נֶ֫פֶשׁ
soul
also: self, life, creature, person fuller range ↓
H5315
Strong's Hebrew
nephesh
Transliteration
/neh'-fesh/
Pronunciation
Usage in the Hebrew Bible
757
appearances
Full lexicon entry — Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
From Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
BDB Definition
soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion
- that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man
- living being
- living being (with life in the blood)
- the man himself, self, person or individual
- seat of the appetites
- seat of emotions and passions
- activity of mind
- dubious
- activity of the will
- dubious
- activity of the character
- dubious
Where this word appears
See every Construct-state word in the Hebrew Bible →
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Noun
- A naming word — a person, place, thing, or idea.
Noun type
- Common
- A common noun — a general class of person, place, or thing (“king,” “city,” “water”), not a specific name.
State
- Construct
- A noun bound to a following noun in a possessive / “of” relationship (the construct chain).
- Absolute
- The independent form of a noun, not bound to a following word.
Gender
- Both
- Attested as both masculine and feminine.
Number
- Singular
- One.
- Plural
- More than one (in Hebrew, generally three or more).
Grammatical forms
- Noun, Common, Both, Singular, Construct 537 times (71%)
- Noun, Common, Both, Singular, Absolute 169 times (22%)
- Noun, Common, Both, Plural, Construct 34 times (4%)
- Noun, Common, Both, Plural, Absolute 17 times (2%)
Parsed forms decoded from the imported morphology (morphhb / Westminster Leningrad Codex — WLC text public domain, morphhb tagging CC BY 4.0), counted across 757 parsed occurrences — not distinct verses.
Page 2 of 4 — showing verses 201–400 of 683 distinct verses where H5315 appears, across 31 books. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Hebrew form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Hebrew Bible; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences are not indexed here.
Ruth 1 verse
1 Samuel 28 verses
- 1 Samuel 1:10 נָ֑פֶשׁ n c bs She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to Yahweh, and wept sore.
- 1 Samuel 1:15 נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Hannah answered, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before Yahweh.
- 1 Samuel 1:26 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֖ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms She said, Oh, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to Yahweh.
- 1 Samuel 2:16 נַפְשֶׁ֑/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms If the man said to him, They will surely burn the fat first, and then take as much as your soul desires; then he would say, No, but you shall give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.
- 1 Samuel 2:33 נַפְשֶׁ֑/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms The man of yours, [whom] I shall not cut off from my altar, [shall be] to consume your eyes, and to grieve your heart; and all the increase of your house shall die in the flower of their age.
- 1 Samuel 2:35 וּ/בְ/נַפְשִׁ֖/י conj + prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in my heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before my anointed forever.
- 1 Samuel 17:55 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֥ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms When Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? Abner said, As your soul lives, O king, I can't tell.
- 1 Samuel 18:1 וְ/נֶ֨פֶשׁ֙ בְּ/נֶ֣פֶשׁ כְּ/נַפְשֽׁ/וֹ conj + n c bs cs prep + n c bs cs prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms It happened, when he had made an end of speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
- 1 Samuel 18:3 כְּ/נַפְשֽׁ/וֹ prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
- 1 Samuel 19:5 נַפְשׁ֨/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms for he put his life in his hand, and struck the Philistine, and Yahweh worked a great victory for all Israel: you saw it, and did rejoice; why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?
- 1 Samuel 19:11 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֙ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms Saul sent messengers to David's house, to watch him, and to kill him in the morning: and Michal, David's wife, told him, saying, If you don't save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be slain.
- 1 Samuel 20:1 נַפְשִֽׁ/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my iniquity?" and "What is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?"
- 1 Samuel 20:3 נַפְשֶׁ֔/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms David swore moreover, and said, Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes; and he says, Don't let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.
- 1 Samuel 20:4 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֖ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms Then said Jonathan to David, Whatever your soul desires, I will even do it for you.
- 1 Samuel 20:17 נַפְשׁ֖/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
- 1 Samuel 22:2 נֶ֔פֶשׁ n c bs Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented, gathered themselves to him; and he became captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.
- 1 Samuel 22:22 נֶ֖פֶשׁ n c bs cs David said to Abiathar, I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned [the death] of all the persons of your father's house.
- 1 Samuel 22:23 נַפְשִׁ֖/י נַפְשֶׁ֑/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms Abide you with me, don't be afraid; for he who seeks my life seeks your life: for with me you shall be in safeguard.
- 1 Samuel 23:15 נַפְשׁ֑/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the wood.
- 1 Samuel 23:20 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֥ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him up into the king's hand.
- 1 Samuel 24:11 נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Moreover, my father, behold, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and didn't kill you, know you and see that there is neither evil nor disobedience in my hand, and I have not sinned against you, though you hunt after my life to take it.
- 1 Samuel 25:26 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֙ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms Now therefore, my lord, as Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, seeing Yahweh has withheld you from blood guiltiness, and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now therefore let your enemies, and those who seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.
- 1 Samuel 25:29 נַפְשֶׁ֑/ךָ נֶ֨פֶשׁ נֶ֤פֶשׁ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms n c bs cs n c bs cs Though men be risen up to pursue you, and to seek your soul, yet the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with Yahweh your God; and the souls of your enemies, them shall he sling out, as from the hollow of a sling.
- 1 Samuel 26:21 נַפְשִׁ֛/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David; for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.
