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 Isaiah 10:18; הַנֶּפֶשׁ עִם הַבָּשָׂר Deuteronomy 12:23; from שְׁאֵר Proverbs 11:17; from בֶּטֶן body Psalm 31:10.

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

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

c. ׳נ departs at death and returns with life: וַיְתִי בְּצֵאת 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 the נפשׁ 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. 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 (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 17:10,11,12,14 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; Psalm 124:4; Psalm 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 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 נפשׁו למות 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 2Chronicles 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; הִצִּיל נֶפֶשׁ מִמָּוֶת deliver life from death Joshua 2:13; Psalm 33:19; Psalm 56:14; מלּט נפשׁ1Samuel 19:11; 2 Samuel 19:6 (4 t. 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, 70 t.; (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 בטוב תלין Psalms he will not dwell in good circumstances. (4) נַפְשֵׁנוּ = we: נַפְשֵׁנוּ כְּצִמּוֺר נִמְלְטָה מִמַּח 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, 53 t.: 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 man, individual, 144 t., 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 (3 t. 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 הנ הַהִוא 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 (3 t. 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 (ᵐ5 ᵑ6 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.

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

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 (151 t.) —

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 Songs 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 Songs 1:7; Songs 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 4a); בלא לא 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, compare6a); ׳אל תדמי בנ Esther 4:13 think not in thy soul (or in thyself, compare 4b); כמו שׁער ׳בג Proverbs 23:7 as he reckoneth in his soul (but RV in himself, compare 4b); ׳מה תאמר נ 1 Samuel 20:4 (but AV RV following ᵐ5 ἐπιθυμεῖ = תְּאַוֶּה; see 6a).

8 נפשׁ for acts of the will is dubious: אם ישׁ נפשׁכם (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,

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, בכל לבב ובכל נפשׁ (see לבב): with דרשׁ Deuteronomy 4:29; 2Chronicles 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 2Chronicles 6:38; 2 Kings 23:25; שׁמר מצות 2 Kings 23:3 2Chronicles 34:31; הלך לפני1Kings 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 נפשׁis "" 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}.