Lexical Definition

‎נֶפֶשׁ‎ nephesh (neh'-fesh) soul ^H:N-F
from ‎נָפַשׁ‎

any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, [phrase] slay, soul, [phrase] tablet, they, thing, ([idiom] she) will, [idiom] would have it.

• properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality
• used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)

1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion
1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man
1b) living being
1c) living being (with life in the blood)
1d) the man himself, self, person or individual
1e) seat of the appetites
1f) seat of emotions and passions
1g) activity of mind
1g1) dubious
1h) activity of the will
1h1) dubious
1i) activity of the character
1i1) dubious

See Greek: ἀνήρ · ἐλεύθερος · ἐλπίς · ἐνύπνιον · καρδία · κεφαλή · πνοή · σῶμα · ψυχή

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎נֶ֫פֶשׁ‎₇₅₆ noun feminine^{Gen 49:6} (so even Gen 2:19; Num 31:28; 1Kgs 19:2 see Albr^{ZAW xvi (1896), 42} SS) soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion (Eccl 3:18; Eccl 4:1 (twice in verse); Eccl 4:2 (twice in verse); Eccl 13:12; Eccl 14:11); — ‎׳‎‎נ‎ Gen 1:20 +; ‎נָ֑פֶשׁ‎ Gen 37:21 +; suffix ‎נַפְשִׁי‎ Gen 12:13 +; plural ‎נְפָשׁוֺת‎ Ezek 13:18 + 13 t.; ‎נְפָשֹׁת‎ Exod 12:4; Lev 27:2 construct ‎נַפְשׁוֺת‎ Gen 36:6 + 4 t.; ‎נַפְשֹׁת‎ Lev 21:11 ‎נְפָשִׁים‎ Ezek 13:20 (but read ‎חָפְשִׁים‎, see Co Berthol Toy); suffix ‎נַפְשׁוֺתָם‎ 2Sam 23:17 +; ‎נַפְשֹׁתָם‎ Num 17:3* +: —

1. = that which breathes, the breathing substance or being = ψυχή, anima, the soul, the inner being of man:
a. distinguished from ‎׃בָּשָׂר‎ ‎מִנֶּפֶשׁ‎ ‎וְעַד בָּשָׂר‎ Isa 10:18 ‎הַנֶּפֶשׁ עִם הַבָּשָׂר‎ Deut 12:23 from ‎שְׁאֵר‎ Prov 11:17 from ‎בֶּטֶן‎ body Ps 31:10*.
b. both the inner ‎נפשׁ‎ and the outer ‎בשׂר‎ are conceived as resting on a common substratum: ‎אַךְ בְּשָׂרוֺ‎ ‎עָלָיו יִכְאָ֑ב וְנַפְשׁוֺ עָלָיו תֶּאֱבָֽל׃‎ Job 14:22 only his flesh upon him is in pain, and his soul upon him mourneth; compare Ps 42:5*; Ps 42:7*; Ps 131:2; Job 30:16; Lam 3:20 [see ‎עַל‎ 1 d], all poetical (compare 6 c).
c. ‎׳‎‎נ‎ departs at death and returns with life: ‎וַיְתִי‎ ‎בְּצֵאת נַפְשָׁהּ כִּי מֵתָה‎ Gen 35:18 (E) and it came to pass when her soul was going forth (for she died); ‎נָָֽפְחָה נַפְשָׁהּ‎ Jer 15:9 she breathed out her soul, compare 1Kgs 17:21; 1Kgs 17:22; Job 11:20; Job 31:39.
d. often desired that the ‎נפשׁ‎ may be delivered: from Sh®°ôl Ps 16:10; Ps 30:4*; Ps 49:16*; Ps 86:13; Ps 89:49*; Prov 23:14 from ‎שַׁחַת‎, the pit of Sh®°ôl, Isa 38:17; Job 33:18; Job 33:22; Job 33:28; Job 33:30.