- 1 Samuel 26:24 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֛ נַפְשִׁ/י֙ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Behold, as your life was much set by this day in my eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of Yahweh, and let him deliver me out of all oppression.
- 1 Samuel 28:9 בְּ/נַפְשִׁ֖/י prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs The woman said to him, Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: why then lay you a snare for my life, to cause me to die?
- 1 Samuel 28:21 נַפְשִׁ/י֙ n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs The woman came to Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said to him, Behold, your handmaid has listened to your voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.
- 1 Samuel 30:6 נֶ֣פֶשׁ n c bs cs David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David strengthened himself in Yahweh his God.
2 Samuel 14 verses
- 2 Samuel 1:9 נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs He said to me, Stand, I pray you, beside me, and kill me; for anguish has taken hold of me, because my life is yet whole in me.
- 2 Samuel 3:21 נַפְשֶׁ֑/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms Abner said to David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires. David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.
- 2 Samuel 4:8 נַפְשֶׁ֑/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms They brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold, the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life; and Yahweh has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.
- 2 Samuel 4:9 נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, As Yahweh lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,
- 2 Samuel 5:8 נֶ֣פֶשׁ n c bs cs David said on that day, Whoever strikes the Jebusites, let him get up to the watercourse, and [strike] the lame and the blind, who are hated of David's soul. Therefore they say, There are the blind and the lame; he can't come into the house.
- 2 Samuel 11:11 נַפְשֶׁ֔/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms Uriah said to David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in booths; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open field; shall I then go into my house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.
- 2 Samuel 14:7 בְּ/נֶ֤פֶשׁ prep + n c bs cs Behold, the whole family is risen against your handmaid, and they say, Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he killed, and so destroy the heir also. Thus will they quench my coal which is left, and will leave to my husband neither name nor remainder on the surface of the earth.
- 2 Samuel 14:14 נֶ֔פֶשׁ n c bs For we must needs die, and are as water split on the ground, which can't be gathered up again; neither does God take away life, but devises means, that he who is banished not be an outcast from him.
- 2 Samuel 14:19 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֩ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms The king said, Is the hand of Joab with you in all this? The woman answered, As your soul lives, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken; for your servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of your handmaid;
- 2 Samuel 16:11 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeks my life: how much more [may] this Benjamite now [do it]? let him alone, and let him curse; for Yahweh has invited him.
- 2 Samuel 17:8 נֶ֨פֶשׁ֙ n c bs Hushai said moreover, You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are fierce in their minds, as a bear robbed of her cubs in the field; and your father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.
- 2 Samuel 18:13 ב/נפש/ו בְ/נַפְשִׁ/י֙ prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hid from the king), then you yourself would have set yourself against [me].
- 2 Samuel 19:5 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֙ נֶ֤פֶשׁ וְ/נֶ֣פֶשׁ וְ/נֶ֖פֶשׁ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms n c bs cs conj + n c bs cs conj + n c bs cs Joab came into the house to the king, and said, You have shamed this day the faces of all your servants, who this day have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines;
- 2 Samuel 23:17 בְּ/נַפְשׁוֹתָ֔/ם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3mp He said, Be it far from me, Yahweh, that I should do this: [shall I drink] the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.
1 Kings 18 verses
- 1 Kings 1:12 נַפְשֵׁ֔/ךְ נֶ֥פֶשׁ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2fs n c bs cs Now therefore come, please let me give you counsel, that you may save your own life, and the life of your son Solomon.
- 1 Kings 1:29 נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs The king swore, and said, As Yahweh lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,
- 1 Kings 2:4 נַפְשָׁ֑/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp That Yahweh may establish his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, If your children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail you (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.
- 1 Kings 2:23 בְ/נַפְשׁ֔/וֹ prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Then king Solomon swore by Yahweh, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life.
- 1 Kings 3:11 נֶ֣פֶשׁ n c bs cs God said to him, Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, neither have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice;
- 1 Kings 8:48 נַפְשָׁ֔/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp if they return to you with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city which you have chosen, and the house which I have built for your name:
- 1 Kings 11:37 נַפְשֶׁ֑/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms I will take you, and you shall reign according to all that your soul desires, and shall be king over Israel.
- 1 Kings 17:21 נֶֽפֶשׁ n c bs cs He stretched himself on the child three times, and cried to Yahweh, and said, Yahweh my God, please let this child's soul come into him again.
- 1 Kings 17:22 נֶֽפֶשׁ n c bs cs Yahweh listened to the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.
- 1 Kings 19:2 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֔ כְּ/נֶ֖פֶשׁ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms prep + n c bs Then Jezebel send a messenger to Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I don't make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.
- 1 Kings 19:3 נַפְשׁ֔/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms When he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.
- 1 Kings 19:4 נַפְשׁ/וֹ֙ נַפְשִׁ֔/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is enough; now, O Yahweh, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
- 1 Kings 19:10 נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs He said, I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and slain your prophets with the sword: and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
- 1 Kings 19:14 נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs He said, I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and slain your prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
- 1 Kings 20:31 נַפְשֶֽׁ/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms His servants said to him, See now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, we pray you, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save your life.
- 1 Kings 20:32 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and [put] ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Your servant Ben Hadad says, please let me live. He said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother.
- 1 Kings 20:39 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֙ נַפְשׁ֔/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms As the king passed by, he cried to the king; and he said, Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man to me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall your life be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.
- 1 Kings 20:42 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֙ נַפְשׁ֔/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms He said to him, Thus says Yahweh, Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.
