5315. nephesh
Lexical Summary
nephesh: a soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion
Original Word: נֶפֶשׁ
Transliteration: nephesh
Phonetic Spelling: (neh'-fesh)
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Short Definition: a soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion
Meaning: a soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion
Strong's Concordance
any, thyself, them your-selves, slay, soul, tablet, they, thing,

From naphash; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. Animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental) -- any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, X dead(-ly), desire, X (dis-)contented, X fish, ghost, + greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, X jeopardy of) life (X in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-)self, them (your)-selves, + slay, soul, + tablet, they, thing, (X she) will, X would have it.

see HEBREW naphash

Brown-Driver-Briggs

H5315. nephesh

נֶ֫פֶשׁ756 noun feminineGenesis 49:6 (so even 2:19; Numbers 31:28; 1 Kings 19:2 see AlbrZAW xvi (1896), 42 SS) soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion (Ecclus 3:18; 4:1 (twice in verse); Ecclesiastes 4:2(twice in verse); Ecclesiasticus 13:12; Ecclesiasticus 14:11); — ׳נGenesis 1:20 +; נָ֑פֶשׁ37:21 +; suffix נַפְשִׁי12:13 +; plural נְפָשׁוֺתEzekiel 13:18 13t.; נְפָשֹׁתExodus 12:4; Leviticus 27:2; construct נַפְשׁוֺתGenesis 36:6 4t.; נַפְשֹׁתLeviticus 21:11; נְפָשִׁיםEzekiel 13:20 (but read חָפְשִׁים‎, see Co Berthol Toy); suffix נַפְשׁוֺתָם2 Samuel 23:17 +; נַפְשֹׁתָםNumbers 17:3 +: —

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

a. distinguished from בָּשָׂר וְעַד מִנֶּפֶשׁ ׃בָּשָׂרIsaiah 10:18; הַבָּשָׂר עִם הַנֶּפֶשׁDeuteronomy 12:23; from שְׁאֵרProverbs 11:17; from בֶּטֶןbody Psalm 31:10.

b. both the inner נפשׁ‎ and the outer בשׂר‎ are conceived as resting on a common substratum: תֶּאֱבָֽל׃ עָלָיו וְנַפְשׁוֺ יִכְאָ֑ב עָלָיו בְּשָׂרוֺ אַךְJob 14:22 only his flesh upon him is in pain, and his soul upon him mourneth; compare Psalm 42:5; 42:7; 131:2; Job 30:16; Lamentations 3:20 [see עַל

1d], all poetical (compare 6c).

c. ׳נ‎ departs at death and returns with life: מֵתָה כִּי נַפְשָׁהּ בְּצֵאת וַיְתִיGenesis 35:18 (E) and it came to pass when her soul was going forth (for she died); נַפְשָׁהּ נָָֽפְחָהJeremiah 15:9 she breathed out her soul, compare 1 Kings 17:21-22, Job 11:20; 31:39.

d. often desired that the נפשׁ‎ may be delivered: from Sh®°ôl Psalm 16:10; 30:4; 49:16; 86:13; 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 חיים נשׁמת‎ into the nostrils of its בשׂר‎; of man Genesis 2:7 (J); by implication of animals also 2:19 (J); so Psalm 104:29; 104:30; compare 66:9; man is חַיָּה נֶפֶשׁ‎, a living, breathing being Genesis 2:7 (J); elsewhere חיּה נפשׁ‎ always of animals 1:20, 24, 30; 9:12, 15, 16 (all P), Ezekiel 47:9; so החיּה נפשׁGenesis 1:21; 9:10 (both P), Leviticus 11:10, 46 (H); השׁרצת נפשׁ11:46 (H); חי כל נפשׁJob 12:10. נפשׁ‎ is frequently used with the verb ׃חיהנפשׁ וחיתהGenesis 12:13; 19:20 (both J), 1 Kings 20:32 (E), Psalm 119:175; Jeremiah 38:17, 20; נַפְשְׁךָ חֵי1 Samuel 1:26; 17:55; 20:3; 25:26; 2 Samuel 11:11; 14:9; 2 Kings 2:2, 4, 6; 4:30 (all J E); compare נ ׳יְחַיֶּה1 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 WeSkizzen iii. 217 G. JacobArab. Dicht. iv. 9 f.] (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 (הַנֶּפֶשׁ הוּא הַדָּם‎); and thou shalt not eat the living being with the flesh (הַבָּשָׂר עִם הַנֶּפֶשׁ‎); thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water; this is enlarged in H, Leviticus 17:10-11, 12, 14 and 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; 124:4; 124:5; Job 27:3.

