Do animals have souls? Nephesh Appendix 13 to The Companion Bible The word nephesh occurs 754 times in the Hebrew Old Testament. In the A.V. and R.V. it is translated soul 472 times, while in the other 282 places it is represented by forty-four different words or phrases. In fifty-three of these places there is a marginal rendering which calls attention to the fact that the word is nephesh, while in 229 passages the English reader has hitherto been left in ignorance of the fact. The English word soul is in every occurrence the rendering of the Hebrew nephesh, except in Job 30:15 and Isa. 57:16. Though, with these two exceptions, the English word soul always represents the Hebrew nephesh, nephesh is not always translated soul. This Appendix will exhibit all the varieties of translation; and, while it is not intended to teach either Theology or Psychology, it will give such information as will enable every Bible reader to form his own views and come to his own conclusions on an important subject, about which there is such great controversy. This can be done only by giving every occurrence of the Hebrew word nephesh. The usage of the word nephesh by the Holy Spirit in the Word of God is the only guide to the true understanding of it. It will be seen that the word soul, in its theological sense, does not cover all the ground, or properly represent the Hebrew word nephesh. The English word soul is from the Latin solus = alone or sole, because the maintenance of man as a living organism, and all that affects his health and well-being, is the one sole or main thing in common with every living thing which the LORD God has made. The correct Latin word for the theological term soul (or nephesh) is anima; and this is from the Greek anemos = air or breath, because it is this which keeps the whole in life and in being. The first occurrence of nephesh is in Gen. 1:20, the moving creature that hath life (nephesh). (*1) The following are twelve classifications of nephesh : I. Nephesh is used of the lower animals only, in twenty-two passages, and is rendered in nine different ways :-- 1. creature Gen. 1:21, 24; 2:19; 9:10, 12. Lev. 11:46. 7 2. thing Lev. 11:10. Ezek. 47:9. 2 3. life Gen. 1:20, 30. 2 4. the life Gen. 9:4. Deut. 12:23. Prov. 12:10. 4 5. beast Lev. 24:18. (See margin.) 3 6. the soul Job 12:10. (See margin.) 1 7. breath Job 41:21. 1 8. fish Isa. 19:10. (See margin.) 1 9. her Jer. 2:24. 1 22 II. Nephesh is used of the Lower Animals and Man in seven passages, and rendered in three different ways :-- 1. creature Gen. 9:15, 16. 2 2. the life Lev. 17:11, 14. 4 3. soul Num. 31:28. 