2 Kings 13 verses
- 2 Kings 1:13 נַפְשִׁ֗/י וְ/נֶ֨פֶשׁ n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs conj + n c bs cs Again he sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. The third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and begged him, and said to him, man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty your servants, be precious in your sight.
- 2 Kings 1:14 נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Behold, fire came down from the sky, and consumed the two former captains of fifty with their fifties; but now let my life be precious in your sight.
- 2 Kings 2:2 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֖ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms Elijah said to Elisha, Please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me as far as Bethel. Elisha said, As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So they went down to Bethel.
- 2 Kings 2:4 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֖ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms Elijah said to him, Elisha, please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me to Jericho. He said, As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So they came to Jericho.
- 2 Kings 2:6 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֖ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms Elijah said to him, "Please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me to the Jordan." He said, "As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you." They two went on.
- 2 Kings 4:27 נַפְשָׁ֣/הּ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3fs When she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught hold of his feet. Gehazi came near to thrust her away; but the man of God said, Let her alone: for her soul is vexed within her; and Yahweh has hid it from me, and has not told me.
- 2 Kings 4:30 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֖ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms The mother of the child said, As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. He arose, and followed her.
- 2 Kings 7:7 נַפְשָֽׁ/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp Therefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their donkeys, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.
- 2 Kings 9:15 נַפְשְׁ/כֶ֔ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 2mp but king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) Jehu said, If this be your mind, then let none escape and go forth out of the city, to go to tell it in Jezreel.
- 2 Kings 10:24 נַפְשׁ֖/וֹ נַפְשֽׁ/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms They went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had appointed him eighty men outside, and said, If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escape, [he who lets him go], his life shall be for the life of him.
- 2 Kings 12:4 נַפְשׁ֖וֹת n c bp cs Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the holy things that is brought into the house of Yahweh, in current money, the money of the persons for whom each man is rated, and all the money that it comes into any man's heart to bring into the house of Yahweh,
- 2 Kings 23:3 נֶ֔פֶשׁ n c bs The king stood by the pillar, and made a covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all [his] heart, and all [his] soul, to confirm the words of this covenant that were written in this book: and all the people stood to the covenant.
- 2 Kings 23:25 נַפְשׁ/וֹ֙ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Like him was there no king before him, who turned to Yahweh with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.
1 Chronicles 4 verses
- 1 Chronicles 5:21 וְ/נֶ֥פֶשׁ conj + n c bs cs They took away their cattle; of their camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred fifty thousand, and of donkeys two thousand, and of men one hundred thousand.
- 1 Chronicles 11:19 בְ/נַפְשׁוֹתָ/ם֙ בְ/נַפְשׁוֹתָ֣/ם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3mp prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3mp and said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this: shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy? for with [the jeopardy of] their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.
- 1 Chronicles 22:19 וְ/נַפְשְׁ/כֶ֔ם conj + n c bs cs + sfx pers 2mp Now set your heart and your soul to seek after Yahweh your God; arise therefore, and build the sanctuary of Yahweh God, to bring the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of Yahweh.
- 1 Chronicles 28:9 וּ/בְ/נֶ֣פֶשׁ conj + prep + n c bs You, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for Yahweh searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts: if you seek him, he will be found of you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.
2 Chronicles 4 verses
- 2 Chronicles 1:11 נֶ֣פֶשׁ n c bs cs God said to Solomon, Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches, wealth, or honor, nor the life of those who hate you, neither yet have asked long life; but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge my people, over whom I have made you king:
- 2 Chronicles 6:38 נַפְשָׁ֔/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp if they return to you with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have carried them captive, and pray toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, and the city which you have chosen, and toward the house which I have built for your name:
- 2 Chronicles 15:12 נַפְשָֽׁ/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp They entered into the covenant to seek Yahweh, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul;
- 2 Chronicles 34:31 נַפְשׁ֑/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms The king stood in his place, and made a covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book.
Esther 6 verses
- Esther 4:13 בְ/נַפְשֵׁ֔/ךְ prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 2fs Then Mordecai bade them return answer to Esther, Don't think to yourself that you shall escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.
- Esther 7:3 נַפְשִׁ/י֙ n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Then Esther the queen answered, If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request:
- Esther 7:7 נַפְשׁ/וֹ֙ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms The king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine [and went] into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.
- Esther 8:11 נַפְשָׁ/ם֒ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp in which the king granted the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, [their] little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,
- Esther 9:16 נַפְשָׁ֗/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp The other Jews who were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and killed of those who hated them seventy-five thousand; but they didn't lay their hand on the spoil.
- Esther 9:31 נַפְשָׁ֖/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp to confirm these days of Purim in their appointed times, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had ordained for themselves and for their seed, in the matter of the fastings and their cry.
Job 33 verses
- Job 2:4 נַפְשֽׁ/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Satan answered Yahweh, and said, "Skin for skin. Yes, all that a man has will he give for his life.
- Job 2:6 נַפְשׁ֥/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Yahweh said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand. Only spare his life."
- Job 3:20 נָֽפֶשׁ n c bs "Why is light given to him who is in misery, Life to the bitter in soul,
- Job 6:7 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs My soul refuses to touch them; They are as loathsome food to me.
- Job 6:11 נַפְשִֽׁ/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs What is my strength, that I should wait? What is my end, that I should be patient?
