נְפָשִׁ֖ים
𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤉𐤌
nephesh
souls
The animate self; a living being with breath; the seat of life or vitality in animals and humans. In the Hebrew Bible, 'nephesh' refers to living creatures, the essential self or person, appetite, desire, and occasionally the seat of emotions or consciousness. It can indicate the life that animates a body, a specific individual, or one's being in a holistic sense. Unlike later concepts of an immortal soul distinct from the body, 'nephesh' primarily expresses the living, breathing person or animal, often rendered as 'life', 'person', or 'being.'
Ezekiel 13:20 · Word #27
Lexicon H5315
| Lemma | נֶפֶשׁ |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤍𐤐𐤔 |
| Transliteration | nephesh |
| Strong's | H5315 |
| Definition | The animate self; a living being with breath; the seat of life or vitality in animals and humans. In the Hebrew Bible, 'nephesh' refers to living creatures, the essential self or person, appetite, desire, and occasionally the seat of emotions or consciousness. It can indicate the life that animates a body, a specific individual, or one's being in a holistic sense. Unlike later concepts of an immortal soul distinct from the body, 'nephesh' primarily expresses the living, breathing person or animal, often rendered as 'life', 'person', or 'being.' |
Morphology HNcbpa
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea |
| Subtype | c — Common — Common noun |
| Gender | b — Both — Both (masculine and feminine) |
| Number | p — Plural — Plural |
| State | a — Absolute — The noun stands independently |
Common Translation
| Phrase | souls |
SIBI-P1 Translation H5315-43
breathing beings
| Morphological Notes | Common noun, plural, absolute state; no pronominal suffix. |
| Rendering Rationale | The plural form preserves the sense of multiple animate selves. "Breathing beings" reflects the root idea of breath as the animating life-force rather than an abstract, disembodied "soul." |
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