1 7 III. Nephesh is used of Man, as an individual person, in 53 passages, and is rendered in six different ways :-- 1. soul Gen. 2:7; 12:5; 46:15, 18, 22, 25, 26, 27. Ex. 1:5; 12:4. Lev. 22:11. Ps. 25:20. Prov. 10:3; 11:25, 30; 14:25; 19:15; 22:23 (R.V. life); 25:25; 27:7. Jer. 38:16. Lam. 3:25. Ezek. 13:18, 20; 18:4 34 2. person Gen. 14:21; 36:6 (R.V. souls). Ex. 16:16. Lev. 27:2. Num. 31:40, 46. Deut. 10:22. Jer. 43:6; 52:29, 30. Ezek. 16:5; 27:13. 14 3. persons Num. 31:35. 1 4. any Deut. 24:7. 1 5. man 2Kings 12:4 1 6. and 1Chron. 5:21 1 Not rendered Num. 31:35 (Lit. and the soul of man...were 32,000 souls.) 1 53 IV. Nephesh is used of Man, as exercising certain powers, or performing certain acts (may be often well rendered by emphatic pronouns), in ninety-six passages, and with eleven different renderings :-- 1. soul Gen. 27:4, 19, 25, 31. Lev. 4:2; 5:1, 2, 4, 15, 17; 6:2; 7:18, 20, 21, 27; 16:29, 31; 17:12, 15; 20:6, 25; 22:6; 23:27, 30, 32. Num. 15:27, 28, 30; 19:22; 29:7; 30:2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. Deut. 13:6. Judg. 5:21. 1Sam. 1:26; 17:55; 18:3; 20:3, 17; 25:26. 2Sam. 11:11; 14:19. 2Kings 2:2, 4, 6; 4:30. Job 16:4; 31:30 (R.V. life). Ps. 35:13; 120:6. Prov. 6:32; 8:36; 11:17; 13:2; 15:32; 16:17; 19:8, 16; 20:2 (R.V. life); 21:23; 22:5; 29:24. Ecc. 4:8; 6:2. Isa. 51:23; 58:3, 5. Jer. 4:19. Ezek. 4:14. Mic. 6:7. 81 2. man Ex. 12:16. 1 3. any Lev. 2:1. 1 4. one Lev. 4:27. 1 5. yourselves Lev. 11:43, 44. Jer. 17:21. 3 6. person Num. 5:6. 1 7. themselves Est. 9:31. Isa. 46:2. 2 8. himself Job 18:4 (R.V. thyself); 32:2. 2 9. he Ps. 105:18. 1 10. herself Jer. 3:11. 1 11. Himself Jer. 51:14. Amos 6:8 (used of Jehovah). 2 96 V. Nephesh is used of Man, as possessing animal appetites and desires, in twenty-two passages, rendered in five different ways :-- 1. soul Num. 11:6 (dried away). Deut. 12:15 (lusteth), 20 (longeth to eat flesh), 20 (lusteth after), 21 (lusteth); 14:26 (lusteth), 26 (desireth); 21:5 (loatheth). 1Sam. 2:16 (desireth). Job 6:7 (refused); 33:20 (abhorreth). Ps. 107:18 (abhorreth). Prov. 6:30 (hunger); 13:25 (satisfying). Isa. 29:8 (empty), 8 (hath appetite). Mic. 7:1 (desired...figs). 17 2. pleasure Deut. 23:24. 1 3. lust Ps. 78:18. 1 4. appetite Prov. 23:2. Ecc. 6:7. 2 5. greedy Isa. 56:11. 1 22 VI. Nephesh is used of Man, as exercising mental faculties, and manifesting certain feelings and affections and passions, in 231 passages, and rendered in twenty different ways :-- 1. soul Gen. 34:3 (clave), 8 (longeth); 42:21 (anguish); 49:6 (come not). Lev. 26:11 (not abhor), 15 (abhor), 30 (abhor), 43 (abhor). Num. 21:4 (discouraged). Deut. 4:9 (keep), 29 (seek); 6:5 (love); 10:12 (serve); 11:13 (love), 18 (lay up in); 13:3 (love); 26:16 (keep); 30:2 (return), 6 (love), 10 (turn). Josh. 22:5 (serve); 23:14 (know). Judg. 10:16 (Used of God) (grieved); 16:16 (vexed). 1Sam. 1:10 (bitterness of), 15 (poured out); 18:1 (knit with), 1 (loved as); 20:4 (desireth); 23:20 (desire); 30:6 (grieved). 2Sam. 5:8 (hated). 