- Job 7:11 נַפְשִֽׁ/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs "Therefore I will not keep silent. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit. I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
- Job 7:15 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs So that my soul chooses strangling, Death rather than my bones.
- Job 9:21 נַפְשִׁ֗/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs I am blameless. I don't regard myself. I despise my life.
- Job 10:1 נַפְשִׁ֗/י נַפְשִֽׁ/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs "My soul is weary of my life; I will give free course to my complaint. I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
- Job 11:20 נָֽפֶשׁ n c bs But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, They shall have no way to flee; Their hope shall be the giving up of the spirit."
- Job 12:10 נֶ֣פֶשׁ n c bs cs In whose hand is the life of every living thing, The breath of all mankind?
- Job 13:14 וְ֝/נַפְשִׁ֗/י conj + n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, And put my life in my hand?
- Job 14:22 וְ֝/נַפְשׁ֗/וֹ conj + n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms But his flesh on him has pain; His soul within him mourns."
- Job 16:4 נַפְשְׁ/כֶ֡ם נַפְשִׁ֗/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 2mp n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs I also could speak as you do. If your soul were in my soul's place, I could join words together against you, And shake my head at you.
- Job 18:4 נַפְשׁ֗/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms You who tear yourself in your anger, Shall the earth be forsaken for you? Or shall the rock be removed out of its place?
- Job 19:2 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs "How long will you torment me, And crush me with words?
- Job 21:25 בְּ/נֶ֣פֶשׁ prep + n c bs Another dies in bitterness of soul, And never tastes of good.
- Job 23:13 וְ/נַפְשׁ֖/וֹ conj + n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms But he stands alone, and who can oppose him? What his soul desires, even that he does.
- Job 24:12 וְ/נֶֽפֶשׁ conj + n c bs cs From out of the populous city, men groan. The soul of the wounded cries out, Yet God doesn't regard the folly.
- Job 27:2 נַפְשִֽׁ/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs "As God lives, who has taken away my right, The Almighty, who has made my soul bitter.
- Job 27:8 נַפְשֽׁ/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms For what is the hope of the godless, when he is cut off, When God takes away his life?
- Job 30:16 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs "Now my soul is poured out within me. Days of affliction have taken hold on me.
- Job 30:25 נַ֝פְשִׁ֗/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Didn't I weep for him who was in trouble? Wasn't my soul grieved for the needy?
- Job 31:30 נַפְשֽׁ/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms (Yes, I have not allowed my mouth to sin By asking his life with a curse);
- Job 31:39 וְ/נֶ֖פֶשׁ conj + n c bs cs If I have eaten the fruits of it without money, Or have caused the owners of it to lose their life:
- Job 32:2 נַ֝פְשׁ֗/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Then the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel, the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was kindled against Job. His wrath was kindled because he justified himself rather than God.
- Job 33:18 נַ֭פְשׁ/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms He keeps back his soul from the pit, And his life from perishing by the sword.
- Job 33:20 וְ֝/נַפְשׁ֗/וֹ conj + n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms So that his life abhors bread, And his soul dainty food.
- Job 33:22 נַפְשׁ֑/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Yes, his soul draws near to the pit, And his life to the destroyers.
- Job 33:28 נפש/י נַ֭פְשׁ/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms He has redeemed my soul from going into the pit, My life shall see the light.'
- Job 33:30 נַ֭פְשׁ/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms To bring back his soul from the pit, That he may be enlightened with the light of the living.
- Job 36:14 נַפְשָׁ֑/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp They die in youth. Their life perishes among the unclean.
- Job 41:21 נַ֭פְשׁ/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms His breath kindles coals. A flame goes forth from his mouth.
Psalms 141 verses
- Psalms 3:2 לְ/נַ֫פְשִׁ֥/י prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Many there are who say of my soul, "There is no help for him in God." Selah.
- Psalms 6:3 וְ֭/נַפְשִׁ/י conj + n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs My soul is also in great anguish. But you, Yahweh--how long?
- Psalms 6:4 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Return, Yahweh. Deliver my soul, And save me for your loving kindness' sake.
- Psalms 7:2 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Lest they tear apart my soul like a lion, Ripping it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.
- Psalms 7:5 נַפְשִׁ֡/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Let the enemy pursue my soul, and overtake it; Yes, let him tread my life down to the earth, And lay my glory in the dust. Selah.
- Psalms 10:3 נַפְשׁ֑/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms For the wicked boasts of his heart's cravings, He blesses the greedy, and condemns Yahweh.
- Psalms 11:1 לְ/נַפְשִׁ֑/י prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs In Yahweh, I take refuge. How can you say to my soul, "Flee as a bird to your mountain!"
- Psalms 11:5 נַפְשֽׁ/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Yahweh examines the righteous, But the wicked and him who loves violence his soul hates.
- Psalms 13:2 בְּ/נַפְשִׁ֗/י prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart every day? How long shall my enemy triumph over me?
- Psalms 16:10 נַפְשִׁ֣/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, Neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption.
- Psalms 17:9 בְּ֝/נֶ֗פֶשׁ prep + n c bs From the wicked who oppress me, My deadly enemies, who surround me.
- Psalms 17:13 נַ֝פְשִׁ֗/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Arise, Yahweh, Confront him, cast him down. Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword;
- Psalms 19:7 נָ֑פֶשׁ n c bs Yahweh's law is perfect, restoring the soul. Yahweh's testimony is sure, making wise the simple.
