Genesis 2:7

2:7 The Lord God formed ¹  the man from the soil of the ground ²  and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, ³  and the man became a living being. ⁴ 

Numbers 16:22

16:22 Then they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground ⁵  and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all people, ⁶  will you be angry with the whole community when only one man sins?” ⁷ 

Ecclesiastes 12:7

12:7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was,

and the life’s breath ⁸  returns to God who gave it.

Isaiah 57:16

57:16 For I will not be hostile ⁹  forever

or perpetually angry,

for then man’s spirit would grow faint before me, ¹⁰ 

the life-giving breath I created.

Jeremiah 38:16

38:16 So King Zedekiah made a secret promise to Jeremiah and sealed it with an oath. He promised, ¹¹  “As surely as the Lord lives who has given us life and breath, ¹²  I promise you this: I will not kill you or hand you over to those men who want to kill you.” ¹³ 

Ezekiel 18:4

18:4 Indeed! All lives are mine – the life of the father as well as the life of the son is mine. The one ¹⁴  who sins will die.

Hebrews 12:9

12:9 Besides, we have experienced discipline from ¹⁵  our earthly fathers ¹⁶  and we respected them; shall we not submit ourselves all the more to the Father of spirits and receive life? ¹⁷ 

[2:7]  ¹ tn Or “fashioned.” The prefixed verb form with vav (ו) consecutive initiates narrative sequence. The Hebrew word יָצַר (yatsar) means “to form” or “to fashion,” usually by plan or design (see the related noun יֵצֶר [yetser] in Gen 6:5). It is the term for an artist’s work (the Hebrew term יוֹצֵר [yotser] refers to a potter; see Jer 18:2-4.)

[2:7]  ² tn The line literally reads “And Yahweh God formed the man, soil, from the ground.” “Soil” is an adverbial accusative, identifying the material from which the man was made.

[2:7]  ³ tn The Hebrew word נְשָׁמָה (nÿshamah, “breath”) is used for God and for the life imparted to humans, not animals (see T. C. Mitchell, “The Old Testament Usage of Nÿshama,” VT 11 [1961]: 177-87). Its usage in the Bible conveys more than a breathing living organism (נֶפֶשׁ חַיַּה, nefesh khayyah). Whatever is given this breath of life becomes animated with the life from God, has spiritual understanding (Job 32:8), and has a functioning conscience (Prov 20:27).

[2:7]  ⁴ tn The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “being”) is often translated “soul,” but the word usually refers to the whole person. The phrase נֶפֶשׁ חַיַּה (nefesh khayyah, “living being”) is used of both animals and human beings (see 1:20, 24, 30; 2:19).

[16:22]  ⁵ sn It is Moses and Aaron who prostrate themselves; they have the good of the people at heart.

[16:22]  ⁶ tn The expression “the God of the spirits of all humanity [flesh]” is somewhat difficult. The Hebrew text says אֱלֹהֵי הָרוּחֹת לְכָל־בָּשָׂר (’elohey harukhot lÿkhol-basar). This expression occurs in Num 27:16 again. It also occurs in some postbiblical texts, a fact which has prompted some scholars to conclude that it is a late addition. The words clearly show that Moses is interceding for the congregation. The appeal in the verse is that it is better for one man to die for the whole nation than the whole nation for one man (see also John 11:50).

[16:22]  ⁷ tn The verb is the Qal imperfect יֶחֱטָא (yekheta’); it refers to the sinful rebellion of Korah, but Moses is stating something of a principle: “One man sins, and will you be angry….” A past tense translation would assume that this is a preterite use of the imperfect (without vav [ו] consecutive).

[12:7]  ⁸ tn Or “spirit.” The likely referent is the life’s breath that originates with God. See Eccl 3:19, as well as Gen 2:7; 6:17; 7:22.

[57:16]  ⁹ tn Or perhaps, “argue,” or “accuse” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV).

[57:16]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “for a spirit from before me would be faint.”

[38:16]  ¹¹ tn Heb “So King Zedekiah secretly swore an oath to Jeremiah, saying.”

[38:16]  ¹² tn Heb “who has made this life/soul/ breath [נֶפֶשׁ, nefesh] for us.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ refers to the living, breathing substance of a person which constitutes his very life (cf. BDB 659 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 1; 3).

[38:16]  ¹³ tn Heb “who are seeking your life.”

[18:4]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “life.”

[12:9]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “we had our earthly fathers as discipliners.”

[12:9]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “the fathers of our flesh.” In Hebrews, “flesh” is a characteristic way of speaking about outward, physical, earthly life (cf. Heb 5:7; 9:10, 13), as opposed to the inward or spiritual dimensions of life.

[12:9]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “and live.”