1Kings 2:4 (walk); 8:48 (return); 11:37 (desired). 2Kings 4:27 (vexed); 23:3 (keep), 25 (turned). 1Chron. 22:19 (seek). 2Chron. 6:38 (return); 15:12 (seek); 34:31 (keep). Job 3:20 (bitter); 7:11 (bitterness); 9:21 (know) (R.V. myself); 10:1 (weary), 1 (bitterness); 14:22 (mourn); 19:2 (vex); 21:25 (bitterness); 23:13 (Used of God) (desireth); 24:12 (wounded); 27:2 (vexed); 30:16 (poured out), 25 (grieved). Ps. 6:3 (sore vexed); 11:5 (Used of God) (hateth); 13:2 (take counsel); 19:7 (converting); 24:4 (not lifted up); 25:1 (lifted up), 13 (dwell at ease); 31:7 (in adversities), 9 (consumed with grief); 33:20 (waiteth); 34:2 (boast); 35:9 (be joyful); 42:1 (panteth), 2 (thirsteth), 4 (pour our), 5 (cast down), 6 (cast down), 11 (cast down); 43:5 (cast down); 44:25 (bowed down); 62:1 (waileth), 5 (wait); 63:1 (thirsteth), 5 (satisfied), 8 (followeth hard); 69:10 (chastened); 77:2 (refused comfort); 84:2 (longeth); 86:4 (rejoiced), 4 (lift up); 88:3 (full of troubles); 94:19 (delight); 103:1, 2, 22; 104:1, 35 (bless); 107:5 (fainted), 9 (satisfied), 9 (filled with goodness), 26 (melted); 116:7 (return to rest); 119:20 (longing), 25 (cleaveth unto the dust), 28 (melteth for heaviness), 81 (fainteth), 129 (keep), 167 (kept); 123:4 (filled with scorning); 130:5 (wait), 6 (waiteth); 131:2 (quieted); 138:3 (strengthened); 139:14 (knoweth); 143:6 (thirsteth), 8 (lifted up), 11 (bring out of trouble), 12 (afflict); 146:1 (praise). Prov. 2:10 (knowledge pleasant); 3:22 (be life to); 13:4 (desireth), 4 (made fat), 19; 16:24 (sweet to); 19:2 (without knowledge), 18 (spare) (R.V. heart); 21:10 (desireth); 22:25 (get a snare to); 24:14 (wisdom unto); 25:13 (refresheth); 29:17 (give delight). Ecc. 2:24 (enjoy good); 6:3 (not filled); 7:28 (seeketh). Song 1:7; 3:1, 2, 3, 4 (loveth); 5:6 (failed); 6:12 (Used of God) (made me like chariots). Isa. 1:14 (hateth); 26:8 (desire), 9 (desire); 32:6 (made empty); 38:15 (bitterness of); 42:1 (Used of God); 55:2 (delight); 58:10 (drawn out), 10 (afflicted), 11 (satisfied); 61:10 (joyful); 66:3 (delighteth). Jer. 4:31 (wearied); 5:9, 29 (avenged); 6:8 (depart), 16 (find rest); 9:9 (Used of God) (avenged); 12:7 (dearly beloved of); 13:17 (shall weep); 14:19 (loathed); 31:12 (watered), 14, 25 (satiated), 25 (sorrowful); 32:41 (Used of God) (whole); 50:19 (satisfied). Lam. 3:17 (removed), 20 (humbled), 24 (saith). Ezek. 7:19 (satisfied); 24:21 (pitieth). Jonah 2:7 (fainted). Hab. 2:4 (not upright). Zech. 11:8 (lothed), 8 (abhorred). 176 2. mind Gen. 23:8 (your). Deut. 18:6 (desire); 28:65 (sorrow). 1Sam. 2:35 (Used of God). 2 Sam. 17:8 (chafed). 2Kings 9:15. 1Chron. 28:9 (willing). Jer. 15:1 (Used of God). Ezek. 23:17 (R.V. soul), 18 (Used of God) (R.V. soul), 18 (Used of God) (soul), 22 (R.V. soul), 28 (R.V. soul) (alienated); 24:25 (R.V. heart) (set); 36:5 (R.V. soul) (despiteful). 