Bible Encyclopedia: Breathe

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

BREATH; BREATHE; BREATHING

breth, breth, breath'-ing: In the English Versions of the Bible of the Old Testament "breath" is the rendering of neshamah, and of ruach. These words differ but slightly in meaning, both signifying primarily "wind," then "breath," though the former suggests a gentler blowing, the latter often a blast. As applied to persons there is no very clear distinction between the words. Yet in general one may say that of the two neshamah is employed preferably of breath regarded physiologically: "vital breath," hence, the vital principle, "Soul (animal) life" (compare Genesis 2:7; Genesis 7:22 Job 27:3, where both words occur; Da 5:23); while ruach (though it, too, sometimes signifies "vital breath") is the word generally employed where the breath is regarded physically-breath or blast as an act or force-and so is related to the will or the emotions, whence the meaning "spirit," also sometimes "thought," "purpose" (compare Job 4:9; Job 9:18 Psalm 18:15; Psalm 146:4 Ezekiel 37:5, 6, 8, 9, 10). The examples cited, however, and other passages reveal a lack of uniformity of usage. Yet generally ruach is the expression, neshamah, the principle, of life. Yet when employed of God they of course signify the principle, not of His own life, but of that imparted to His creatures. "Breathe" in English Versions of the Bible of the Old Testament requires no remark except at Psalm 27:12 ("such as breathe out cruelty"), from yaphach, "to breathe hard," "to snort" (compare Acts 9:1). In the New Testament "breath" (pnoe) occurs once Acts 17:25 in the plain sense of vital principle, the gift of God. "Breathed" is employed in John 20:22 of our Lord's concrete symbolism of the giving of the Spirit. In Acts 9:1 Saul's "breathing threatening and slaughter" is literally "snorting," etc., and the nouns are partitive genitives, being the element of which he breathed.

See also SPIRIT.

J. R. Van Pelt

Greek

1720. emphusao -- to breathe into or upon
... to breathe into or upon. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: emphusao Phonetic
Spelling: (em-foo-sah'-o) Short Definition: I breathe into, breathe upon ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1720.htm - 7k

1709. empneo -- to breathe (on), to inhale
... to breathe (on), to inhale. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: empneo Phonetic
Spelling: (emp-neh'-o) Short Definition: I breathe, breathe into, inhale ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1709.htm - 6k

1606. ekpneo -- to breathe out, expire
... to breathe out, expire. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: ekpneo Phonetic Spelling:
(ek-pneh'-o) Short Definition: I breathe my last, expire Definition: (lit ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1606.htm - 6k

5594. psucho -- to breathe, blow, to make cool
... to breathe, blow, to make cool. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: psucho Phonetic
Spelling: (psoo'-kho) Short Definition: I cool, grow cold Definition: I ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5594.htm - 7k

1634. ekpsucho -- to expire, breathe one's last
... to expire, breathe one's last. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: ekpsucho Phonetic
Spelling: (ek-psoo'-kho) Short Definition: I breathe my last, die, expire ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1634.htm - 6k

674. apopsucho -- to leave off breathing, ie faint
... to leave off breathing, ie faint. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: apopsucho
Phonetic Spelling: (ap-ops-oo'-kho) Short Definition: I faint, breathe out life ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/674.htm - 7k

109. aer -- air
... air. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: aer Phonetic Spelling:
(ah-ayr') Short Definition: air Definition: air, the lower air we breathe. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/109.htm - 6k

4154. pneo -- to blow
... pneo. 4155 . to blow. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: pneo Phonetic Spelling:
(pneh'-o) Short Definition: I blow Definition: I blow, breathe, as the wind ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4154.htm - 6k

5590. psuche -- breath, the soul
... individual. 5590 (from , "to breathe, blow" which is the root of the English
words "psyche," "psychology") -- ( a person's (), ie . ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5590.htm - 8k

2315. theopneustos -- God-breathed, ie inspired by God
... 2315 (from 2316 , "God" and 4154 , "breathe out") -- properly, , referring
to the () of Scripture (used only in 2 Tim 3:16). 2315 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2315.htm - 8k

Strong's Hebrew

3306. yaphach -- to breathe, puff
... 3305, 3306. yaphach. 3307 . to breathe, puff. Transliteration: yaphach Phonetic
Spelling: (yaw-fakh') Short Definition: breath. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/3306.htm - 5k

5301. naphach -- to breathe, blow
... 5300, 5301. naphach. 5302 . to breathe, blow. Transliteration: naphach Phonetic
Spelling: (naw-fakh') Short Definition: blow. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/5301.htm - 6k

6315. puach -- to breathe, blow
... 6314, 6315. puach. 6316 . to breathe, blow. Transliteration: puach Phonetic
Spelling: (poo'akh) Short Definition: utters. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/6315.htm - 6k

3307. yapheach -- breathing or puffing out
... yapheach. 3308 . breathing or puffing out. Transliteration: yapheach Phonetic
Spelling: (yaw-fay'-akh) Short Definition: breathe. ... such as breathe out. ...
/hebrew/3307.htm - 6k