2. The ‎נפשׁ‎ becomes a living being: by God's breathing ‎נשׁמת חיים‎ into the nostrils of its ‎בשׂר‎; of man Gen 2:7 (J); by implication of animals also Gen 2:19 (J); so Ps 104:29; Ps 104:30 compare Ps 66:9 man is ‎נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה‎, a living, breathing being Gen 2:7 (J); elsewhere ‎נפשׁ חיּה‎ always of animals Gen 1:20; Gen 1:24; Gen 1:30; Gen 9:12; Gen 9:15; Gen 9:16 (all P), Ezek 47:9 so ‎נפשׁ החיּה‎ Gen 1:21; Gen 9:10 (both P), Lev 11:10; Lev 11:46 (H); ‎נפשׁ השׁרצת‎ Lev 11:46 (H); ‎נפשׁ כל חי‎ Job 12:10. ‎נפשׁ‎ is frequently used with the verb ‎׃חיה‎ ‎וחיתה נפשׁ‎ Gen 12:13; Gen 19:20 (both J), 1Kgs 20:32 (E), Ps 119:175; Jer 38:17; Jer 38:20 ‎חֵי נַפְשְׁךָ‎ 1Sam 1:26; 1Sam 17:55; 1Sam 20:3; 1Sam 25:26; 2Sam 11:11; 2Sam 14:9; 2Kgs 2:2; 2Kgs 2:4; 2Kgs 2:6; 2Kgs 4:30 (all J E); compare ‎׳‎‎יְחַיֶּה נ‎ 1Kgs 20:31 (E), Ezek 18:27; Ps 22:30* also Gen 19:19; Isa 55:3; Prov 3:22.

3. The ‎נפשׁ‎ (without ‎חיה‎ noun or verb) is specified:
a. a living being whose life resides in the blood [so in Arabic We^{Skizzen iii. 217 G.} Jacob^{Arab. Dicht. iv. 9 f.}] (hence sacrificial use of blood, and its prohib. in other uses; first in D), Deut 12:23; Deut 12:24 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 is enlarged in H, Lev 17:10; Lev 17:11; Lev 17:12; Lev 17:14 and in P Gen 9:4; Gen 9:5, compare Jer 2:34.
b. a serious attack upon the life is an attack upon this inner living being 2Sam 1:9; Jer 4:10; Jonah 2:6*; Ps 69:2*; Ps 124:4; Ps 124:5; Job 27:3.
c. ‎נפשׁ‎ is used for life itself 171 t., of animals Prov 12:10, and of man Gen 44:30 (J); ‎נפשׁ תחת נפשׁ‎ life for life Exod 21:23 (E), Lev 24:18 (H), 1Kgs 20:39; 1Kgs 20:42; 2Kgs 10:24 ‎נפשׁנו תחתיכם‎ Josh 2:14 (J); ‎נפשׁ בנפשׁ‎ Deut 19:21 ‎בנפשׁ‎ for the life of 2Sam 14:7; Jonah 1:14 ‎שׂם נפשׁ בכף‎ put life in one's own hand Judg 12:3; 1Sam 19:5; 1Sam 28:21; Job 13:14 ‎חרף נפשׁו‎ ‎למות‎ Judg 5:18 risked his life to die; ‎בנפשׁ‎ at the risk of life Num 17:3* (P), 2Sam 23:17 = 1Chr 11:19 (twice in verse), 1Kgs 2:23; Prov 7:23; Lam 5:9 ‎בקּשׁ נפשׁ‎ Exod 4:19 (J), 1Sam 20:21; 1Sam 22:23 (twice in verse); 1Sam 23:15; 1Sam 25:29; 2Sam 4:8; 2Sam 16:11; 1Kgs 19:10; 1Kgs 19:14; Jer 4:30; Jer 11:21; Jer 19:7; Jer 19:9; Jer 21:7; Jer 22:25; Jer 34:20; Jer 34:21; Jer 38:16; Jer 44:30 (twice in verse); Jer 46:26; Jer 49:37; Ps 35:4; Ps 38:13*; Ps 40:15*; Ps 54:5*; Ps 63:10*; Ps 70:3*; Ps 86:14; Prov 29:10 ‎׳‎‎שׁאל נ‎ 1Kgs 3:11 = 2Chr 1:11; 1Kgs 19:4 = Jonah 4:8 ‎הִכָּה נפשׁ‎ smite mortally Gen 37:21 (J), Deut 19:6; Deut 19:11; Jer 40:14; Jer 40:15 ‎׳‎‎לקח נ‎ 1Kgs 19:4; Jonah 4:3; Ps 31:14*; Prov 1:19 ‎הִצִּיל‎ ‎נֶפֶשׁ מִמָּוֶת‎ deliver life from death Josh 2:13; Ps 33:19; Ps 56:14* ‎מלּט נפשׁ‎1Sam 19:11; 2Sam 19:6* (4 t. in verse); 1Kgs 1:12 (twice in verse); Jer 48:6; Jer 51:6; Jer 51:45; Ezek 33:5; Amos 2:14; Amos 2:15; Ps 89:49*; Ps 116:4 ‎פדה‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎ 2Sam 4:9; 1Kgs 1:29; Ps 34:23*; Ps 49:16*; Ps 55:19*; Ps 71:23 ‎׳‎‎שׁמר נ‎ Ps 25:20; Ps 97:10; Job 2:6; Prov 13:3; Prov 16:17; Prov 19:16; Prov 22:5.