15 3. heart Ex. 23:9. Lev. 26:16. Deut. 24:15. 1Sam. 2:23 (grieve). 2Sam. 3:21 (desireth). Ps. 10:3 (desire). Prov. 23:7 (R.V. himself); 28:25 (proud heart) (R.V. greedy spirit); 31:6 (heavy heart.) (R.V. bitter in soul). Jer. 42:20 (dissembled) (R.V. souls). Lam. 3:51 (affected) (R.V. soul). Ezek. 25:6 (rejoiced) (R.V. soul), 15 (despiteful) (R.V. soul); 27:31 (bitterness). Hos. 4:8 (set). 15 4. hearty Prov. 27:9 (counsel). 1 5. will Deut. 21:14 (she will). Ps. 27:12; 41:2. Ezek. 16:27. 4 6. desire Ecc. 6:9. Jer. 22:27; 44:14. Mic. 7:3 (R.V. soul). Hab. 2:5. 5 7. pleasure Ps. 105:22. Jer. 34:16. 2 8. lust Ex. 15:9. 1 9. angry Judg. 18:25. 1 10. discontented 1Sam. 22:2. 1 11. thyself Est. 4:13. 1 12. myself Ps. 131:2. 1 13. he Prov. 16:26 (R.V. appetite). 1 14. his own Prov. 14:10 (R.V. its own). 1 15. Him Prov. 6:16 (Used of God) 1 16. himself Jon. 4:8. 1 17. herself Isa. 5:14 (R.V. her desire). 1 18. yourselves Jer. 37:9. 1 19. man Isa. 49:7. 1 20. so would we have it Ps. 35:25. 1 231 VII. Nephesh is used of Man, (a) as being cut off by God; (b) and as being slain of killed by man, in fifty-four passages : and is rendered in eight different ways :-- (a) Soul cut off by God, in twenty-two passages, and rendered: soul Gen. 17:14. Ex. 12:15, 19; 31:14. Lev. 7:20, 21, 25, 27; 17:10; 18:29; 19:8; 20:6; 22:3; 23:29, 30. Num. 9:13; 15:30, 31; 19:13, 20. Ezek. 18:4, 20. 22 (b) Slain or killed by man, in thirty-two passages, rendered in eight different ways :-- 1. soul Josh. 10:28, 30, 32, 35, 37, 37, 39; 11:11. Jer. 2:34. Ezek. 13:19; 22:25, 27. 12 2. person Deut. 27:25. Josh. 20:3, 9. 1Sam. 22:22. Prov. 28:17. Ezek. 17:17; 33:6. 7 3. any Lev. 24:17. 1 4. any person Num. 31:19; 35:11, 15, 30, 30. 5 5. him Gen. 37:21. Deut. 19:6; 22:26. 3 6. mortally Deut. 19:11. 1 7. life 2Sam. 14:7. 1 8. thee Jer. 40:14, 15. 2 54 VIII. Nephesh is used of Man as being mortal, subject to death of various kinds, from which it can be saved and delivered and life prolonged, in 243 passages, rendered in eleven different ways :-- 1. soul Gen. 12:13; 19:20. Ex. 30:12, 15, 16. Lev. 17:11, 11 (R.V. life). Num. 16:38 (R.V. lives); 31:50. 1Sam. 24:11; 25:29, 29, 29; 26:21 (R.V. life). 2Sam. 4:9. 1Kings 1:29; 17:21, 22. Job 7:15; 27:8. Ps. 3:2; 6:4; 7:2, 5; 11:1; 17:13; 22:20, 29; 23:3; 25:20; 26:9; 33:19; 34:22; 35:3, 4, 12, 17; 40:14; 41:4; 49:8, 15; 54:3, 4; 55:18; 56:6, 13; 57:4; 59:3; 63:9; 66:9, 16; 69:1, 18; 70:2; 71:10, 13, 23; 72:13, 14; 74:19; 78:50; 86:2, 14; 88:14; 94:21; 97:10; 106:15; 109:20, 31; 116:4, 8; 119:109; 175; 120:2; 121:7; 124:4, 5, 7; 141:8; 142:4, 7; 143:3. Prov. 18:7; 24:12; 29:10. Isa. 3:9; 10:18; 44:20; 53:10, 11, 12; 55:3. Jer. 4:10; 20:13; 26:19; 38:17, 20; 44:7; 51:6 (R.V. life), 45 (R.V. yourselves). Lam. 1:11, 16, 19; 2:12; 3:58. Ezek. 3:19, 21; 13:18, 19; 14:14, 20; 18:27; 33:5, 9. Hos. 9:4 (R.V. appetite). Jon. 2:5. Hab. 2:10. 