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).
Page 1 of 3 — showing verses 1–200 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.
Genesis 21 verses
- Genesis 9:4 בְּ/נַפְשׁ֥/וֹ prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms But flesh with the life of it, the blood of it, you shall not eat.
- Genesis 9:5 לְ/נַפְשֹֽׁתֵי/כֶם֙ נֶ֥פֶשׁ prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp n c bs cs I will surely require your blood of your lives. At the hand of every animal I will require it. At the hand of man, even at the hand of every man's brother, I will require the life of man.
- Genesis 9:10 נֶ֤פֶשׁ n c bs cs and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle, and every animal of the earth with you. Of all that go out of the ark, even every animal of the earth.
- Genesis 12:13 נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Please say that you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that my soul may live because of you."
- Genesis 19:17 נַפְשֶׁ֔/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms It came to pass, when they had taken them out, that he said, "Escape for your life! Don't look behind you, neither stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountain, lest you be consumed!"
- Genesis 19:19 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs See now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your loving kindness, which you have shown to me in saving my life. I can't escape to the mountain, lest evil overtake me, and I die.
- Genesis 19:20 נַפְשִֽׁ/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs See now, this city is near to flee to, and it is a little one. Oh let me escape there (isn't it a little one?), and my soul will live."
- Genesis 23:8 נַפְשְׁ/כֶ֗ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 2mp He talked with them, saying, "If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
- Genesis 27:4 נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat, and that my soul may bless you before I die."
- Genesis 27:19 נַפְשֶֽׁ/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn. I have done what you asked me to do. Please arise, sit and eat of my venison, that your soul may bless me."
- Genesis 27:25 נַפְשִׁ֑/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs He said, "Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless you." He brought it near to him, and he ate. He brought him wine, and he drank.
- Genesis 27:31 נַפְשֶֽׁ/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms He also made savory food, and brought it to his father. He said to his father, "Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison, that your soul may bless me."
- Genesis 32:30 נַפְשִֽׁ/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for, he said, "I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved."
- Genesis 34:3 נַפְשׁ֔/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms His soul joined to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young lady, and spoke kindly to the young lady.
- Genesis 34:8 נַפְשׁ/וֹ֙ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Hamor talked with them, saying, "The soul of my son, Shechem, longs for your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife.
- Genesis 35:18 נַפְשָׁ/הּ֙ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3fs It happened, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she named him Ben-oni, but his father named him Benjamin.
- Genesis 36:6 נַפְשׁ֣וֹת n c bp cs Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, with his cattle, all his animals, and all his possessions, which he had gathered in the land of Canaan, and went into a land away from his brother Jacob.
- Genesis 42:21 נַפְשׁ֛/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms They said one to another, "We are most assuredly guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us, and we wouldn't listen. Therefore this distress has come on us."
- Genesis 44:30 וְ/נַפְשׁ֖/וֹ בְ/נַפְשֽׁ/וֹ conj + n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Now therefore when I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the boy's life;
- Genesis 46:15 נֶ֧פֶשׁ n c bs cs These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, with his daughter Dinah. All the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty-three.
- Genesis 49:6 נַפְשִׁ֔/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs My soul, don't come into their council; My glory, don't be united to their assembly; For in their anger they killed a man, In their self-will they hamstrung an ox.
Exodus 9 verses
- Exodus 1:5 נֶ֛פֶשׁ נָ֑פֶשׁ n c bs cs n c bs All the souls who came out of the Jacob's body were seventy souls, and Joseph was in Egypt already.
- Exodus 4:19 נַפְשֶֽׁ/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms Yahweh said to Moses in Midian, "Go, return into Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead."
- Exodus 15:9 נַפְשִׁ֔/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs The enemy said, 'I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil. My desire shall be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.'
- Exodus 16:16 נַפְשֹׁ֣תֵי/כֶ֔ם n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded: "Gather of it everyone according to his eating; an omer a head, according to the number of your persons, shall you take it, every man for those who are in his tent."
