Old Testament Observations

One observation we must confirm to reach the conclusions of the Physical Only belief regarding the Hebrew concept of nephesh is:

Nephesh always refers to characteristics of physical, biological life; it is never refers to the mind, emotions, or personality and is never contrasted to flesh or the body.

How does this required observation stand up? How is Nephesh used in the OT? Does physical, animal life express the full meaning of nephesh? I believe we can learn more by examining some Scriptures.

Nephesh Refers to the Life (Possibly the Blood)

Ge 19:19 Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shown to me in saving my life [nephesh]; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil should take me, and I die:

Le 17:11 For the life of the flesh [basar] is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls [nephesh]: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul [nephesh].

Notice that the Hebrew word "basar" refers to the physical body or flesh. The nephesh is here something in the flesh.

Le 17:14 For it is the life [nephesh] of all flesh [basar]; the blood of it is for the life [nephesh] thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh [basar]: for the life [nephesh] of all flesh [basar] is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.

De 12:23 Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life [nephesh]; and thou mayest not eat the life [nephesh] with the flesh [basar].

Recall that Adam's body had been made by God, but it lay lifeless until God breathed the breath of life into him. Thus, the life principle and the body are different.

Nephesh Refers to the Mind

Ge 23:8 And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind [nephesh] that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,

How could we here substitute "animal life" for nephesh?

De 28:65 And among these nations you shall find no ease, neither shall the sole of your foot have rest. But the LORD shall give you there a trembling heart and failing of eyes and sorrow of mind [nephesh].

Ps 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul [nephesh]; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making the simple wise.

Does God convert the animal life of which we are made, or our minds?

Nephesh Refers to the Emotions

Ex 15:9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust [nephesh] shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.

If we substituted animal life above, the enemy would be a cannibal.

Le 26:16 I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart [nephesh]: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.

Nu 21:4 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul [nephesh] of the people was much discouraged because of the way.

Pr 6:16 These six the LORD hates; yea, seven are hateful to his soul [nephesh]:

Does God posses animal life components that hate? We could make some interesting theology with this one.

Isa 1:14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts My soul [nephesh] hates; they are a trouble to Me; I am weary to bear them.

Nephesh is something that can leave the body and return

Ge 35:18 And it came to pass, as her soul [nephesh] was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.

Ps 16:10 For You will not leave My soul [nephesh] in hell [sheol]; You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

1Ki 17:22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah, and the soul [nephesh] of the child came into him again, and he lived.

The authors of Scripture certainly relate their belief that the soul leaves the body at death or they would not have used such phraseology.

Have you ever been to Jerusalem? I recall our tour group going north from the Damascus gate up the road a few hundred yards to Gorden's Tomb. It's the tomb you see pictured with the holes in the rocky wall above it that looks like a skull. It's one of those "this could have been the place" holy places. Just above and to the right of the entrance to the tomb is a small hole in the wall. The guide said this was the "nephesh hole" through which the nephesh escapes after the body is placed in the tomb. Bodies were typically placed in these above ground tombs for about 6 months until they decomposed. Then the remaining bones were then placed in graves.

The following is an excerpt from the "Lexical Aids to the Old Testament" found in "The Complete Word Study: Old Testament" by Dr. Spiros Zodhiates and Warren Baker.

Nephesh: It is a breathing creature (man or animal), breath, respiration, life, soul, spirit, mind; a living being, a creature, person, self. Most of them are closely related concepts that break down to a few basic meanings… It is the soul by which the body lives, i.e., continues to live by drawing breath. Another important meaning of nephesh is life, the vital principle which results in death when it leaves the body (Gen 35:18:18; 1 Kgs 17:21). Nephesh can die or stop (Judg. 16:30). It can be killed (Num. 31:19) and poured our with the blood (Gen. 1:21, 24; 2:7, 19; 9:10, 12, 15; Lev. 11:10). Nephesh is often used in phrases that relate either to the loss of life or its preservation and sustenance… The Hebrew conception of man was composed of "the inner self" and "the outer appearance" i.e., what one is to oneself and what one appears to those who observe him. The inner person was nephesh to the Hebrews, while the outer person was reputation, shem (8034), "name." .. Man is not merely a physical being like the animals. He has a spirit (ruach [7307]), a heart (lev [3820]), was made in the image (tselem [6754]) of God, and is the object of God's love.

Does nephesh mean physical life? Yes. But, that the full meaning of nephesh transcends mere physical life, even blood, is hard to deny. The Scriptures reveal an expanding revelation about man and what man is. We would not expect the first chapters of Genesis to be the complete revelation. Nor would we expect the first uses of the word nephesh to fully describe or define the fullness of man's nature. The richness of meaning is more fully captured as we examine additional references.

Next, let's look at Scriptures that deal with where the nephesh goes when it leaves the body after death.

Where does the nephesh go?

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