4. The ‎נפשׁ‎ as the essential of man stands for the man himself:
a. paraphrase for personal pronoun especially in poetry and ornate discourse, 70 t.; (1) ‎נַפְשִׁי‎ = me: ‎אל תבא נפשׁי‎ Gen 49:6 let me not enter (poem in J); ‎מות ישׁרים‎ ‎׳‎‎תָּמֹת נ‎ Num 23:10 let me die, etc. (poem); ‎תָּמוֺת נַפְשְׁי‎ Judg 16:30 (J); ‎אמרה נפשׁי‎ Lam 3:24 I say. (2) ‎נַפְשְׁךָ‎ = thee: ‎לְאֻמִּים תַּחַת נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ‎ Isa 43:4 peoples instead of thee; ‎אָֽמְרוּ לְנַפְשֵׁךְ‎ Isa 51:23. (3) ‎נַפְשׁוֺ‎ = he: ‎נפשׁו בטוב‎ ‎תלין‎ Psalms he will not dwell in good circumstances. (4) ‎נַפְשֵׁנוּ‎ = we: ‎נַפְשֵׁנוּ כְּצִפּוֺר נִמְלְטָה‎ ‎מִפַּח יוֺקְשִׁים‎ Ps 124:7. (5) ‎נַפְשָׁם‎ = they, them: ‎נַפְשָׁם בַּשְּׁבִי הָלָ֑כָה‎ Isa 46:2 they are gone into captivity; ‎אוי לנפשׁם‎ Isa 3:9.
b. = reflexive, self, 53 t.: ‎אסר על נפשׁ‎ bind oneself Num 30:3*; Num 30:5* (twice in verse); Num 30:6*; Num 30:7*; Num 30:8*; Num 30:9*; Num 30:10*; Num 30:11*; Num 30:12* ‎׳‎‎לְעַנֹּת נ‎ Num 30:14* to afflict oneself . (1) ‎נַפְשִׁי‎ = myself: ‎לא אדע נפשׁי‎ Job 9:21 I know not myself. (2) ‎נַפְשְׁךָ‎ = thyself: ‎׳‎‎שׁמר נ‎ Deut 4:9 keep thyself. (3) ‎נַפְשׁוֺ‎ = himself: ‎׳‎‎אהב כנ‎ 1Sam 18:1; 1Sam 18:3; 1Sam 20:17 loved as himself. (4) ‎נַפְשָׁהּ‎ = herself: ‎׳‎‎צדּקה נ‎ Jer 3:11 justified herself. (5) ‎נַפְשָׁם‎ = themselves: ‎׳‎‎הציל נ‎ deliver themselves Isa 47:14; Ezek 14:14; Ezek 14:20. (6) ‎נַפְשְׁכֶם‎, ‎נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם‎ = yourselves: ‎׳‎‎אַלתַּֿשִּׁאוּ נ‎ Jer 37:9 deceive not yourselves, also Jer 42:20; Jer 44:7 ‎׳‎‎ענּה נ‎ Lev 16:29; Lev 16:31; Lev 23:27; Lev 23:32; Num 29:7 (P); ‎׳‎‎נשׁמרתם לנ‎ Deut 4:15; Josh 23:11 (D). (7) ‎נַפְשׁוֺתֵינוּ‎ = ourselves: ‎׳‎‎על נ‎ Jer 26:19 against ourselves.
c. = person of man, individual, 144 t., first in D²; especially in H, P, and kindred writers: (1) with ‎אָדָם‎: ‎אדם‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎ Lev 24:17 opposed to ‎בהמה‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎ Lev 24:18 (both H), and so ‎אדם‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎ human persons Num 31:35; Num 31:40; Num 31:46 (P) 1Chr 5:21; Ezek 27:13. Elsewhere