- Psalms 22:20 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Deliver my soul from the sword, My precious life from the power of the dog.
- Psalms 22:29 וְ֝/נַפְשׁ֗/וֹ conj + n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms All the rich ones of the earth shall eat and worship. All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him, Even he who can't keep his soul alive.
- Psalms 23:3 נַפְשִׁ֥/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs He restores my soul. He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
- Psalms 24:4 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs He who has clean hands and a pure heart; Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood, And has not sworn deceitfully.
- Psalms 25:1 נַפְשִׁ֥/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs To you, Yahweh, do I lift up my soul.
- Psalms 25:13 נַ֭פְשׁ/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms His soul shall dwell at ease. His seed shall inherit the land.
- Psalms 25:20 נַ֭פְשִׁ/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Oh keep my soul, and deliver me. Let me not be disappointed, for I take refuge in you.
- Psalms 26:9 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Don't gather my soul with sinners, Nor my life with bloodthirsty men;
- Psalms 27:12 בְּ/נֶ֣פֶשׁ prep + n c bs cs Don't deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries, For false witnesses have risen up against me, Such as breathe out cruelty.
- Psalms 30:3 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Yahweh, you have brought up my soul from Sheol. You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
- Psalms 31:7 נַפְשִֽׁ/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs I will be glad and rejoice in your loving kindness, For you have seen my affliction. You have known my soul in adversities.
- Psalms 31:9 נַפְשִׁ֥/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Have mercy on me, Yahweh, for I am in distress. My eye, my soul, and my body waste away with grief.
- Psalms 31:13 נַפְשִׁ֣/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs For I have heard the slander of many, terror on every side, While they conspire together against me, They plot to take away my life.
- Psalms 33:19 נַפְשָׁ֑/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp To deliver their soul from death, To keep them alive in famine.
- Psalms 33:20 נַ֭פְשֵׁ/נוּ n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cp Our soul has waited for Yahweh. He is our help and our shield.
- Psalms 34:2 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs My soul shall boast in Yahweh. The humble shall hear of it, and be glad.
- Psalms 34:22 נֶ֣פֶשׁ n c bs cs Yahweh redeems the soul of his servants. None of those who take refuge in him shall be condemned.
- Psalms 35:3 לְ֝/נַפְשִׁ֗/י prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me. Tell my soul, "I am your salvation."
- Psalms 35:4 נַ֫פְשִׁ֥/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.
- Psalms 35:7 לְ/נַפְשִֽׁ/י prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me. Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul.
- Psalms 35:9 וְ֭/נַפְשִׁ/י conj + n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs My soul shall be joyful in Yahweh. It shall rejoice in his salvation.
- Psalms 35:12 לְ/נַפְשִֽׁ/י prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs They reward me evil for good, To the bereaving of my soul.
- Psalms 35:13 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting. My prayer returned into my own bosom.
- Psalms 35:17 נַ֭פְשִׁ/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, My precious life from the lions.
- Psalms 35:25 נַפְשֵׁ֑/נוּ n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cp Don't let them say in their heart, "Aha! That's the way we want it!" Don't let them say, "We have swallowed him up!"
- Psalms 38:12 נַפְשִׁ֗/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs They also who seek after my life lay snares. Those who seek my hurt speak mischievous things, And meditate deceits all day long.
- Psalms 40:14 נַפְשִׁ֗/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Let them be disappointed and confounded together who seek after my soul to destroy it. Let them be turned backward and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt.
- Psalms 41:2 בְּ/נֶ֣פֶשׁ prep + n c bs cs Yahweh will preserve him, and keep him alive, He shall be blessed on the earth, And he will not surrender him to the will of his enemies.
- Psalms 41:4 נַ֝פְשִׁ֗/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs I said, "Yahweh, have mercy on me! Heal me, for I have sinned against you."
- Psalms 42:1 נַפְשִׁ֨/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants after you, God.
- Psalms 42:2 נַפְשִׁ֨/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
- Psalms 42:4 נַפְשִׁ֗/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs These things I remember, and pour out my soul within me, How I used to go with the crowd, and led them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping a holy day.
- Psalms 42:5 נַפְשִׁ/י֮ n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him for the saving help of his presence.
- Psalms 42:6 נַפְשִׁ֪/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs My God, my soul is in despair within me. Therefore I remember you from the land of the Jordan, The heights of Hermon, from the hill Mizar.
- Psalms 42:11 נַפְשִׁ/י֮ n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him, The saving help of my countenance, and my God.
- Psalms 43:5 נַפְשִׁ/י֮ n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him: My Savior, my helper, and my God.
- Psalms 44:25 נַפְשֵׁ֑/נוּ n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cp For our soul is bowed down to the dust. Our body cleaves to the earth.
- Psalms 49:8 נַפְשָׁ֗/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp For the redemption of their life is costly, No payment is ever enough,
- Psalms 49:15 נַ֭פְשִׁ/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, For he will receive me. Selah.
- Psalms 49:18 נַ֭פְשׁ/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Though while he lived he blessed his soul-- And men praise you when you do well for yourself--
- Psalms 54:3 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs For strangers have risen up against me. Violent men have sought after my soul. They haven't set God before them. Selah.
- Psalms 54:4 נַפְשִֽׁ/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Behold, God is my helper. The Lord is the one who sustains my soul.
- Psalms 55:18 נַ֭פְשִׁ/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, Although there are many who oppose me.
