Soul? What the heck is that?

I have never heard of animals having a soul that dissapates when they die, because it (the soul) was not contained in a spirit:



1 Corinthians 2:10-11 (King James Version)


10But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.


I believe it is extremely difficult to accurately define what the spirit is in people because of the misteaching by so many for so long, that they (soul/spirit) are BOTH immortal separate entities.

Standard Text Translations
[FONT=Palatino Linotype, Book Antiqua, Palatino, Georgia]Most all English translations of Genesis 1:24 are translated as, "And God said, ;Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind...'" Now compare that with Genesis 2:7 which is usually translated as "...and the man became a living soul (some translations have 'being')." I have often heard it debated that only man has a soul, but not animals. This theological assumption can be supported by the two verses quoted above, but not in the Hebrew. The phrase "living creature," from the first verse, and "living soul," in the second verse, are identical in the Hebrew--nephesh hhayah. If this phrase was translated the same way in both verses, the theological idea that only man has a soul (nephesh) would never have been proposed. [/FONT]
[FONT=Tempus Sans, Tempus Sans Serif, Tempus Sans ITC][SIZE=+1]Standard Word Translations [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Palatino Linotype, Book Antiqua, Palatino, Georgia]This change in the way Hebrew words are translated does not end with only one or two different translations, but the list goes on. The Hebrew word nephesh is translated as soul, life, person, mind, heart, creature, body, dead, desire, man, appetite, lust, thing, self, beast, pleasure, ghost, breath and will in the King James Version. The King James Version also translates the Hebrew word hhayah as live, life, beast, alive, creature, running, living, raw, springing, old, quick, lifetime, troop, appetite, lively, congregation, company and maintenance. The King James Version is not alone in this style of translation, as all translations are similar. If one wishes to do a serious study of the Bible, and does not know Hebrew, how is one to sort through this conglomeration of word translations? [/FONT]
[SIZE=+1]The need for a Mechanical Translation [/SIZE]

from:http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/9_about.html

http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/emagazine/012.html

What is the soul? Webster' Dictionary gives the following definition. "The spiritual nature of humans, regarded as immortal, separable from the body at death, and susceptible to happiness or misery in a future state." In most cases people will understand the soul through this definition. But, as I have so often stated, our interpretation of Biblical words should be from a Hebraic perspective, not a modern western perspective such as English.

The Hebrew word translated as "soul" is the word nephesh (Strong's #5315). If we look at the various ways in which this word is translated in an English translation, such as the KJV, we will see a wide variation in its interpretation. Some of these translations include; soul, life, person, mind, heart, creature, body, dead, desire, man, appetite, lust, thing, self, beast, pleasure, ghost, breath and will. What exactly does this word mean?

I had always assumed that only humans had a soul but, it was during a study of the word "soul" that I discovered that translations often influence how we interpret Biblical concepts. In Genesis 2:7 we find that man is a "living soul" and in Genesis 1:21 we find that animals are "living creatures". When I first started using a concordance to look up the original Hebrew words I was amazed to find out that these two phrases were the identical Hebrew phrases - nephesh chayah. Why would the translators translate nephesh chayah as "living soul" in one place and "living creatures" in another? It was this discovery that prompted me to learn the Hebrew language.

In the Hebrew mind we are composed of three entities; body, breath and mind. In future issues we will examine each of these but for now let us simply make some general definitions for them. The body is the flesh, bones and blood, the vessel. The mind is ones thoughts and emotions. The breath is ones character, what makes a person who they are.

The soul is the whole of the person, the unity of the body, breath and mind. It is not some immaterial spiritual entity it is you, all of you, your whole being or self.

Zor said:

The spirit is my ghost? Like my arm is part of my body? Or is this "ghost" description supposed to be a property of my soul? Why not say that the soul has the ability to be everlasting? I think that makes more sense, don't you?

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As it happens, the Greek word for spirit can be translated "ghost" -- "Holy Ghost", for example. It is important that we not superimpose a vision of Casper or some other fictional construct. A spirit is invisible. It is substantive, yet not physical.

As to your question: Why not simply refer to the soul as eternal?

This would imply that all souls are eternal, and such is not so. Animals, for example, have thoughts, feelings and personalities, but do not continue to exist beyond death. They lack eternal spirits, thus their souls cannot maintain cohesion beyond death.

Dear Zor. You had quite a few replies, may I try and explain it, too? We are born with a body, soul, and some of God`s Spirit. Our souls grow with our bodies, and the soul is neutral, it follows our bodies wishes, and needs. When we are small, and do what our bodies tell us, " example" cry for food, want what we like best, be disobedient, if we get away with it, etc. our souls follow our body`s wishes. As we grow older, and start thinking for ourselves, we do what we think is good for us. There comes a time, however, when we realise what we are doing is not quite right, we start listening to the " still small voice of God," the small part of God`s Spirit within us. St. Paul calls our souls, " the inner Man," and if we listen to God`s Spirit in us, the soul will follow and grow more beautiful. If, on the other hand, the still small voice of God is ignored, or even thought of as foolish talk, the soul will keep following the body`s wishes, and become stunted, or even twisted. When we reached the end of our lives on Earth, and leave the body behind, our soul will be what our body has made it, lovely and free to return to God, or grown anyhow, and go its own way. We have the choice, Zor. I say this humbly and with love. Emmy, sister in Christ.

Zor, I know the responses you get from this question can confuse a person more than help sometimes, so I'll just tell you that I didn't have the foggiest idea what a soul was until I read the bible.