without ‎אדם‎: ‎ברכה‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎ Prov 11:25 one who blesses; ‎רְמִיָּה‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎ Prov 19:15 idle person; ‎׳‎‎תחת נ‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎ person in place of person, Job 16:4 ‎כפּר‎ ‎׳‎‎על נ‎ Exod 30:15; Exod 30:16; Num 15:28; Num 31:50 (all P) Lev 17:11 (H). (2) ‎נפשׁ‎ = person, any one: Deut 24:7; Deut 27:25; Prov 28:17; Ezek 18:4 (3 t. in verse); Ezek 33:6 elsewhere only H P: Lev 2:1; Lev 4:2; Lev 4:27; Lev 5:1; Lev 5:2; Lev 5:4; Lev 5:15; Lev 5:17; Lev 5:21*; Lev 7:18; Lev 7:20; Lev 7:21; Lev 7:25; Lev 7:27; Lev 23:29; Lev 23:30 (twice in verse); Num 5:6; Num 15:27; Num 15:30; Num 19:22; Num 31:19; Num 31:28; Num 35:11; Num 35:15; Num 35:30 (twice in verse); Josh 20:3; Josh 20:9 (all P), Lev 17:10; Lev 17:12; Lev 17:15; Lev 20:6 (twice in verse); Lev 22:6; Lev 22:11 (all H); ‎׳‎‎נכרתה הנ‎ ‎הַהִוא מן‎ that person shall be cut off from: only in Gen 17:14; Exod 12:15; Exod 12:19; Exod 31:14; Lev 7:20; Lev 7:21; Lev 7:27; Num 9:13; Num 15:30; Num 15:31; Num 19:13; Num 19:20 (all P), Lev 19:8; Lev 22:3 (both H). (3) ‎נפשׁ‎ collective for persons, in enumerations: Deut 10:22; Josh 10:28; Josh 10:30; Josh 10:32; Josh 10:35; Josh 10:37 (twice in verse); Josh 10:39; Josh 11:11 (all D²) Jer 43:6; Jer 52:29; Jer 52:30 (twice in verse); Ezek 22:25 elsewhere only Gen 12:5; Gen 46:15; Gen 46:18; Gen 46:22; Gen 46:25; Gen 46:26 (twice in verse); Gen 46:27 (twice in verse); Exod 1:5 (twice in verse); Exod 12:16; Num 31:35; Num 31:40 (all P). (4) ‎נְפָשׁוֺת‎ persons Gen 36:6; Exod 12:4; Exod 16:16; Num 19:18 (all P), Lev 18:29; Lev 20:25; Lev 27:2 (all H), 2Kgs 12:5*; Prov 11:30; Prov 14:25; Ezek 13:18 (3 t. in verse); Ezek 13:19 (twice in verse); Ezek 13:20 (twice in verse); Ezek 17:17; Ezek 18:4; Ezek 22:27 (‎נפשׁים‎ Ezek 13:20 see above). (5) ‎נפשׁ‎ = deceased person, sometimes with ‎מֵת‎, ‎נֶפֶשׁ מֵת‎ Num 6:6 (P), ‎נַפְשֹׁת מֵת‎ (ᵐ5 ᵑ6 ‎נֶפֶשׁ‎) Lev 21:11 (H); usually without ‎מֵת‎, ‎נפשׁ (ה)אדם‎ Num 9:6; Num 9:7; Num 19:11; Num 19:13 (P); or simply ‎נפשׁ‎, Lev 19:28; Lev 21:1; Lev 22:4 (all H) Num 5:2; Num 6:11; Num 9:10 (all P); elsewhere only Hag 2:13.