- Psalms 56:6 נַפְשִֽׁ/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs They conspire and lurk, Watching my steps, they are eager to take my life.
- Psalms 56:13 נַפְשִׁ֡/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs For you have delivered my soul from death, And prevented my feet from falling, That I may walk before God in the light of the living.
- Psalms 57:1 נַ֫פְשִׁ֥/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Be merciful to me, God, be merciful to me, For my soul takes refuge in you. Yes, in the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge, Until disaster has passed.
- Psalms 57:4 נַפְשִׁ֤/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs My soul is among lions. I lie among those who are set on fire, Even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, And their tongue a sharp sword.
- Psalms 57:6 נַ֫פְשִׁ֥/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs They have prepared a net for my steps. My soul is bowed down. They dig a pit before me. They fall into the midst of it themselves. Selah.
- Psalms 59:3 לְ/נַפְשִׁ֗/י prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul. The mighty gather themselves together against me, Not for my disobedience, nor for my sin, Yahweh.
- Psalms 62:1 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs My soul rests in God alone. My salvation is from him.
- Psalms 62:5 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs My soul, wait in silence for God alone, For my expectation is from him.
- Psalms 63:1 נַפְשִׁ֗/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs God, you are my God. I will earnestly seek you. My soul thirsts for you, My flesh longs for you, In a dry and weary land, where there is no water.
- Psalms 63:5 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs My soul shall be satisfied as with the richest food. My mouth shall praise you with joyful lips,
- Psalms 63:8 נַפְשִׁ֣/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs My soul stays close to you. Your right hand holds me up.
- Psalms 63:9 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs But those who seek my soul, to destroy it, Shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
- Psalms 66:9 נַ֭פְשֵׁ/נוּ n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cp Who preserves our life among the living, And doesn't allow our feet to be moved.
- Psalms 66:16 לְ/נַפְשִֽׁ/י prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Come, and hear, all you who fear God. I will declare what he has done for my soul.
- Psalms 69:1 נָֽפֶשׁ n c bs Save me, God, For the waters have come up to my neck!
- Psalms 69:10 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs When I wept and I fasted, That was to my reproach.
- Psalms 69:18 נַפְשִׁ֣/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Draw near to my soul, and redeem it. Ransom me because of my enemies.
- Psalms 70:2 נַ֫פְשִׁ֥/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Let them be disappointed and confounded who seek my soul. Let those who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.
- Psalms 71:10 נַ֝פְשִׁ֗/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs For my enemies talk about me. Those who watch for my soul conspire together,
- Psalms 71:13 נַ֫פְשִׁ֥/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Let my accusers be disappointed and consumed. Let them be covered with disgrace and scorn who want to harm me.
- Psalms 71:23 וְ֝/נַפְשִׁ֗/י conj + n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs My lips shall shout for joy! My soul, which you have redeemed, sings praises to you!
- Psalms 72:13 וְ/נַפְשׁ֖וֹת conj + n c bp cs He will have pity on the poor and needy. He will save the souls of the needy.
- Psalms 72:14 נַפְשָׁ֑/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence. Their blood will be precious in his sight.
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
“soul” is the headline sense of the Hebrew noun נפש (nephesh). It also covers “self”, “life”, and “creature”, alongside “soul” — see its full sense range. With 683 verses in 31 books, it is one of the most common word in the Hebrew Bible. Debuting at Genesis 1:20, it then recurs through the corpus. Related forms include נפש and נפיש. See the sense tree, 683-verse concordance, and the renderings breakdown below.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
Strong's · 1890
any
Modern gloss
soul
Strong's 1890 sometimes compressed multiple senses — or homonymous roots — under one number, and used 19th-century English phrasing that no longer carries the same connotation. The modern gloss reflects current BDB scholarship; open the Lexicon Entry tab for the full sense breakdown.
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About this word
Strong's H5315 catalogs a Hebrew word from the Hebrew Old Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Hebrew Old Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 683
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 683 distinct verses.
- 31 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 31 of 39 Old Testament books.
- #65
- by frequency
- Top 100 most frequent Hebrew words (rank 65 of 8,640 Hebrew words by occurrence).
View all 683 occurrences in the concordance →
By section of the Old Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Each share is this word’s portion of its verses in that division of the Hebrew canon. Each figure is a share of the word’s 683 distinct verses.
- Writings (Ketuvim) 269 verses · 39%
- Prophets (Nevi'im) 237 verses · 35%
- Torah (Pentateuch) 177 verses · 26%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
- King James Version: Soul 314×, Life 73×, Souls 34×
- American Standard Version: Soul 279×, Life 71×, Souls 31×
- Berean Standard Bible: Soul 173×, Life 112×, Lives 31×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text: Soul 282×, Life 159×, Person 53×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders H5315 across 738 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 115 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 15 further occurrences.
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders H5315 across 737 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 161 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders H5315 across 666 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 73 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 85 further occurrences.
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders H5315 across 751 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 55 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
34 senses and sub-senses in the full BDB
What do BDB’s symbols mean?
BDB uses these scholarly abbreviations:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 𝔊 | the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation, LXX) |
| 𝔙 | the Vulgate (the Latin translation) |
| 𝔖 | the Syriac version (the Peshitta) |
| 𝔗 | the Targum (the Aramaic translation) |
| ψ | the Psalms |
| √ | root (the underlying root or stem) |
| ‖ | parallel passage (a synonymous or contrasted parallel) |
| † | the dagger: every passage where the word occurs is cited |
The 34 senses and sub-senses the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency), with BDB’s own verbatim wording and sub-sense lettering. Shown in Hebrew script with BDB’s own scholarly abbreviations. The condensed entry is in the Lexicon Entry tab. See also the Forms in the corpus table below.