- Exodus 21:30 נַפְשׁ֔/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms If a ransom is laid on him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is laid on him.
- Exodus 23:9 נֶ֣פֶשׁ n c bs cs "You shall not oppress an alien, for you know the heart of an alien, seeing you were aliens in the land of Egypt.
- Exodus 30:12 נַפְשׁ֛/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms "When you take a census of the children of Israel, according to those who are numbered among them, then each man shall give a ransom for his soul to Yahweh, when you number them; that there be no plague among them when you number them.
- Exodus 30:15 נַפְשֹׁתֵי/כֶֽם n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when they give the offering of Yahweh, to make atonement for your souls.
- Exodus 30:16 נַפְשֹׁתֵי/כֶֽם n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp You shall take the atonement money from the children of Israel, and shall appoint it for the service of the tent of meeting; that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before Yahweh, to make atonement for your souls."
Leviticus 19 verses
- Leviticus 4:27 נֶ֧פֶשׁ n c bs cs "'If anyone of the common people sins unwittingly, in doing any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and is guilty;
- Leviticus 11:10 נֶ֥פֶשׁ n c bs cs All that don't have fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of all the living creatures that are in the waters, they are an abomination to you,
- Leviticus 11:43 נַפְשֹׁ֣תֵי/כֶ֔ם n c bp cs + sfx pers 2cp You shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creeps, neither shall you make yourselves unclean with them, that you should be defiled thereby.
- Leviticus 11:44 נַפְשֹׁ֣תֵי/כֶ֔ם n c bp cs + sfx pers 2cp For I am Yahweh your God. Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am holy: neither shall you defile yourselves with any kind of creeping thing that moves on the earth.
- Leviticus 11:46 נֶ֣פֶשׁ נֶ֖פֶשׁ n c bs cs n c bs "'This is the law of the animal, and of the bird, and of every living creature that moves in the waters, and of every creature that creeps on the earth,
- Leviticus 16:29 נַפְשֹֽׁתֵי/כֶ֗ם n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp "It shall be a statute to you forever: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict your souls, and shall do no manner of work, the native-born, or the stranger who lives as a foreigner among you:
- Leviticus 16:31 נַפְשֹׁתֵי/כֶ֑ם n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp It is a Sabbath of solemn rest to you, and you shall afflict your souls; it is a statute forever.
- Leviticus 17:11 נֶ֣פֶשׁ נַפְשֹׁתֵי/כֶ֑ם בַּ/נֶּ֥פֶשׁ n c bs cs n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp prep det + n c bs For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life.
- Leviticus 17:14 נֶ֣פֶשׁ בְ/נַפְשׁ/וֹ֮ נֶ֤פֶשׁ n c bs cs prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms n c bs cs For as to the life of all flesh, its blood is with its life: therefore I said to the children of Israel, "You shall not eat the blood of any kind of flesh; for the life of all flesh is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off."
- Leviticus 20:25 נַפְשֹֽׁתֵי/כֶ֜ם n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp "'You shall therefore make a distinction between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean fowl and the clean: and you shall not make yourselves abominable by animal, or by bird, or by anything with which the ground teems, which I have separated from you as unclean for you.
- Leviticus 21:11 נַפְשֹׁ֥ת n c bp cs neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother;
- Leviticus 23:27 נַפְשֹׁתֵי/כֶ֑ם n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp "However on the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement: it shall be a holy convocation to you, and you shall afflict yourselves; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh.
- Leviticus 23:32 נַפְשֹׁתֵי/כֶ֑ם n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp It shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for you, and you shall deny yourselves. In the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall keep your Sabbath."
- Leviticus 24:17 נֶ֣פֶשׁ n c bs cs "'He who strikes any man mortally shall surely be put to death.
- Leviticus 24:18 נֶֽפֶשׁ נֶ֖פֶשׁ נָֽפֶשׁ n c bs cs n c bs n c bs He who strikes a animal mortally shall make it good, life for life.
