring both to mankind and to animals that ruach is an immaterial, immortal something that has it’s own life and will live after the death of the person or animal that it is in.
BREATH of man and beast (ruach-spirit)
o “All in whose nostrils was the BREATH (ruach) of life” (Genesis 6:17; 7:15).
o "By the BREATH (ruach) of his mouth" (Genesis 6:17; Psalm 104:29, Job 15:30).
o "By the BREATH (ruach-spirit) of his mouth" (Job 15:30).
o "All in whose nostrils was the BREATH (ruach-spirit) of life" (Genesis 7:22).
o "To destroy all flesh in which is the BREATH (ruach-spirit) of life" (Genesis 6:17).
o "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).
o "No BREATH (ruach-spirit) in them" (Jeremiah 10:14). Why not, "No SPIRIT (ruach-spirit) in them" or "Takes away their SPIRIT (ruach-spirit)" (Psalm 104:29)? How did the translators know when the same word was wind, breath, spirit, blast, air, mind, courage, cool, or anger? In English the meaning of some of these words are not even close to being the same; 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) which means idols have no life just as a person without breath has no life.
o "Every goldsmith...his molten images are deceitful, and there is no BREATH (ruach-spirit) in them" (Jeremiah 51:17).
o "Takes away their BREATH (ruach-spirit)" (Psalm 104:29).
o "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).
WIND (ruach-spirit)
o "God made a WIND (ruach-spirit) to pass over" (Genesis 8:1).
o "Like the chaff, which the WIND (ruach-spirit) drives" (Psalm 1:4).
o "You did blow with your WIND (ruach-spirit)" (Exodus 15:10).
o "Clouds and WIND (ruach-spirit) without rain" (Proverbs 25:14).
o "My escape from the WINDY (ruach-spirit) storm" (Psalm 55:8).
o "A WHIRLWIND (ruach-spirit) came out of the north" (Ezekiel 1:4).
o "A destroying WIND (ruach-spirit)" (Jeremiah 51:1).
o "A strong WIND (ruach-spirit)" (Job 8:2).
o "An horrible TEMPEST (ruach-spirit)" (Psalm 11:6).
o "You shall scatter in the WIND (ruach-spirit)" (Ezekiel 5:2).
o "An east WIND (ruach-spirit)" (Exodus 10:13).
o "A mighty strong west WIND (ruach-spirit)" (Exodus 10:19).
o Psalm 1:4, Exodus 15:10
WINDY
o “My escape from the WINDY (ruach) storm” (Psalm 55:8).
WHIRLWIND
o “A WHIRLWIND (ruach) came out of the north" (Ezekiel 1:4).
TEMPEST
o “An horrible TEMPEST (ruach)" (Psalm 116).
SPIRIT (ruach-spirit)
Why was the same word translated “By the BREATH (ruach) of his mouth” (Job 15:30), and then “And the SPIRIT (ruach) of God in my nostrils”(Job 27:3)?
Were they saying God has an “immaterial invisible” (Vine) something in Him that can exist after His death, as we are told that mankind has? There is no possible way that the translators could have known when the same word (ruach) was breath of any mortal being, and when it was an immortal deathless something that does not breath air; the two meaning are nothing alike. “You take away their breath (ruach), they die, and return to their dust. You send forth your spirit (ruach), they are created: and you renew the face of the earth” (Psalm 105:29-30). The spirit as it is used today cannot die; therefore, this word (ruach) could not be translated spirit, but when the earth is renewed by new life, the translated give this new life a spirit (ruach), not just breath (ruach).
(1). HOLMAN CHRISTIAN STANDARD BIBLE “When You hide Your face, they are terrified; When You take away their breath (ruach), they die and return to the dust. When You send Your breath (ruach), they are created, and You renew the face of the earth.”
(2). AMPLIFIED BIBLE “When You hide Your face, they are troubled and dismayed; when You take away their breath (ruach), they die and return to their dust. When You send forth Your Spirit and give them breath (ruach), they are created, and You replenish the face of the ground.”
(3). COMMON ENGLISH BIBLE “But when you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath (ruach), they die and return to dust. When you let loose your breath (ruach), they are created, and you make the surface of the ground brand-new again.”
(4), NEW CENTURY VERSION “When you turn away from them, they become frightened. When you take away their breath (ruach), they die and turn to dust. When you breathe (ruach) on them, they are created, and you make the land new again.”
(5). HOLMAN CHRISTIAN STANDARD BIBLE “When You hide Your face, they are terrified; when You take away their breath (ruach), they die and return to the dust. When You send Your breath (ruach), they are created, and You renew the face of the earth.”
Does the number of times “Spirit” is used in the difference translations show the scholars that translated them were easing away from the King James Version?
o 236 times in King James Version
o 221 times in New American Standard Bible
o 193 times in New International Version
o 167 times in New Living Translation
o 79 times in Contemporary English Version
o 131 times in The Message
o “And the SPIRIT (ruach) of God in my nostrils” (Job 27:3)
o "SPIRIT (ruach) of God" (Genesis 1:2)
o "And the SPIRIT (ruach)