127 2. life, lives Gen. 9:5, 5; 19:17, 19; 32:30; 35:18; 44:30, 30. Ex. 4:19; 21:23, 23, 30. Num. 35:31. Deut. 19:21, 21; 24:6. Josh. 2:13, 14; 9:24. Judg. 5:18; 9:17; 12:3; 18:25, 25. Ruth 4:15. 1Sam. 19:5, 11; 20:1; 22:23, 23; 23:15; 26:24, 24; 28:9, 21. 2Sam. 1:9; 4:8; 16:11; 18:13; 19:5, 5, 5, 5; 23:7. 1Kings 1:12, 12; 2:23; 3:11; 19:2, 2, 3, 4, 10, 14; 20:31, 39, 39, 42, 42. 2Kings 1:13, 13, 14; 7:7; 10:24, 24. 1Chron. 1:11. Est. 7:3, 7; 8:11; 9:16. Job 2:4, 6; 6:11 (R.V. be patient); 13:14; 31:39. Ps. 31:13; 38:12. Prov. 1:18, 19; 6:26; 7:23; 13:3, 8. Isa. 15:4 (R.V. soul); 43:4. Jer. 4:30; 11:16; 19:7, 9; 21:7, 9; 22:25; 34:20, 21; 38:2, 16; 39:18; 44:30, 40; 45:5; 46:26; 48:6; 49:37. Lam. 2:19; 5:9. Ezek. 32:10. Jon. 1:14; 4:3. 110 3. ghost Job 11:20. Jer. 15:9. 2 4. person 2Sam. 14:14 (R.V. life). 1 5. tablets Isa. 3:20 (R.V. perfume boxes) (Heb. houses of the soul = boxes of scent for the nose). 1 6. deadly Ps. 17:9 (Heb. enemies against my nephesh). 1 7. himself 1Kings 19:4. Amos 2:14, 15. 3 8. me Num. 23:10. Judg. 16:30. 1Kings 20:32. 3 9. they Job 36:14. 1 10. themselves Isa. 47:14. 1 11. yourselves Deut. 4:15. Josh. 23:11. 2 243 IX. Nephesh is used of man, as actually dead, in thirteen passages, and is rendered in three different ways :-- 1. the dead Lev. 19:28; 21:1; 22:4. Num. 5:2; 6:11. 5 2. dead body Num. 9:6, 7, 10. 3 3. body Lev. 21:11. Num. 6:6; 19:11, 13. Hag. 2:13. 5 13 X. Nephesh, in thirteen passages (all rendered soul), is spoken of as going to a place described by four different words, rendered as shown below :-- i. sheol = THE grave (as distinct from keber, A grave), gravedom (or the dominion of death), in five passages, rendered in this connection in two different ways :-- 1. grave. Ps. 30:3 (R.V. Sheol); 89:48 (R.V. Sheol, marg. grave). (Cp. Ps. 49:15). (2) 2. hell. Ps. 16:10 (R.V. Sheol); 86:13 (marg. grave. R.V. pit, marg. lowest Sheol). Prov. 23:14 (R.V. Sheol, marg. the grave). (3) ii. shachath = a pit (for taking wild beasts); hence, a grave. The Septuagint and New Testament take it in the sense of corruption; but, if so, not implying putridity, but destruction. Occurs in six passages, and is rendered in two different ways :-- 1. pit. Job 33:18, 28, 30. Ps. 35:7. Isa. 38:17. (5) 2. grave. Job 33:22 (R.V. pit). (1) iii. shuchah = a deep pit (cp. all the occurrences, Prov. 22:14; 23:27. Jer. 2:6; 18:20, 22). In one passage only :-- 1. Pit. Jer. 18:20. (1) iv. dumah = silence. Ps. 94:17. (1) Total = 754 (*1) It is used of the lower animals four times before it is used of man; and out of the first thirteen times in Genesis, it is used ten times of the lower animals. Return to body, soul, spirit
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