- Leviticus 26:11 נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs I will set my tent among you: and my soul won't abhor you.
- Leviticus 26:15 נַפְשְׁ/כֶ֑ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 2mp and if you shall reject my statutes, and if your soul abhors my ordinances, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant;
- Leviticus 26:30 נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs I will destroy your high places, and cut down your incense altars, and cast your dead bodies upon the bodies of your idols; and my soul will abhor you.
- Leviticus 26:43 נַפְשָֽׁ/ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 3mp The land also will be left by them, and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate without them: and they will accept the punishment of their iniquity; because, even because they rejected my ordinances, and their soul abhorred my statutes.
Numbers 24 verses
- Numbers 9:6 לְ/נֶ֣פֶשׁ prep + n c bs cs There were certain men, who were unclean because of the dead body of a man, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day, and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day.
- Numbers 9:7 לְ/נֶ֣פֶשׁ prep + n c bs cs Those men said to him, "We are unclean because of the dead body of a man. Why are we kept back, that we may not offer the offering of Yahweh in its appointed season among the children of Israel?"
- Numbers 11:6 נַפְשֵׁ֥/נוּ n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cp but now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all save this manna to look on.
- Numbers 16:38 בְּ/נַפְשֹׁתָ֗/ם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 3mp even the censers of these sinners against their own lives; and let them be made beaten plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before Yahweh; therefore they are holy; and they shall be a sign to the children of Israel.
- Numbers 19:13 בְּ/נֶפֶשׁ֩ הַ/נֶּ֥פֶשׁ prep + n c bs cs ptcl def.art + n c bs Whoever touches a dead person, the body of a man who has died, and doesn't purifies himself, defiles the tent of Yahweh; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water for impurity was not sprinkled on him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet on him.
- Numbers 21:4 נֶֽפֶשׁ n c bs cs They traveled from Mount Hor by the way to the Red Sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.
- Numbers 21:5 וְ/נַפְשֵׁ֣/נוּ conj + n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cp The people spoke against God, and against Moses, Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, and there is no water; and our soul loathes this light bread.
- Numbers 23:10 נַפְשִׁ/י֙ n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, Let my last end be like his!
- Numbers 29:7 נַפְשֹׁתֵי/כֶ֑ם n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation; and you shall afflict your souls: you shall do no manner of work;
- Numbers 30:2 נַפְשׁ֔/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms When a man vows a vow to Yahweh, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.
- Numbers 30:4 נַפְשָׁ֔/הּ נַפְשָׁ֖/הּ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3fs n c bs cs + sfx pers 3fs and her father hears her vow, and her bond with which she has bound her soul, and her father holds his peace at her; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she has bound her soul shall stand.
- Numbers 30:5 נַפְשָׁ֖/הּ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3fs But if her father disallow her in the day that he hears, none of her vows, or of her bonds with which she has bound her soul, shall stand: and Yahweh will forgive her, because her father disallowed her.
- Numbers 30:6 נַפְשָֽׁ/הּ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3fs If she be [married] to a husband, while her vows are on her, or the rash utterance of her lips, with which she has bound her soul,
- Numbers 30:7 נַפְשָׁ֖/הּ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3fs and her husband hear it, and hold his peace at her in the day that he hears it; then her vows shall stand, and her bonds with which she has bound her soul shall stand.
- Numbers 30:8 נַפְשָׁ֑/הּ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3fs But if her husband disallow her in the day that he hears it, then he shall make void her vow which is on her, and the rash utterance of her lips, with which she has bound her soul: and Yahweh will forgive her.
- Numbers 30:9 נַפְשָׁ֖/הּ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3fs But the vow of a widow, or of her who is divorced, [even] everything with which she has bound her soul, shall stand against her.
- Numbers 30:10 נַפְשָׁ֖/הּ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3fs If she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath,
- Numbers 30:11 נַפְשָׁ֖/הּ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3fs and her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and didn't disallow her; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she bound her soul shall stand.