- 1. = that which breathes, the breathing substance or being = ψυχή, anima, the soul, the inner being of man:
- a. disting. 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. e.g. Isaiah 10:18
- 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). e.g. Job 14:22
- 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. e.g. Genesis 35:18
- 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. e.g. Psalms 16:10
- 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. e.g. Genesis 2:7
- 3. The נפשׁ (without חיה noun or verb) is specif.:
- 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. e.g. Deuteronomy 12:23
- 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. e.g. 2 Samuel 1:9
- 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 (P), 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. e.g. Proverbs 12:10
- 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; (1) נַפְשִׁי = 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; אָֽמְרוּ לְנַפְשֵׁךְ 51:23. (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. e.g. Genesis 49:6
- 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 (P); נשׁמרתם לנ׳ Dt 4:15; Jos 23:11 (D). (7) נַפְשׁוֹתֵינוּ = ourselves: על נ׳ Je 26:19 against ourselves. e.g. Numbers 30:3
- 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 (P) 1 Ch 5:21; Ez 27:13. Elsewhere without אדם: 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 (P), נַפְשֹׁת מֵת (𝔊 𝔖 נֶפֶשׁ) Lv 21:11 (H); usually without מֵת, נפשׁ (ה)אדם Nu 9:6, 7; 19:11, 13 (P); 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. e.g. Leviticus 24:17
- 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. e.g. Psalms 107:9
- 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. e.g. Proverbs 25:25
- 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. e.g. Psalms 17:9
- 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. e.g. Deuteronomy 12:20
- 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. e.g. Leviticus 26:11
- 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). e.g. Judges 18:25
- 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.g. Psalms 35:9
- 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 (P). e.g. Song of Solomon 1:7
- 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. e.g. Jeremiah 6:8
- 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 ye know the feeling of the stranger Ex 23:9 (RD). e.g. Lamentations 1:11
- 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׳ 1 S 20:4 (but AV RV foll. 𝔊 ἐπιθυμεῖ = תְּאַוֶּה; v. 6 a). e.g. Psalms 139:14
- 8. נפשׁ for acts of the will is dub.: אם ישׁ נפשׁכם (את) if it is your purpose Gn 23:8 (P) 2 K 9:15 (or if it is your desire, 6 a); בחרה נ׳ my soul chooseth Jb 7:15; מאנה נ׳ my soul refuseth Jb 6:7 ψ 77:3; נ׳ חפצה their soul delighteth in Is 66:3; נ׳ רצתה my soul delighteth in Is 42:1; (all perhaps emotional, 6 b, d, g). e.g. Genesis 23:8
- 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. e.g. Habakkuk 2:4
- 10. 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. e.g. Deuteronomy 4:29
- —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. e.g. Proverbs 27:9
- b. נַפְשׁוֹ גֶּחָלִים תְּלַהֵט Jb 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 ref. to passion or fury; perhaps sub 6 f, his passion or fury kindleth coals. e.g. Job 41:13
- 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. e.g. Isaiah 3:20
Senses from the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon (Brown, Driver, Briggs; Oxford 1906 — public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). Full attribution on Sources.
Word origin
n.f. Gn 49:6 (so even Gn 2:19 Nu 31:28 1 K 19:2 v. Albr ZAW xvi (1896), 42 SS) soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion (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 +: —
— Brown-Driver-Briggs (Oxford 1906, public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). See Sources.
Derived from נפש (nâphash) (H5314) — to refresh.
Jastrow Dictionary
A second Hebrew/Aramaic lexicon for comparison, covering Aramaic and post-biblical (Talmudic, Targumic, Midrashic) usage that the biblical-Hebrew BDB does not. Matched by lemma rather than by Strong’s number, so a lemma may carry more than one Jastrow headword (shown separately below), and the entries cover usage well beyond the Bible.
נָפֵשׁ
- (נָפַשׁ, b. h. Nif.) breathing, resting.—Pl. נְפֵשִׁים, נְפֵשִׁין, נְפֵי׳. Tanḥ. Vaëra 6 (expl. ישעו, Ex. V, 9) אל יהיו משתעשעין כלומר אל יהיו נ׳ (not ואל יהון) let them not play, that is, let them not rest (on the Sabbath); Ex. R. s. 5. e.g. Exodus 5:9
נְפֵשׁ
- , v. נְפֵישׁ
נֶפֶשׁ
- preced. wds.)
- 1. resting place, esp. a structure next to or over a tomb. Ohol. VII, 1 נ׳ אטומה a solid tomb-structure (to which there is no access). Shek. II, 5 מותר המת בונין לו נ׳ וכ׳ from what is left over of the appropriation for funeral expenses, we build a monument &c.; (Gen. R. s. 82 בַּיִת). Tosef. Erub. VI (V), 4, sq.; Erub. 55ᵇ (contrad. to קבר).—Pl. נְפָשׁוֹת. Ib. V, 1 נ׳ sepulchres (containing a place of shelter). Y. Shek. II, 47ᵃ top; Gen. R. l. c. אין עושין נ׳ וכ׳ no monuments need be put up for the righteous, v. זִכָּרוֹן. Tosef. Ohol. XVII, 4 חוקת נ׳ שבא"י וכ׳ the presumption in the case of sepulchres in Palestine is that they are levitically clean, except those marked.
