נֶ֫פֶשׁ
soul
also: self, life, creature, person fuller range ↓
Full lexicon entry — Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
From Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
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).
Page 3 of 3 — showing verses 401–532 of 532 distinct verses where H5315 appears in the Construct state, across 29 books. Filtered view — show all forms. 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.
Ecclesiastes 5 verses
- Ecclesiastes 6:3 וְ/נַפְשׁ/וֹ֙ conj + n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms If a man fathers a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not filled with good, and moreover he has no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he:
- Ecclesiastes 7:28 נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs which my soul still seeks; but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
Song of Solomon 7 verses
- Song of Solomon 1:7 נַפְשִׁ֔/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Tell me, you whom my soul loves, Where you graze your flock, Where you rest them at noon; For why should I be as one who is veiled Beside the flocks of your companions? Lover
- Song of Solomon 3:1 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs By night on my bed, I sought him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I didn't find him.
- Song of Solomon 3:2 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs I will get up now, and go about the city; In the streets and in the squares I will seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but I didn't find him.
- Song of Solomon 3:3 נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs The watchmen who go about the city found me; "Have you seen him whom my soul loves?"
- Song of Solomon 3:4 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs I had scarcely passed from them, When I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not let him go, Until I had brought him into my mother's house, Into the chamber of her who conceived me.
- Song of Solomon 5:6 נַפְשִׁ/י֙ n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs I opened to my beloved; But my beloved left; gone away. My heart went out when he spoke. I looked for him, but I didn't find him. I called him, but he didn't answer.
- Song of Solomon 6:12 נַפְשִׁ֣/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Without realizing it, My desire set me with my royal people's chariots. Friends
Isaiah 26 verses
- Isaiah 1:14 נַפְשִׁ֔/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs My soul hates your New Moons and your appointed feasts; They are a burden to me. I am weary of bearing them.
- Isaiah 3:9 לְ/נַפְשָׁ֔/ם prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp The look of their faces testify against them. They parade their sin like Sodom. They don't hide it. Woe to their soul! For they have brought disaster upon themselves.
- Isaiah 5:14 נַפְשָׁ֔/הּ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3fs Therefore Sheol has enlarged its desire, And opened its mouth without measure; And their glory, their multitude, their pomp, and he who rejoices among them, descend into it.
- Isaiah 15:4 נַפְשׁ֖/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Heshbon cries out, and Elealeh; their voice is heard even to Jahaz: therefore the armed men of Moab cry aloud; his soul trembles within him.
- Isaiah 26:9 נַפְשִׁ֤/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs With my soul have I desired you in the night; yes, with my spirit within me will I seek you earnestly: for when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
- Isaiah 29:8 נַפְשׁ/וֹ֒ וְ/נַפְשׁ֖/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms conj + n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms It shall be as when a hungry man dreams, and, behold, he eats; but he awakes, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreams, and, behold, he drinks; but he awakes, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul has appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against Mount Zion.
- Isaiah 32:6 נֶ֣פֶשׁ n c bs cs For the fool will speak folly, and his heart will work iniquity, to practice profanity, and to utter error against Yahweh, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.
- Isaiah 38:15 נַפְשִֽׁ/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs What shall I say? he has both spoken to me, and himself has done it: I shall go softly all my years because of the bitterness of my soul.
- Isaiah 38:17 נַפְשִׁ/י֙ n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Behold, [it was] for [my] peace [that] I had great bitterness: But you have in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption; For you have cast all my sins behind your back.
- Isaiah 42:1 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delights: I have put my Spirit on him; he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.
- Isaiah 43:4 נַפְשֶֽׁ/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms Since you have been precious in my sight, [and] honorable, and I have loved you; therefore will I give men in your place, and peoples instead of your life.
- Isaiah 44:20 נַפְשׁ/וֹ֙ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has turned him aside; and he can't deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
- Isaiah 46:2 וְ/נַפְשָׁ֖/ם conj + n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity.
- Isaiah 47:14 נַפְשָׁ֖/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: it shall not be a coal to warm at, nor a fire to sit before.
- Isaiah 51:23 לְ/נַפְשֵׁ֖/ךְ prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 2fs and I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you, who have said to your soul, Bow down, that we may go over; and you have laid your back as the ground, and as the street, to those who go over.
- Isaiah 53:10 נַפְשׁ֔/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Yet it pleased Yahweh to bruise him; he has put him to grief: when you shall make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Yahweh shall prosper in his hand.
- Isaiah 53:11 נַפְשׁ/וֹ֙ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms He shall see of the travail of his soul, [and] shall be satisfied: by the knowledge of himself shall my righteous servant justify many; and he shall bear their iniquities.