5. ‎נפשׁ‎ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 t.) —
a. hunger: ‎רְעֵבָה‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎ hungry soul Ps 107:9; Prov 27:7 with noun or verb of ‎שׂבע‎ satisfy Isa 56:11; Isa 58:10; Jer 50:19; Ezek 7:19; Ps 63:6*; Ps 107:9; Prov 13:25; Prov 27:7 ‎׳‎‎מתוק לנ‎ Prov 16:24 sweet to the taste.
b. thirst: ‎עֲיֵפָה‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎ weary soul Prov 25:25; Jer 31:25 ‎כארץ עיפה‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎ Ps 143:6 ‎׳‎‎צמאה נ‎ Ps 42:3*; Ps 63:2*.
c. appetite in general: ‎יַקִּיפוּ עָלָיו‎ ‎׳‎‎אֹיְבַי בנ‎ Ps 17:9 my enemies compass me about with greed; ‎הִרְחִיבָה שְׁאוֺל נַפְשָׁהּ וּפָֽעֲרָה פִיהָ‎ Isa 5:14 Sh®°ôl enlarged her appetite, etc., compare Hab 2:5; Prov 23:2 ‎בַּעַל נֶפֶשׁ‎; Ecclesiastes uses ‎נפשׁ‎ only in the sense of a, b, c; the ‎נפשׁ‎ craves, lacks, and is filled with good things: Eccl 2:24; Eccl 4:8; Eccl 6:2; Eccl 6:3; Eccl 6:7; Eccl 6:9; Eccl 7:28.