- 2. soul, life; person; will, desire, disposition. B. Mets. IV, 6 שאינו אלא נ׳ רעה for it (the refusal of a coin on the ground of a slight abrasion) proves merely a malevolent soul (illiberality in dealing); ib. 52ᵇ, v. קְהֵי. Gen. R. s. 14 (names of the soul) נ׳ רוח וכ׳. Ib. נ׳ זו הדם nefesh means blood (life). Ib. (ref. to Gen. II, 7, a. VII, 22) כאן הוא עושה נשמה נ׳ וכ׳ here the text calls the soul (נשמה) nefesh, and there, ruaḥ (spirit); ib. s. 32.—Snh. IV, 5 נ׳ אחת one (person’s) life. Y. Taan. III, beg. 66ᵇ מכיון שנתנו ב"ד נַפְשָׁן וכ׳ as soon as the court has declared its will to do a thing. Nidd. 65ᵇ, a. fr. בעל נ׳ one who is master over his desire, a conscientious man.—Ber. 44ᵇ כל נ׳ משיב את הנ׳ all life (animal food) restores life; וכל קרוב לנ׳ וכ׳ and what is nearest life (the neck which contains the jugular vein) &c.—Y. Keth. V, 30ᵇ top דברים שהן קיום נ׳ things required for sustaining life. Yoma 74ᵇ אבידת נ׳, v. אֲבֵירָה; a. v. fr.—דחה נ׳, v. דָּחָה.—Sifra M’tsorʿa, Zab., Par. 3, ch. VI ואם נַפְשְׁךָ לומר וכ׳ (= ואיבעית אימא, v. בְּעֵי) or if you prefer (another argument); Ḥull. 78ᵇ bot. Ib. מה ואם נפשך לומר why should you prefer another argument?, i.e. what objection can there be to the argument offered before?—(מ)מה נפשך, v. מָה.—Ḥull. IV, 7 (77ᵃ) נ׳ היפה one not fastidious.—B. Bath. 89ᵃ נ׳ מאזנים the opening in which the tongue of scales rests (agina).—Pl. as ab. דיני נ׳, v. דִּין II. Snh. l. c. עדי נ׳ witnesses in capital cases.—Yoma VIII, 6 ספק נ׳ the possibility of danger to human life; Sabb. 129ᵃ; a. fr. e.g. Genesis 2:7
נְפַשׁ
- 1. monument. Pesik. B’shall., p. 79ᵇ ועבדון ליה נ׳ וכ׳ and they erected a monument to him (the dog that saved their lives), and to this day they call it נ׳ דכלבא the dog’s monument. Y. Erub. V, 22ᵇ bot. נ׳ דסיריקין, v. סְרִיקִין; a. e.
- 2. soul, will &c. (v. preced.). Targ. Gen. I, 20. Ib. XXIII, 8; a. fr.—Cant. R. to II, 16, v. נְסַב. Sabb. 129ᵃ בשר נ׳ חלף נ׳ meat (is a necessary of life), life for life, v. preced.—נח נַפְשֵׁיה, v. נוּחַ ch. Pes. 68ᵇ נַפְשָׁאִי, v. חֲדֵי. Ib. אדעתא דנפשיה with the intention of benefiting himself. Sot. 16ᵇ, a. e. לא תפיק נַפְשָׁךְ, v. נְפַק; a. v. fr.—Pl. נַפְשָׁן, נַפְשָׁתָא. Targ. Jud. XVIII, 25 (ed. Lag. sing.). Targ. Gen. XIV, 21; a. fr.—[Targ. Y. Lev. XXVI, 15 נַפְשָׁתֵיכוֹן (sing.).]—Y. Ab. Zar. III, 42ᶜ, v. סְכן II.
A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature (Marcus Jastrow; London, Luzac, 1903) — Public Domain. Digitized via Sefaria. Digitized via Sefaria. Full attribution on Sources.
Forms in the corpus
The 228 distinct written forms H5315 takes in the Hebrew Bible, most frequent first — each parse links to that state’s occurrences in the concordance. Hebrew forms include their vowel points and cantillation, so a single lemma takes many written forms.
The 60 most common forms are shown; 168 rarer forms follow in the full concordance.
Same root — word family
Other BDB entries built from the same root as H5315, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derives from
Proper names from this root
People and places named from this root — a name, not an additional meaning of the word.
Compare all same-root words → 1 of the same-root words is a proper name (a person or place). They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint verse parallels
This word appears in 615 verses that also exist in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), out of the 683 Hebrew verses it occurs in. You can read those verses in Greek by switching the Old Testament edition to the Septuagint.
Read these verses in the Septuagint
- Genesis 1:20
- Exodus 1:5
- Leviticus 2:1
- Numbers 5:2
- Deuteronomy 4:9
- Joshua 2:13
- Judges 5:18
- Ruth 4:15
- 1 Samuel 1:10
- 2 Samuel 1:9
- 1 Kings 1:12
- 2 Kings 1:13
This is a verse-level parallel only — the same verses exist in both the Hebrew and Greek Old Testaments. No word-level Hebrew↔Greek correspondence is claimed: the data carries no such alignment, so no Greek word is shown as this Hebrew word’s translation. Coverage is not total — the Septuagint omits the deuterocanon and renumbers the Psalms, so some Hebrew verses have no direct Greek parallel.