c. נפשׁ‎ is used for life itself 171 t., of animals Proverbs 12:10, and of man Genesis 44:30 (J); נפשׁ תחת נפשׁlife for life Exodus 21:23 (E), Leviticus 24:18 (H), 1 Kings 20:39, 42; 2 Kings 10:24; תחתיכם נפשׁנוJoshua 2:14 (J); בנפשׁ נפשׁDeuteronomy 19:21; בנפשׁfor the life of 2 Samuel 14:7; Jonah 1:14; בכף נפשׁ שׂםput life in one's own hand Judges 12:3; 1 Samuel 19:5; 28:21; Job 13:14; למות נפשׁו חרףJudges 5:18 risked his life to die; בנפשׁat 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; נפשׁ בקּשׁExodus 4:19 (J), 1 Samuel 20:21; 22:23 (twice in verse); 23:15; 25:29; 2 Samuel 4:8; 16:11; 1 Kings 19:10, 14; Jeremiah 4:30; 11:21; 19:7, 9; 21:7; 22:25; 34:20-21, 38:16; 44:30 (twice in verse); 46:26; 49:37; Psalm 35:4; 38:13; 40:15; 54:5; 63:10; 70:3; 86:14; Proverbs 29:10; נ ׳שׁאל1 Kings 3:11 2 Chronicles 1:11; 1 Kings 19:4 = Jonah 4:8; נפשׁ הִכָּהsmite mortally Genesis 37:21 (J), Deuteronomy 19:6, 11; Jeremiah 40:14-15, נ ׳לקח1 Kings 19:4; Jonah 4:3; Psalm 31:14; Proverbs 1:19; מִמָּוֶת נֶפֶשׁ הִצִּילdeliver life from death Joshua 2:13; Psalm 33:19; Psalm 56:14; נפשׁ מלּט1 Samuel 19:11; 2 Samuel 19:6 (4 t. in verse); 1 Kings 1:12 (twice in verse); Jeremiah 48:6; 51:6, 45; Ezekiel 33:5; Amos 2:14-15, Psalm 89:49; 116:4; ׳נ פדה2 Samuel 4:9; 1 Kings 1:29; Psalm 34:23; Psalm 49:16; 55:19; 71:23; נ ׳שׁמר25:20; 97:10; Job 2:6; Proverbs 13:3; 16:17; 19:16; 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, 70 t.; (1) נַפְשִׁי‎ = me: נפשׁי תבא אלGenesis 49:6 let me not enter (poem in J); נ ׳תָּמֹת ישׁרים מותNumbers 23:10 let me die, etc. (poem); נַפְשְׁי תָּמוֺתJudges 16:30 (J); נפשׁי אמרהLamentations 3:24 I say. (2) נַפְשְׁךָ‎ = thee: נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ תַּחַת לְאֻמִּיםIsaiah 43:4 peoples instead of thee; לְנַפְשֵׁךְ אָֽמְרוּ51:23. (3) נַפְשׁוֺ‎ = he: תלין בטוב נפשׁו‎ Psalms he will not dwell in good circumstances. (4) נַפְשֵׁנוּ‎ = we: יוֺקְשִׁים מִמַּח נִמְלְטָה כְּצִמּוֺר נַפְשֵׁנוּPsalm 124:7. (5) נַפְשָׁם‎ = they, them: הָלָ֑כָה בַּשְּׁבִי נַפְשָׁםIsaiah 46:2 they are gone into captivity; לנפשׁם אוי3:9.