6. = ‎׳‎‎נ‎ seat of emotions and passions (151 t.) —
a. desire: ‎׳‎‎אִוְּתָה נ‎ soul desires Deut 12:20; Deut 14:26; 1Sam 2:16; 2Sam 3:21; 1Kgs 11:37; Job 23:13; Prov 13:4; Prov 21:10; Mic 7:1 ‎׳‎‎תַּאֲוַת נ‎ Ps 10:3; Isa 26:8 ‎׳‎‎אַוַּת נ‎ Deut 12:15; Deut 12:20; Deut 12:21; Deut 18:6; 1Sam 23:20; Jer 2:24 so also ‎לנפשׁ‎ according to one's desire Deut 21:14; Ps 78:18; Jer 34:16 ‎כנפשׁ‎ Deut 23:25* ‎האח נפשׁנו‎ ah, our desire Ps 35:25 ‎בנפשׁ‎ at one's desire Ps 105:22; Ezek 16:27 ‎יָָֽצְאָה‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎ ‎בְדַבְּרוֺ‎ Song 5:6 ‎׳‎‎נשׂא נ‎ lift up the soul, desire Deut 24:15; 2Sam 14:14 (read ‎אליהם‎, not ‎אלהים‎), Ps 24:4; Ps 25:1; Ps 86:4; Ps 143:8; Prov 19:8; Jer 22:27; Jer 44:14; Hos 4:8.
b. abhorrence, loathing: ‎׳‎‎געלה נ‎ soul abhorreth Lev 26:11; Lev 26:15; Lev 26:30; Lev 26:43 (H) Jer 14:19 ‎בחלה בי‎ ‎׳‎‎וגם נ‎ Zech 11:8 and their soul also fell a loathing against me.
c. sorrow and distress: ‎׳‎‎מרי נ‎ bitter, gloomy, discontented of soul Judg 18:25 (E) 2Sam 17:8; Job 3:20; Prov 31:6 ‎׳‎‎מר נ‎ 1Sam 22:2 compare Job 7:11; Job 10:1; Isa 38:15; Ezek 27:1 ‎׳‎‎עָֽגְמָה נ‎ Job 30:35 grieved; ‎׳‎‎אגמי נ‎ sad of soul Isa 19:10 ‎׳‎‎תבכה נ‎ my soul shall weep Jer 13:17 ‎ירעה‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎ his soul trembleth Isa 15:4 ‎׳‎‎צרת נ‎ distress of soul Gen 42:21 (E).
d. joy: ‎תגיל‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎ my soul rejoiceth Ps 35:9; Isa 61:10 ‎׳‎‎שׂמּח נ‎ rejoice the soul Ps 86:4 also Ps 94:19; Ps 138:3; Prov 29:17.
e. love: ‎׳‎‎אהבה נ‎ my soul loveth Song 1:7; Song 3:1; Song 3:2; Song 3:3; Song 3:4 ‎׳‎‎יְדִדוּת נ‎ darling of my soul Jer 12:7 ‎׳‎‎ב‎ ‎׳‎‎דבקה נ‎ his soul clave unto Gen 34:3 (J), with ‎אחרי‎ Ps 63:9* ‎חשׁקה‎ ‎׳‎‎ב‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎ soul is attached to Gen 34:8 (P). feminine alienation, hatred, revenge: ‎מן‎ ‎׳‎‎תֵּקַע נ‎ the soul is alienated from Jer 6:8; Ezek 23:17; Ezek 23:18 ‎מן‎ ‎׳‎‎נקעה נ‎ Ezek 23:18; Ezek 23:22; Ezek 23:28 ‎׳‎‎שְׂנֻאי נ‎ hated of soul 2Sam 5:8 (Qr); ‎׳‎‎שׂנאה נ‎ Ps 11:5; Isa 1:14.
g. other emotions and feelings: ‎׳‎‎השׁיב נ‎ bring back soul Lam 1:11; Lam 1:19 (i.e. revive, compare with ‎שׁוּב‎ 1Kgs 17:21f.), hence figurative refresh, cheer, v1Kgs 17:16; Ps 19:8*; Prov 25:14; Ruth 4:15 ‎׳‎‎שׁובב נ‎ Ps 23:3 ‎׳‎‎מַחְמַל נ‎ your souls' compassion Ezek 24:21 ‎׳‎‎קצרה נ‎ soul was impatient Num 21:4 (E), Judg 10:16; Judg 16:16; Zech 11:8 ‎כי‎ ‎׳‎‎אאריך נ‎ that I should prolong my patience Job 6:11 ‎הגר‎ ‎׳‎‎ידעתם אתנֿ‎ ye know the feeling of the stranger Exod 23:9 (R^D).

