līf (חיּים, ḥayyīm, נפשׁ, nephesh, רוּח, rūaḥ, חיה, ḥāyāh; ζωή, zōḗ, ψυχή, psuchḗ, βίος, bíos, πνεῦμα, pneúma):
Of the Hebrew terms, ḥāyāh is the verb which means “to live,” “to have life,” or the vital principle, “to continue to live,” or “to live prosperously.” In the Piel it signifies “to give life, or preserve, or quicken and restore life.” The Hiphil is much like the Piel. The noun hayyīm generally used in the plural is an abstract noun meaning “life,” i.e. the possession of the vital principle with its energies and activities. Nephesh often means “living being” or “creature.” Sometimes it has the force of the reflexive “self.” At other times it refers to the seat of the soul, the personality, the emotions, the appetites—passions and even mental acts. Frequently it means “life,” the “seat of life,” and in this way it is used about 171 times in the Old Testament, referring to the principle of vitality in both men and animals. Rūaḥ signifies “wind,” “breath,” principle or source of vitality, but is never used to signify life proper.
The term “life” is used in the Old Testament in the popular sense. It meant life in the body, the existence and activity of the man in all his parts and energies. It is the person complete, conscious and active. There is no idea of the body being a fetter or prison to the soul; the body was essential to life and the writers had no desire to be separated from it. To them the physical sphere was a necessity, and a man was living when all his activities were performed in the light of God’s face and favor. The secret and source of life to them was relationship with God. There was nothing good or desirable apart from this relation of fellowship. To overcome or be rid of sin was necessary to life. The real center of gravity in life was in the moral and religious part of man’s nature. This must be in fellowship with God, the source of all life and activity.
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Author: International Std. Bible Encyclopedia
Keywords: Life, breath of life, psuche, vital principle, soul
Bible reference(s): Gen 1:30, Gen 6:17, Gen 7:22, Gen 45:5, Mat 2:20, Mar 10:45, Luk 12:22, Luk 14:26
Source: James Orr (editor), The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 5 volume set.
Page indexed by: inWORD Bible Software.