- Isaiah 53:12 נַפְשׁ֔/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul to death, and was numbered with the transgressors: yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
- Isaiah 55:2 נַפְשְׁ/כֶֽם n c bs cs + sfx pers 2mp Why do you spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which doesn't satisfy? listen diligently to me, and eat you that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
- Isaiah 55:3 נַפְשְׁ/כֶ֑ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 2mp Turn your ear, and come to me; hear, and your soul shall live: and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
- Isaiah 58:3 נַפְשֵׁ֖/נוּ n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cp Why have we fasted, [say they], and you don't see? [why] have we afflicted our soul, and you take no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast you find [your own] pleasure, and exact all your labors.
- Isaiah 58:5 נַפְשׁ֑/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Is such the fast that I have chosen? the day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a rush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? will you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to Yahweh?
- Isaiah 58:10 נַפְשֶׁ֔/ךָ וְ/נֶ֥פֶשׁ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms conj + n c bs cs and if you draw out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul: then shall your light rise in darkness, and your obscurity be as the noonday;
- Isaiah 58:11 נַפְשֶׁ֔/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms and Yahweh will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in dry places, and make strong your bones; and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters don't fail.
- Isaiah 61:10 נַפְשִׁ/י֙ n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs I will greatly rejoice in Yahweh, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
- Isaiah 66:3 נַפְשָׁ֥/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp He who kills an ox is as he who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, as he who breaks a dog's neck; he who offers an offering, [as he who offers] pig's blood; he who burns frankincense, as he who blesses an idol. Yes, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations:
Jeremiah 51 verses
- Jeremiah 2:24 נפש/ו נַפְשָׁ/הּ֙ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms n c bs cs + sfx pers 3fs a wild donkey used to the wilderness, that snuffs up the wind in her desire; in her occasion who can turn her away? all those who seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.
- Jeremiah 2:34 נַפְשׁ֥וֹת n c bp cs Also in your skirts is found the blood of the souls of the innocent poor: you did not find them breaking in; but it is because of all these things.
- Jeremiah 3:11 נַפְשָׁ֖/הּ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3fs Yahweh said to me, Backsliding Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah.
- Jeremiah 4:19 נַפְשִׁ֔/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs My anguish, my anguish! I am pained at my very heart; my heart is disquieted in me; I can't hold my peace; because you have heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.
- Jeremiah 4:30 נַפְשֵׁ֥/ךְ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2fs You, when you are made desolate, what will you do? Though you clothe yourself with scarlet, though you deck you with ornaments of gold, though you enlarge your eyes with paint, in vain do you make yourself beautiful; [your] lovers despise you, they seek your life.
- Jeremiah 4:31 נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, the anguish as of her who brings forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, who gasps for breath, who spreads her hands, [saying], Woe is me now! for my soul faints before the murderers.
- Jeremiah 5:9 נַפְשִֽׁ/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Shall I not visit for these things? says Yahweh; and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
- Jeremiah 5:29 נַפְשִֽׁ/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Shall I not visit for these things? says Yahweh; shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
- Jeremiah 6:8 נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Be instructed, Jerusalem, lest my soul be alienated from you; lest I make you a desolation, a land not inhabited.
- Jeremiah 6:16 לְ/נַפְשְׁ/כֶ֑ם prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 2mp Thus says Yahweh, Stand you in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk therein, and you shall find rest for your souls: but they said, We will not walk [therein].
- Jeremiah 9:9 נַפְשִֽׁ/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Shall I not visit them for these things? says Yahweh; shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
- Jeremiah 11:21 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֖ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms Therefore thus says Yahweh concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, saying, You shall not prophesy in the name of Yahweh, that you not die by our hand;
- Jeremiah 12:7 נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs I have forsaken my house, I have cast off my heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.
- Jeremiah 13:17 נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs But if you will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret for [your] pride; and my eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because Yahweh's flock is taken captive.
- Jeremiah 14:19 נַפְשֶׁ֔/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms Have you utterly rejected Judah? has your soul loathed Zion? why have you struck us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and, behold, dismay!
- Jeremiah 15:1 נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Then said Yahweh to me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind would not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.
- Jeremiah 15:9 נַפְשָׁ֛/הּ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3fs She who has borne seven languishes; she has given up the spirit; her sun is gone down while it was yet day; she has been disappointed and confounded: and the residue of them will I deliver to the sword before their enemies, says Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 17:21 בְּ/נַפְשֽׁוֹתֵי/כֶ֑ם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp Thus says Yahweh, Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;
- Jeremiah 18:20 לְ/נַפְשִׁ֑/י prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.