b. = reflexive, self, 53 t.: נפשׁ על אסרbind oneself Numbers 30:3; 30:5 (twice in verse); 30:6; 30:7; 30:8; 30:9; 30:10; 30:11; 30:12; נ ׳לְעַנֹּת30:14 to afflict oneself . (1) נַפְשִׁי‎ = myself: נפשׁי אדע לאJob 9:21 I know not myself. (2) נַפְשְׁךָ‎ = thyself: נ ׳שׁמרDeuteronomy 4:9 keep thyself. (3) נַפְשׁוֺ‎ = himself: כנ ׳אהב1 Samuel 18:1, 3; 20:17 loved as himself. (4) נַפְשָׁהּ‎ = herself: נ ׳צדּקהJeremiah 3:11 justified herself. (5) נַפְשָׁם‎ = themselves: נ ׳הצילdeliver themselves Isaiah 47:14; Ezekiel 14:14, 20. (6) נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם נַפְשְׁכֶם,‎ = yourselves: נ ׳אַלתַּֿשִּׁאוּJeremiah 37:9 deceive not yourselves, also 42:20; 44:7; נ ׳ענּהLeviticus 16:29, 31; 23:27, 32; Numbers 29:7 (P); לנ ׳נשׁמרתםDeuteronomy 4:15; Joshua 23:11 (D). (7) נַפְשׁוֺתֵינוּ‎ = ourselves: נ ׳עלJeremiah 26:19 against ourselves.

c. = person of man, individual, 144 t., first in D2; especially in H, P, and kindred writers: (1) with אָדָם‎: ׳נ אדםLeviticus 24:17 opposed to ׳נ בהמה24:18 (both H), and so ׳נ אדםhuman persons Numbers 31:35, 40, 46 (P) 1 Chronicles 5:21; Ezekiel 27:13. Elsewhere without אדם‎: ׳נ ברכהProverbs 11:25 one who blesses; ׳נ רְמִיָּה19:15 idle person; ׳נ נ ׳תחתperson in place of person, Job 16:4; נ ׳על כמּרExodus 30:15-16, Numbers 15:28; 31:50 (all P) Leviticus 17:11 (H). (2) נפשׁ‎ = person, any one: Deuteronomy 24:7; 27:25; Proverbs 28:17; Ezekiel 18:4 (3 t. in verse); 33:6; elsewhere only H P: Leviticus 2:1; 4:2, 27; 5:1-2, 4, 15, 17; Leviticus 5:21; 7:18, 20, 21, 25, 27; 23:29-30, (twice in verse); Numbers 5:6; 15:27, 30; 19:22; 31:19, 28; 35:11, 15, 30 (twice in verse); Joshua 20:3, 9 (all P), Leviticus 17:10, 12, 15; 20:6 (twice in verse); 22:6, 11 (all H); מן הַהִוא הנ ׳נכרתהthat person shall be cut off from: only in Genesis 17:14; Exodus 12:15, 19; 31:14; Leviticus 7:20-21, 27; Numbers 9:13; 15:30-31, 19:13, 20 (all P), Leviticus 19:8; 22:3 (both H). (3) נפשׁ‎ collective for persons, in enumerations: Deuteronomy 10:22; Joshua 10:28, 30, 32, 35, 37 (twice in verse); 10:39; 11:11 (all D2) Jeremiah 43:6; 52:29-30, (twice in verse); Ezekiel 22:25; elsewhere only Genesis 12:5; 46:15, 18, 22, 25, 26 (twice in verse); 46:27 (twice in verse); Exodus 1:5 (twice in verse); 12:16; Numbers 31:35, 40 (all P). (4) נְפָשׁוֺתpersons Genesis 36:6; Exodus 12:4; 16:16; Numbers 19:18 (all P), Leviticus 18:29; 20:25; 27:2 (all H), 2 Kings 12:5; Proverbs 11:30; 14:25; Ezekiel 13:18 (3 t. in verse); 13:19 (twice in verse); 13:20 (twice in verse); 17:17; 18:4; 22:27 (נפשׁים13:20 see above). (5) נפשׁ‎ = deceased person, sometimes with מֵת נֶפֶשׁ מֵת,Numbers 6:6 (P), מֵת נַפְשֹׁת‎ (נֶפֶשׁ ᵑ6 ᵐ5‎) Leviticus 21:11 (H); usually without (ה)אדם נפשׁ מֵת,Numbers 9:6-7, 19:11, 13 (P); or simply נפשׁ‎, Leviticus 19:28; 21:1; 22:4 (all H) Numbers 5:2; 6:11; 9:10 (all P); elsewhere only Haggai 2:13.