- Numbers 30:12 נַפְשָׁ֖/הּ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3fs But if her husband made them null and void in the day that he heard them, then whatever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband has made them void; and Yahweh will forgive her.
- Numbers 31:35 וְ/נֶ֣פֶשׁ נֶ֕פֶשׁ conj + n c bs cs n c bs and thirty-two thousand persons in all, of the women who had not known man by lying with him.
- Numbers 31:40 וְ/נֶ֣פֶשׁ נָֽפֶשׁ conj + n c bs cs n c bs The persons were sixteen thousand; of whom Yahweh's tribute was thirty-two persons.
- Numbers 31:46 וְ/נֶ֣פֶשׁ conj + n c bs cs and sixteen thousand persons),
- Numbers 31:50 נַפְשֹׁתֵ֖י/נוּ n c bp cs + sfx pers 1cp We have brought Yahweh's offering, what every man has gotten, of jewels of gold, ankle-chains, and bracelets, signet-rings, ear-rings, and armlets, to make atonement for our souls before Yahweh.
- Numbers 35:31 לְ/נֶ֣פֶשׁ prep + n c bs cs Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death; but he shall surely be put to death.
Deuteronomy 22 verses
- Deuteronomy 4:9 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֜ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms Only take heed to yourself, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes saw, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your children and your children's children;
- Deuteronomy 4:15 לְ/נַפְשֹׁתֵי/כֶ֑ם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp Take therefore good heed to yourselves; for you saw no manner of form on the day that Yahweh spoke to you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire.
- Deuteronomy 4:29 נַפְשֶֽׁ/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms But from there you shall seek Yahweh your God, and you shall find him, when you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.
- Deuteronomy 6:5 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֖ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.
- Deuteronomy 10:12 נַפְשֶֽׁ/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms Now, Israel, what does Yahweh your God require of you, but to fear Yahweh your God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
- Deuteronomy 11:13 נַפְשְׁ/כֶֽם n c bs cs + sfx pers 2mp It shall happen, if you shall listen diligently to my commandments which I command you this day, to love Yahweh your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,
- Deuteronomy 11:18 נַפְשְׁ/כֶ֑ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 2mp Therefore shall you lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul; and you shall bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for symbols between your eyes.
- Deuteronomy 12:15 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֜ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms Notwithstanding, you may kill and eat flesh within all your gates, after all the desire of your soul, according to the blessing of Yahweh your God which he has given you: the unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle, and as of the hart.
- Deuteronomy 12:20 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֖ נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֖ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms When Yahweh your God shall enlarge your border, as he has promised you, and you shall say, I will eat flesh, because your soul desires to eat flesh; you may eat flesh, after all the desire of your soul.
- Deuteronomy 12:21 נַפְשֶֽׁ/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms If the place which Yahweh your God shall choose, to put his name there, be too far from you, then you shall kill of your herd and of your flock, which Yahweh has given you, as I have commanded you; and you may eat within your gates, after all the desire of your soul.
- Deuteronomy 13:3 נַפְשְׁ/כֶֽם n c bs cs + sfx pers 2mp you shall not listen to the words of that prophet, or to that dreamer of dreams: for Yahweh your God proves you, to know whether you love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
- Deuteronomy 13:6 כְּ/נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֖ prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son, or your daughter, or the wife of your bosom, or your friend, who is as your own soul, entice you secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which you have not known, you, nor your fathers;
- Deuteronomy 14:26 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֜ נַפְשֶׁ֑/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms and you shall bestow the money for whatever your soul desires, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatever your soul asks of you; and you shall eat there before Yahweh your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household.
- Deuteronomy 18:6 נַפְשׁ֔/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms If a Levite comes from any of your gates out of all Israel, where he lives as a foreigner, and comes with all the desire of his soul to the place which Yahweh shall choose;
- Deuteronomy 21:14 לְ/נַפְשָׁ֔/הּ prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 3fs It shall be, if you have no delight in her, then you shall let her go where she will; but you shall not sell her at all for money, you shall not deal with her as a slave, because you have humbled her.