- Jeremiah 19:7 נַפְשָׁ֑/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place; and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hand of those who seek their life: and their dead bodies will I give to be food for the birds of the sky, and for the animals of the earth.
- Jeremiah 19:9 נַפְשָֽׁ/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters; and they shall eat everyone the flesh of his friend, in the siege and in the distress, with which their enemies, and those who seek their life, shall distress them.
- Jeremiah 20:13 נֶ֥פֶשׁ n c bs cs Sing to Yahweh, praise you Yahweh; for he has delivered the soul of the needy from the hand of evil-doers.
- Jeremiah 21:7 נַפְשָׁ֑/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp Afterward, says Yahweh, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, even such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their life: and he shall strike them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy.
- Jeremiah 21:9 נַפְשׁ֖/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; but he who goes out, and passes over to the Chaldeans who besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be to him for a prey.
- Jeremiah 22:25 נַפְשֶׁ֔/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms and I will give you into the hand of those who seek your life, and into the hand of them of whom you are afraid, even into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans.
- Jeremiah 22:27 נַפְשָׁ֖/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp But to the land whereunto their soul longs to return, there shall they not return.
- Jeremiah 26:19 נַפְשׁוֹתֵֽי/נוּ n c bp cs + sfx pers 1cp Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Didn't he fear Yahweh, and entreat the favor of Yahweh, and Yahweh repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus should we commit great evil against our own souls.
- Jeremiah 31:12 נַפְשָׁ/ם֙ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp They shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow to the goodness of Yahweh, to the grain, and to the new wine, and to the oil, and to the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.
- Jeremiah 31:14 נֶ֥פֶשׁ n c bs cs I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, says Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 32:41 נַפְשִֽׁ/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.
- Jeremiah 34:16 לְ/נַפְשָׁ֑/ם prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp but you turned and profaned my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom you had let go free at their pleasure, to return; and you brought them into subjection, to be to you for servants and for handmaids.
- Jeremiah 34:20 נַפְשָׁ֑/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their life; and their dead bodies shall be for food to the birds of the sky, and to the animals of the earth.
- Jeremiah 34:21 נַפְשָׁ֑/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes will I give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, who have gone away from you.
- Jeremiah 37:9 נַפְשֹֽׁתֵי/כֶם֙ n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp Thus says Yahweh, Don't deceive yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us; for they shall not depart.
- Jeremiah 38:2 נַפְשׁ֛/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Thus says Yahweh, He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence; but he who goes forth to the Chaldeans shall live, and his life shall be to him for a prey, and he shall live.
- Jeremiah 38:16 הַ/נֶּ֤פֶשׁ נַפְשֶֽׁ/ךָ ptcl def.art + n c bs n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms So Zedekiah the king swore secretly to Jeremiah, saying, As Yahweh lives, who made us this soul, I will not put you to death, neither will I give you into the hand of these men who seek your life.
- Jeremiah 38:17 נַפְשֶׁ֔/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms Then said Jeremiah to Zedekiah, Thus says Yahweh, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: If you will go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then your soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and you shall live, and your house.
- Jeremiah 38:20 נַפְשֶֽׁ/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver you. Obey, I beg you, the voice of Yahweh, in that which I speak to you: so it shall be well with you, and your soul shall live.
- Jeremiah 39:18 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֙ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms For I will surely save you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but your life shall be for a prey to you; because you have put your trust in me, says Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 42:20 בְּ/נַפְשֽׁוֹתֵי/כֶם֒ prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp For you have dealt deceitfully against your own souls; for you sent me to Yahweh your God, saying, Pray for us to Yahweh our God; and according to all that Yahweh our God shall say, so declare to us, and we will do it:
- Jeremiah 44:7 נַפְשֹׁ֣תֵ/כֶ֔ם n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp Therefore now thus says Yahweh, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: Why commit you [this] great evil against your own souls, to cut off from you man and woman, infant and suckling, out of the midst of Judah, to leave you none remaining;
- Jeremiah 44:14 נַפְשָׁ/ם֙ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp so that none of the remnant of Judah, who have gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall escape or be left, to return into the land of Judah, to which they have a desire to return to dwell there: for none shall return save such as shall escape.
- Jeremiah 44:30 נַפְשׁ֑/וֹ נַפְשֽׁ/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will give Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of those who seek his life; as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, who was his enemy, and sought his life.
- Jeremiah 45:5 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֙ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms Seek you great things for yourself? Don't seek them; for, behold, I will bring evil on all flesh, says Yahweh; but your life will I give to you for a prey in all places where you go.
