Numbers 16:22

16:22 Then they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground ¹  and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all people, ²  will you be angry with the whole community when only one man sins?” ³ 

Numbers 27:16

27:16 “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all humankind, ⁴  appoint ⁵  a man over the community,

Job 12:10

12:10 in whose hand ⁶  is the life ⁷  of every creature

and the breath of all the human race. ⁸ 

Ecclesiastes 12:7

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

and the life’s breath ⁹  returns to God who gave it.

Isaiah 42:5

42:5 This is what the true God, ¹⁰  the Lord, says –

the one who created the sky and stretched it out,

the one who fashioned the earth and everything that lives on it, ¹¹ 

the one who gives breath to the people on it,

and life to those who live on it: ¹² 

Isaiah 57:16

57:16 For I will not be hostile ¹³  forever

or perpetually angry,

for then man’s spirit would grow faint before me, ¹⁴ 

the life-giving breath I created.

Zechariah 12:1

The Repentance of Judah

12:1 The revelation of the word of the Lord concerning Israel: The Lord – he who stretches out the heavens and lays the foundations of the earth, who forms the human spirit within a person ¹⁵  – says,

[16:22]  ¹ sn It is Moses and Aaron who prostrate themselves; they have the good of the people at heart.

[16:22]  ² 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]  ³ 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).

[27:16]  ⁴ tn Heb “flesh”; cf. NAB, NIV “all mankind”; NCV “all people”; NLT “all living things.”

[27:16]  ⁵ tn This is the same verb פָּקַד (paqad) that is used throughout the book for the aspect of “numbering” the people.

[12:10]  ⁶ tn The construction with the relative clause includes a resumptive pronoun referring to God: “who in his hand” = “in whose hand.”

[12:10]  ⁷ tn The two words נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) and רוּחַ (ruakh) are synonymous in general. They could be translated “soul” and “spirit,” but “soul” is not precise for נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh), and so “life” is to be preferred. Since that is the case for the first half of the verse, “breath” will be preferable in the second part.

[12:10]  ⁸ tn Human life is made of “flesh” and “spirit.” So here the line reads “and the spirit of all flesh of man.” If the text had simply said “all flesh,” that would have applied to all flesh in which there is the breath of life (see Gen 6:17; 7:15). But to limit this to human beings requires the qualification with “man.”

[12:7]  ⁹ 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.

[42:5]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “the God.” The definite article here indicates distinctiveness or uniqueness.

[42:5]  ¹¹ tn Heb “and its offspring” (so NASB); NIV “all that comes out of it.”

[42:5]  ¹² tn Heb “and spirit [i.e., “breath”] to the ones walking in it” (NAB, NASB, and NRSV all similar).

[57:16]  ¹³ tn Or perhaps, “argue,” or “accuse” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV).

[57:16]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “for a spirit from before me would be faint.”

[12:1]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “who forms the spirit of man within him” (so NIV).