5 נפשׁ‎ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 t.) —

a. hunger: ׳נ רְעֵבָהhungry soul Psalm 107:9; Proverbs 27:7; with noun or verb of שׂבעsatisfy Isaiah 56:11; 58:10; Jeremiah 50:19; Ezekiel 7:19; Psalm 63:6; 107:9; Proverbs 13:25; 27:7; לנ ׳מתוק16:24 sweet to the taste.

b. thirst: ׳נ עֲיֵפָהweary soul Proverbs 25:25; Jeremiah 31:25; ׳נ עיפה כארץPsalm 143:6; נ ׳צמאה42:3; 63:2.

c. appetite in General: בנ ׳אֹיְבַי עָלָיו יַקִּיפוּPsalm 17:9 my enemies compass me about with greed; פִיהָ וּפָֽעֲרָה נַפְשָׁהּ שְׁאוֺל הִרְחִיבָהIsaiah 5:14 Sh®°ôl enlarged her appetite, etc., compare Habakkuk 2:5; Proverbs 23:2 נֶפֶשׁ בַּעַל‎; Ecclesiastes uses נפשׁ‎ only in the sense of a, b, c; the נפשׁ‎ craves, lacks, and is filled with good things: Ecclesiastes 2:24; 4:8; 6:2-3, 7, 9; 7:28.

6 = ׳נseat of emotions and passions (151 t.) —

a. desire: נ ׳אִוְּתָהsoul desires Deuteronomy 12:20; 14:26; 1 Samuel 2:16; 2 Samuel 3:21; 1 Kings 11:37; Job 23:13; Proverbs 13:4; 21:10; Micah 7:1; נ ׳תַּאֲוַתPsalm 10:3; Isaiah 26:8; נ ׳אַוַּתDeuteronomy 12:15, 20, 21; 18:6; 1 Samuel 23:20; Jeremiah 2:24; so also לנפשׁaccording to one's desire Deuteronomy 21:14; Psalm 78:18; Jeremiah 34:16; כנפשׁDeuteronomy 23:25; נפשׁנו האחah, our desire Psalm 35:25; בנפשׁat one's desire 105:22; Ezekiel 16:27; בְדַבְּרוֺ ׳נ יָָֽצְאָהSong of Solomon 5:6; נ ׳נשׂאlift up the soul, desire Deuteronomy 24:15; 2 Samuel 14:14 (read אליהם‎, not אלהים‎), Psalm 24:4; 25:1; 86:4; 143:8; Proverbs 19:8; Jeremiah 22:27; 44:14; Hosea 4:8.

b. abhorrence, loathing: נ ׳געלהsoul abhorreth Leviticus 26:11, 15, 30, 43 (H) Jeremiah 14:19; נ ׳וגם בי בחלהZechariah 11:8 and their soul also fell a loathing against me.

c. sorrow and distress: נ ׳מריbitter, gloomy, discontented of soul Judges 18:25 (E) 2 Samuel 17:8; Job 3:20; Proverbs 31:6; נ ׳מר1 Samuel 22:2 compare Job 7:11; 10:1; Isaiah 38:15; Ezekiel 27:1; נ ׳עָֽגְמָה‎ Job 30:35 grieved; נ ׳אגמיsad of soul Isaiah 19:10; נ ׳תבכהmy soul shall weep Jeremiah 13:17; ׳נ ירעהhis soul trembleth Isaiah 15:4; נ ׳צרתdistress of soul Genesis 42:21 (E).

d. joy: ׳נ תגילmy soul rejoiceth Psalm 35:9; Isaiah 61:10; נ ׳שׂמּחrejoice the soul Psalm 86:4; also 94:19; 138:3; Proverbs 29:17.

e. love: נ ׳אהבהmy soul loveth Song of Solomon 1:7; 3:1-2, 3, 4; נ ׳יְדִדוּתdarling of my soul Jeremiah 12:7; נ ׳דבקה ׳בhis soul clave unto Genesis 34:3 (J), with אחריPsalm 63:9; ׳נ ׳ב חשׁקהsoul is attached to Genesis 34:8 (P).