- Deuteronomy 23:24 כְּ/נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֖ prep + n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms When you come into your neighbor's vineyard, then you may eat of grapes your fill at your own pleasure; but you shall not put any in your vessel.
- Deuteronomy 24:15 נַפְשׁ֑/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms in his day you shall give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down on it; for he is poor, and sets his heart on it: lest he cry against you to Yahweh, and it be sin to you.
- Deuteronomy 26:16 נַפְשֶֽׁ/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms This day Yahweh your God commands you to do these statutes and ordinances: you shall therefore keep and do them with all your heart, and with all your soul.
- Deuteronomy 27:25 נֶ֖פֶשׁ n c bs cs Cursed be he who takes a bribe to kill an innocent person. All the people shall say, Amen.
- Deuteronomy 30:2 נַפְשֶֽׁ/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms and shall return to Yahweh your God, and shall obey his voice according to all that I command you this day, you and your children, with all your heart, and with all your soul;
- Deuteronomy 30:6 נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֖ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms Yahweh your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your seed, to love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, that you may live.
- Deuteronomy 30:10 נַפְשֶֽׁ/ךָ n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms if you shall obey the voice of Yahweh your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law; if you turn to Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul.
Joshua 6 verses
- Joshua 2:13 נַפְשֹׁתֵ֖י/נוּ n c bp cs + sfx pers 1cp and that you will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brothers, and my sisters, and all that they have, and will deliver our lives from death.
- Joshua 2:14 נַפְשֵׁ֤/נוּ n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cp The men said to her, Our life for yours, if you don't utter this our business; and it shall be, when Yahweh gives us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you.
- Joshua 9:24 לְ/נַפְשֹׁתֵ֨י/נוּ֙ prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 1cp They answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told your servants, how that Yahweh your God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; therefore we were sore afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
- Joshua 22:5 נַפְשְׁ/כֶֽם n c bs cs + sfx pers 2mp Only take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, to love Yahweh your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave to him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
- Joshua 23:11 לְ/נַפְשֹֽׁתֵי/כֶ֑ם prep + n c bp cs + sfx pers 2mp Take good heed therefore to yourselves, that you love Yahweh your God.
- Joshua 23:14 נַפְשְׁ/כֶ֗ם n c bs cs + sfx pers 2mp Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing has failed of all the good things which Yahweh your God spoke concerning you; all are happen to you, not one thing has failed of it.
Judges 8 verses
- Judges 5:18 נַפְשׁ֛/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms Zebulun was a people that jeopardized their lives to the death, Naphtali, on the high places of the field.
- Judges 5:21 נַפְשִׁ֖/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs The river Kishon swept them away, That ancient river, the river Kishon. My soul, march on with strength.
- Judges 9:17 נַפְשׁ/וֹ֙ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms (for my father fought for you, and adventured his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:
- Judges 10:16 נַפְשׁ֖/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms They put away the foreign gods from among them, and served Yahweh; and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.
- Judges 12:3 נַפְשִׁ֤/י n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs When I saw that you didn't save me, I put my life in my hand, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and Yahweh delivered them into my hand: why then are you come up to me this day, to fight against me?
- Judges 16:16 נַפְשׁ֖/וֹ n c bs cs + sfx pers 3ms It happened, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, that his soul was vexed to death.
- Judges 16:30 נַפְשִׁ/י֮ n c bs cs + sfx pers 1cs Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. He bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell on the lords, and on all the people who were therein. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than those who he killed in his life.
- Judges 18:25 נֶ֔פֶשׁ נַפְשְׁ/ךָ֖ וְ/נֶ֥פֶשׁ n c bs n c bs cs + sfx pers 2ms conj + n c bs cs The children of Dan said to him, "Don't let your voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows fall on you, and you lose your life, with the lives of your household."
1 Samuel 26 verses
- 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 22:22 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 12 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 14:19 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 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 12 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 23:25 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 3 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.
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 30 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 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 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?
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.