- Jeremiah 46:26 נַפְשָׁ֔/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp and I will deliver them into the hand of those who seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants; and afterwards it shall be inhabited, as in the days of old, says Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 48:6 נַפְשְׁ/כֶ֑ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 2mp Flee, save your lives, and be like the heath in the wilderness.
- Jeremiah 49:37 נַפְשָׁ֗/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, and before those who seek their life; and I will bring evil on them, even my fierce anger, says Yahweh; and I will send the sword after them, until I have consumed them;
- Jeremiah 50:19 נַפְשֽׁ/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms I will bring Israel again to his pasture, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied on the hills of Ephraim and in Gilead.
- Jeremiah 51:6 נַפְשׁ֔/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and save every man his life; don't be cut off in her iniquity: for it is the time of Yahweh's vengeance; he will render to her a recompense.
- Jeremiah 51:14 בְּ/נַפְשׁ֑/וֹ prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Yahweh of Hosts has sworn by himself, [saying], Surely I will fill you with men, as with the canker-worm; and they shall lift up a shout against you.
- Jeremiah 51:45 נַפְשׁ֑/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms My people, go you out of the midst of her, and save yourselves every man from the fierce anger of Yahweh.
Lamentations 10 verses
- Lamentations 1:16 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs For these things I weep; my eye, my eye runs down with water; Because the comforter who should refresh my soul is far from me: My children are desolate, because the enemy has prevailed.
- Lamentations 1:19 נַפְשָֽׁ/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp I called for my lovers, [but] they deceived me: My priests and my elders gave up the spirit in the city, While they sought them food to refresh their souls.
- Lamentations 2:12 נַפְשָׁ֔/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp They tell their mothers, Where is grain and wine? When they swoon as the wounded in the streets of the city, When their soul is poured out into their mothers' bosom.
- Lamentations 2:19 נֶ֨פֶשׁ֙ n c bs cs Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches; Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord: Lift up your hands toward him for the life of your young children, that faint for hunger at the head of every street.
- Lamentations 3:17 נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs You have removed my soul far off from peace; I forgot prosperity.
- Lamentations 3:20 נַפְשִֽׁ/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs My soul still remembers them, and is bowed down within me.
- Lamentations 3:24 נַפְשִׁ֔/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Yahweh is my portion, says my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
- Lamentations 3:51 לְ/נַפְשִׁ֔/י prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs My eye affects my soul, because of all the daughters of my city.
- Lamentations 3:58 נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Lord, you have pleaded the causes of my soul; you have redeemed my life.
- Lamentations 5:9 בְּ/נַפְשֵׁ֨/נוּ֙ prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cp We get our bread at the peril of our lives, Because of the sword of the wilderness.
Ezekiel 20 verses
- Ezekiel 3:19 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֥ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms Yet if you warn the wicked, and he doesn't turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.
- Ezekiel 3:21 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֥ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man, that the righteous not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning; and you have delivered your soul.
- Ezekiel 4:14 נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Then said I, Ah Lord Yahweh! behold, my soul has not been polluted; for from my youth up even until now have I not eaten of that which dies of itself, or is torn of animals; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth.
- Ezekiel 7:19 נַפְשָׁ/ם֙ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be as an unclean thing; their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of Yahweh: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels; because it has been the stumbling block of their iniquity.
- Ezekiel 14:14 נַפְשָׁ֔/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, says the Lord Yahweh.
- Ezekiel 14:20 נַפְשָֽׁ/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, says the Lord Yahweh, they should deliver neither son nor daughter; they should but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.
- Ezekiel 16:5 נַפְשֵׁ֔/ךְ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2fs No eye pitied you, to do any of these things to you, to have compassion on you; but you were cast out in the open field, for that your person was abhorred, in the day that you were born.
- Ezekiel 16:27 בְּ/נֶ֤פֶשׁ prep + n c bs cs See therefore, I have stretched out my hand over you, and have diminished your ordinary [food], and delivered you to the will of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who are ashamed of your lewd way.
- Ezekiel 18:4 הַ/נְּפָשׁוֹת֙ כְּ/נֶ֧פֶשׁ וּ/כְ/נֶ֥פֶשׁ הַ/נֶּ֥פֶשׁ ptcl def.art + n c bp prep + n c bs cs conj + prep + n c bs cs ptcl def.art + n c bs Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins, he shall die.
- Ezekiel 18:27 נַפְשׁ֥/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
- Ezekiel 23:17 נַפְשָׁ֖/הּ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3fs The Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their prostitution, and she was polluted with them, and her soul was alienated from them.