f. alienation, hatred, revenge: נ ׳תֵּקַע מןthe soul is alienated from Jeremiah 6:8; Ezekiel 23:17-18, נ ׳נקעה מן23:18, 22, 28; נ ׳שְׂנֻאיhated of soul 2 Samuel 5:8 (Qr); נ ׳שׂנאהPsalm 11:5; Isaiah 1:14.

g. other emotions and feelings: נ ׳השׁיבbring back soul Lamentations 1:11, 19 (i.e. revive, compare with שׁוּב1 Kings 17:21f.), hence figurative refresh, cheer, 17:16; Psalm 19:8; Proverbs 25:14; Ruth 4:15; נ ׳שׁובבPsalm 23:3; נ ׳מַחְמַלyour souls' compassion Ezekiel 24:21; נ ׳קצרהsoul was impatient Numbers 21:4 (E), Judges 10:16; 16:16; Zechariah 11:8; נ ׳אאריך כיthat I should prolong my patience Job 6:11 אתנֿ ׳ידעתם הגרye know the feeling of the stranger Exodus 23:9 (RD).

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: מאד ידעת נפשׁיPsalm 139:14 my soul knoweth well (or I know well; compare 4a); נ ׳דעת טוב לא בלאProverbs 19:2 that the soul be without knowledge is not good (but RVm desire without knowledge, compare 6a); לנ חכמה ׳דעה24:14 know wisdom for thy soul (or according to thy desire, compare6a); בנ תדמי ׳אלEsther 4:13 think not in thy soul (or in thyself, compare 4b); ׳בג שׁער כמוProverbs 23:7 as he reckoneth in his soul (but RV in himself, compare 4b); נ תאמר ׳מה1 Samuel 20:4 (but AV RV following ᵐ5ἐπιθυμεῖ = תְּאַוֶּה‎; see 6a).

8 נפשׁ‎ for acts of the will is dubious: נפשׁכם ישׁ אם‎ (את‎) if it is your purpose Genesis 23:8 (P) 2 Kings 9:15 (or if it is your desire, 6a); נ ׳בחרהmy soul chooseth Job 7:15; נ ׳מאנהmy soul, refuseth 6:7; Psalm 77:3; ׳נ חפצהtheir soul delighteth in Isaiah 66:3; ׳נ רצתהmy soul delighteth in 42:1; (all perhaps emotional, 6b, d, g).

9 נפשׁ‎ = character is still more dubious: נ ׳לאֹיָָֽֿשְׁרָה בּוֺHabakkuk 2:4 his soul is not right in him (but ᵐ5οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν αὐτῷ [εὐδοκεῖ = רצתה‎], see

6); מְטֻמָּאָה לאֹ נַפְשִׁיEzekiel 4:14 my soul hath not (or I have not,

4a) been polluted.

10 ׳נ‎in 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, נפשׁ ובכל לבב בכל‎ (see לבב‎): with דרשׁDeuteronomy 4:29; 2 Chronicles 15:12; עשׂהDeuteronomy 26:16; אהב6:5; 13:4; 30:6; ידעJoshua 23:14; עבדDeuteronomy 10:12; 11:13; Joshua 22:5; בקלו שׁמעDeuteronomy 30:2; אל שׁוב30:10; 1 Kings 8:48 2 Chronicles 6:38; 2 Kings 23:25; מצות שׁמר23:3 2 Chronicles 34:31; לפני הלך1 Kings 2:4; and Deuteronomy 11:18; 1 Samuel 2:35; 1 Chronicles 22:19; 28:9; Jeremiah 32:41; Psalm 13:8; Proverbs 2:10; 24:12. Note. — In three cases is Generally found closer approach to supposed radical meaning breath:

a. נפשׁ מעצת רעהו ומתק לב ישׂמח וקטרת שׁמןProverbs 27:9. Ges (after Döderlein) renders a. נ ׳מעצתmore than odorous trees, so later edds., even Buhl; but ᵑ9‎ De SS transpose) נ ׳וּמֶתֶק רֵעֵהוּ מֵעֲצַת‎. ᵐ5‎ Hi Bi ומתקרעה‎ = the soul is rent asunder by cares. In any case נפשׁ‎is "" לב‎, compare

10. b. תְּלַהֵט גֶּחָלִים נַפְשׁוֺJob 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. הַנֶּפֶשׁ בָּתֵּיIsaiah 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), BrJBL 1897, 17 ff.








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