7. ‎נפשׁ‎ is used occasionally for mental acts + ‎לבב‎ (see 10); possibly also alone, owing to unconscious assimilation by late writers; but most, if not all, examples may be otherwise explained: ‎נפשׁי ידעת מאד‎ Ps 139:14 my soul knoweth well (or I know well; compare 4a); ‎בלא‎ ‎לא טוב‎ ‎׳‎‎דעת נ‎ Prov 19:2 that the soul be without knowledge is not good (but RVm desire without knowledge, compare 6 a); ‎׳‎‎דעה חכמה לנ‎ Prov 24:14 know wisdom for thy soul (or according to thy desire, compare 6 a); ‎׳‎‎אל תדמי בנ‎ Esth 4:13 think not in thy soul (or in thyself, compare 4 b); ‎כמו שׁער‎ ‎׳‎‎בג‎ Prov 23:7 as he reckoneth in his soul (but RV in himself, compare 4 b); ‎׳‎‎מה תאמר נ‎ 1Sam 20:4 (but AV RV following ᵐ5 ἐπιθυμεῖ = ‎תְּאַוֶּה‎; see 6 a).

8. ‎נפשׁ‎ for acts of the will is dubious: ‎אם ישׁ‎ ‎נפשׁכם‎ (‎את‎) if it is your purpose Gen 23:8 (P) 2Kgs 9:15 (or if it is your desire, 6 a); ‎׳‎‎בחרה נ‎ my soul chooseth Job 7:15 ‎׳‎‎מאנה נ‎ my soul, refuseth Job 6:7; Ps 77:3* ‎חפצה‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎ their soul delighteth in Isa 66:3 ‎רצתה‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎ my soul delighteth in Isa 42:1 (all perhaps emotional, 6 b, d, g).

9. ‎נפשׁ‎ = character is still more dubious: ‎בּוֺ‎ ‎׳‎‎לאֹיָָֽֿשְׁרָה נ‎ Hab 2:4 his soul is not right in him (but ᵐ5 οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν αὐτῷ [εὐδοκεῖ = ‎רצתה‎], see

6.); ‎נַפְשִׁי לאֹ מְטֻמָּאָה‎ Ezek 4:14 my soul hath not (or I have not, 4 a) been polluted.

10. ‎׳‎‎נ‎in D, when used with ‎לבב‎, is assimilated 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): with ‎דרשׁ‎ Deut 4:29; 2Chr 15:12 ‎עשׂה‎ Deut 26:16 ‎אהב‎ Deut 6:5; Deut 13:4*; Deut 30:6 ‎ידע‎ Josh 23:14 ‎עבד‎ Deut 10:12; Deut 11:13; Josh 22:5 ‎שׁמע בקלו‎ Deut 30:2 ‎שׁוב אל‎ Deut 30:10; 1Kgs 8:48 = 2Chr 6:38; 2Kgs 23:25 ‎שׁמר מצות‎ 2Kgs 23:3 = 2Chr 34:31 ‎הלך לפני‎1Kgs 2:4 and Deut 11:18; 1Sam 2:35; 1Chr 22:19; 1Chr 28:9; Jer 32:41; Ps 13:8; Prov 2:10; Prov 24:12. Note. — In three cases is generally found closer approach to supposed radical meaning breath: —
a. ‎שׁמן וקטרת ישׂמח לב ומתק‎ ‎רעהו מעצת נפשׁ‎ Prov 27:9. Ges (after Döderlein) renders a. ‎׳‎‎מעצת נ‎ more than odorous trees, so later edds., even Buhl; but ᵑ9 De SS transpose) ‎מֵעֲצַת רֵעֵהוּ‎ ‎׳‎‎וּמֶתֶק נ‎. ᵐ5 Hi Bi ‎ומתקרעה‎ = the soul is rent asunder by cares. In any case ‎נפשׁ‎is || ‎לב‎, compare

10. b. ‎נַפְשׁוֺ גֶּחָלִים תְּלַהֵט‎ Job 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 reference to passion or fury; perhaps below 6 f, his passion or fury kindleth coals.
c. ‎בָּתֵּי הַנֶּפֶשׁ‎ Isa 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 evidence in Biblical Hebrew, therefore, for meaning breath, odour. — See, for complete study of ‎נֶפֶשׁ‎ (all passages), Br^{JBL 1897,17 ff}.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References