- Ezekiel 23:18 נַפְשִׁ/י֙ נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs So she uncovered her prostitution, and uncovered her nakedness: then my soul was alienated from her, like as my soul was alienated from her sister.
- Ezekiel 23:22 נַפְשֵׁ֖/ךְ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2fs Therefore, Oholibah, thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I will raise up your lovers against you, from whom your soul is alienated, and I will bring them against you on every side:
- Ezekiel 23:28 נַפְשֵׁ֖/ךְ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2fs For thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I will deliver you into the hand of them whom you hate, into the hand of them from whom your soul is alienated;
- Ezekiel 24:21 נַפְשְׁ/כֶ֑ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 2mp Speak to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pities; and your sons and your daughters whom you have left behind shall fall by the sword.
- Ezekiel 24:25 נַפְשָׁ֔/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp You, son of man, shall it not be in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their heart, their sons and their daughters,
- Ezekiel 27:13 בְּ/נֶ֤פֶשׁ prep + n c bs cs Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were your traffickers; they traded the persons of men and vessels of brass for your merchandise.
- Ezekiel 32:10 לְ/נַפְשׁ֔/וֹ prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Yes, I will make many peoples amazed at you, and their kings shall be horribly afraid for you, when I shall brandish my sword before them; and they shall tremble at every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of your fall.
- Ezekiel 33:5 נַפְשׁ֥/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms He heard the sound of the trumpet, and didn't take warning; his blood shall be on him; whereas if he had taken warning, he would have delivered his soul.
- Ezekiel 33:9 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֥ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms Nevertheless, if you warn the wicked of his way to turn from it, and he doesn't turn from his way; he shall die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your soul.
Hosea 2 verses
- Hosea 4:8 נַפְשֽׁ/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms They feed on the sin of my people, And set their heart on their iniquity.
- Hosea 9:4 לְ/נַפְשָׁ֔/ם prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp They won't pour out wine offerings to Yahweh, Neither will they be pleasing to him. Their sacrifices will be to them like the bread of mourners; All who eat of it will be polluted; For their bread will be for their appetite. It will not come into the house of Yahweh.
Amos 3 verses
- Amos 2:14 נַפְשֽׁ/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Flight will perish from the swift; And the strong won't strengthen his force; Neither shall the mighty deliver himself;
- Amos 2:15 נַפְשֽׁ/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Neither shall he stand who handles the bow; And he who is swift of foot won't escape; Neither shall he who rides the horse deliver himself;
- Amos 6:8 בְּ/נַפְשׁ֗/וֹ prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms "The Lord Yahweh has sworn by himself," says Yahweh, the God of hosts: "I abhor the pride of Jacob, And detest his fortresses. Therefore I will deliver up the city with all that is in it.
Jonah 4 verses
- Jonah 1:14 בְּ/נֶ֨פֶשׁ֙ prep + n c bs cs Therefore they cried to Yahweh, and said, "We beg you, Yahweh, we beg you, let us not perish for this man's life, and don't lay on us innocent blood; for you, Yahweh, have done as it pleased you."
- Jonah 2:7 נַפְשִׁ֔/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs "When my soul fainted within me, I remembered Yahweh. My prayer came in to you, into your holy temple.
- Jonah 4:3 נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Therefore now, Yahweh, take, I beg you, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live."
- Jonah 4:8 נַפְשׁ/וֹ֙ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms It happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a sultry east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah's head, so that he fainted, and requested for himself that he might die, and said, "It is better for me to die than to live."
Micah 3 verses
- Micah 6:7 נַפְשִֽׁ/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Will Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams? With tens of thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my disobedience? The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
- Micah 7:1 נַפְשִֽׁ/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Misery is mine! Indeed, I am like one who gathers the summer fruits, as gleanings of the vinyard: There is no cluster of grapes to eat. My soul desires to eat the early fig.
- Micah 7:3 נַפְשׁ֛/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Their hands are on that which is evil to do it diligently. The ruler and judge ask for a bribe; And the powerful man dictates the evil desire of his soul. Thus they conspire together.
Habakkuk 3 verses
- Habakkuk 2:4 נַפְשׁ֖/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Behold, his soul is puffed up. It is not upright in him, but the righteous will live by his faith.
- Habakkuk 2:5 נַפְשׁ֗/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Yes, moreover, wine is treacherous. A haughty man who doesn't stay at home, who enlarges his desire as Sheol, and he is like death, and can't be satisfied, but gathers to himself all nations, and heaps to himself all peoples.
- Habakkuk 2:10 נַפְשֶֽׁ/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms You have devised shame to your house, by cutting off many peoples, and have sinned against your soul.
Zechariah 1 verse
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
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.