Genesis 2:7 says man was created out of the dirt and God breathed life into him. MAN became a living soul.

Scripture says a soul can eat literal food (and not "soul food"...ha), it can be destroyed, bought, lie, lust, and die.

In other words, people do not "have" souls. People ARE souls.

Zor, I forgot to mention that there are several verses in scripture where the word translated to "soul" (nephesh) in most verses is also translated to "dead body". I can give you examples if you'd like. Off the top of my head I know of two, Numbers 6:6 and Numbers 9:6.

Scripture is very clear that a body plus a spirit (breath) = a living soul. Souls can be dead as well.

Soul is what makes us different from other animals. Sould is allows us to be self-aware.

Restube said:

Soul is what makes us different from other animals. Sould is allows us to be self-aware.

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Actually, animals are souls as well.

Here's some verses to illustrate exactly what a soul is.

I took the time to look up the original language in every single one of these verses. Soul in the Old Testament is translated from "nephesh". In the New Testament it is "psuche".

I'll apologize in advance if the formatting on this gets messed up. I always seem to have issues on this site when I copy/paste something I've written in Word.

I’ll have to split it up into at least two posts.

What is a soul?

Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (nephesh).

Notice it doesn’t say that man was “given” a soul. It says that man “became” a soul.

The process is reversed when we die.

Psa 104:29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.

BODY + BREATH = A SOUL

Animals are souls:

(There’s just too many verses to list but here are some so you’ll get the general idea)

Genesis 1:24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature (nephesh) after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

Genesis 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature (nephesh), that was the name thereof.

Genesis 9:10 And with every living creature (nephesh) that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.

Lev 22:11 But if the priest buy any soul (nephesh) with his money, he shall eat of it, and he that is born in his house: they shall eat of his meat.

New Testament:
Rev 16:3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul (psuche) died in the sea.

Can a soul die and/or go in a grave?

Eze 18:4Behold, all souls (nephesh) are mine; as the soul (nephesh) of the father, so also the soul (nephesh) of the son is mine: the soul (nephesh) that sinneth, it shall die (muwth).

Eze 18:20 The soul (nephesh) that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

Judges 16:16 And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul(nephesh)was vexed unto death;

Job 33:22 Yea, his soul (nephesh) draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers.

Job 33:28 He will deliver his soul (nephesh) from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.

Job 33:30 To bring back his soul(nephesh)from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.

Psa 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul (nephesh) in hell (sheol); neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Psa 30:3 O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul (nephesh) from the grave (sheol): thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

Psa 33:19 To deliver their soul (nephesh) from death, and to keep them alive in famine.

Psa 49:15 But God will redeem my soul (nephesh) from the power of the grave (sheol): for he shall receive me. Selah.

Psa 56:13 For thou hast delivered my soul (nephesh) from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

Psa 78:50 He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul (nephesh) from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;

Psa 86:13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul (nephesh) from the lowest hell (sheol).

Psa 89:48 What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul (nephesh) from the hand of the grave (sheol)? Selah.

Psa 116:8 For thou hast delivered my soul (nephesh) from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.

Psa 143:3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul (nephesh); he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.

Pro 23:14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul (nephesh) from hell (sheol).

Isa 38:17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul (nephesh) delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.

New Testament:
Mat 26:38 Then saith he unto them, My soul (psuche) is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

Mark 14:34 And saith unto them, My soul (psuche) is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.

Acts 2:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul (psuche) in hell (hades), neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Acts 2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul (psuche) was not left in hell (hades), neither his flesh did see corruption.

James 5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul (psuche) from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

A soul is a breathing creature. If they are not breathing, they are a dead soul (according to scripture).

So if anyone ever tells you a definition of the soul that doesn't fit those definitions, ask them why a soul can take a bath and eat blood.

I am not sure about the "dead soul" It takes both the "breath of life" and "dust" to make a " living soul". If the "breath of life" is missing... you are just dust... dust to dust... ashes to ashes... dead.. no soul.

Ge 18:27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:

Job 30:19 He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.

Job 13:12 Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

Visionary, there are several verses in scripture where muwth nephesh is translated to dead body. It's no longer a soul without breath, it's just a corpse or literal translation.....dead soul.

TrustAndObey said:

Visionary, there are several verses in scripture where muwth nephesh is translated to dead body. It's no longer a soul without breath, it's just a corpse or literal translation.....dead soul.

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I agree with the translation of nuwth nephesh to mean dead body.. but that does not mean the corpse is a dead soul. That is where I beg to differ. Then you are getting into soul sleep.

Did you read all the verses I posted? Souls are human beings and animals. They sleep every night.

Those are living souls and the sleep we speak of is not the sleep of death that Lazareth experienced.

trust and obey,

you really searched deep into the word to give that presentation. its very good.

visionary said:

Those are living souls and the sleep we speak of is not the sleep of death that Lazareth experienced.

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I agree, but Zor asked what a soul is. I'm not addressing death, just the basic biblical definition of what a soul is. It's a breathing creature or a dead body. Not the common definition given by most Christians I know.

teresaq said:

trust and obey,

you really searched deep into the word to give that presentation. its very good.

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Thanks! I am a little OCD about research on some things, but the biblical definition of a soul was one of the very first things that affected me when I read the bible for the first time myself.

I was told all my life that it was some kind of entity within us that lived after death. Imagine my surprise when I found it could take a bath and be bought!

1 Thessalonians 5:23 (King James Version)





23And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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This is a fairly complex subject.