1933. hava' -- to fall
... 1932, 1933. hava'. 1933a . to fall. Transliteration: hava' Phonetic Spelling:
(haw-vaw') Short Definition: breathe. to breathe; to be ...
/hebrew/1933.htm - 5k

3857. lahat -- to blaze up, flame
... root Definition to blaze up, flame NASB Word Usage aflame (1), breathe forth fire
(1), burned (1), burns (2), consumed (1), flaming (1), kindles (1), set him ...
/hebrew/3857.htm - 6k

5162. nacham -- to be sorry, console oneself
... A primitive root; properly, to sigh, ie Breathe strongly; by implication, to be
sorry, ie (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or ...
/hebrew/5162.htm - 6k

659. epha -- of nothing
... of nothing From an unused root probably meaning to breathe; properly, a breath,
ie Nothing -- of nought. 658b, 659. epha. 660 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/659.htm - 5k

5314. naphash -- to be refreshed
... A primitive root; to breathe; passively, to be breathed upon, ie (figuratively)
refreshed (as if by a current of air) -- (be) refresh selves (-ed). ...
/hebrew/5314.htm - 6k

1478. gava -- to expire, perish, die
... die, be dead, give up the ghost, perish. A primitive root; to breathe out, ie (by
implication) expire -- die, be dead, give up the ghost, perish. 1477, 1478. ...
/hebrew/1478.htm - 6k

Library

Confirmation 380. Breathe on Me, Breath of God
... III. SACRAMENTS AND RITES Confirmation 380. Breathe on me, Breath of God. SM ... Edwin
Hatch, 1878. Breathe on me, Breath of God,. Fill me with life anew,. ...
/.../confirmation 380 breathe on me.htm

Savior, Breathe an Evening Blessing
... I. DAILY PRAYER: Morning Daily Prayer: Evening 24. Savior, breathe an evening blessing. ...
St.3, Edward H. Bickersteth, 1876. Savior, breathe an evening blessing,. ...
/.../daily prayer evening 24 savior.htm

How could the Incorporeal God Breathe Out of Himself a Corporeal ...
... Book II. Chapter 9 [V.]"How Could the Incorporeal God Breathe Out of Himself
a Corporeal Substance? In that he believes God to ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 9 v how could the.htm

The Simple Nature of the Soul is Asserted with Plato. The Identity ...
... Now it is not in all animals that these two functions are found; for there are many
which only live but do not breathe in that they do not possess the organs ...
/.../tertullian/a treatise on the soul/chapter x the simple nature of.htm

Spirit --A Term Expressive of an Operation of the Soul, not of Its ...
... But the nature of my present inquiry obliges me to call the soul spirit or
breath, because to breathe is ascribed to another substance. ...
/.../tertullian/a treatise on the soul/chapter xi spirita term expressive of.htm

Of the Union of the Blessed with God in the vision of the ...
... And because the Father and the Son Who breathe, have an infinite essence and will
by which They breathe, and because the goodness for which They breathe is ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter xiii of the union.htm

The Passages of Scripture Above Cited are Taken as an Occasion for ...
... Moreover, it is your wont to detract from the Holy Spirit, though you cannot deny
that it is written: "The Spirit doth breathe, where He will." [1962] "Where ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter vi the passages of.htm

Celsus Afterwards States what is Adduced by Jews and Christians ...
... He adds also, that the air which we breathe is received from demons, and that not
an animal can breathe without receiving the air from the demons who are set ...
/.../origen/origen against celsus/chapter xxxi celsus afterwards states.htm

The Doctrine of the Scriptures.
... God.". The word "inspired" means literally "God-breathed." It is composed
of two Greek words"theos=God; and pnein=to breathe. The ...
/.../evans/the great doctrines of the bible/the doctrine of the scriptures.htm

Prayers and Praise from a Pure Mind, Ceaselessly Offered, Far ...
... of their gills? Or does He breathe all round, like the insects, by the
compression of the section by means of their wings? But no ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter vi prayers and praise from.htm

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (v. i.) To respire; to inhale and exhale air; hence;, to live.

2. (v. i.) To take breath; to rest from action.

3. (v. i.) To pass like breath; noiselessly or gently; to exhale; to emanate; to blow gently.

4. (v. t.) To inhale and exhale in the process of respiration; to respire.

5. (v. t.) To inject by breathing; to infuse; -- with into.

6. (v. t.) To emit or utter by the breath; to utter softly; to whisper; as, to breathe a vow.

7. (v. t.) To exhale; to emit, as breath; as, the flowers breathe odors or perfumes.

8. (v. t.) To express; to manifest; to give forth.

9. (v. t.) To act upon by the breath; to cause to sound by breathing.

10. (v. t.) To promote free respiration in; to exercise.

11. (v. t.) To suffer to take breath, or recover the natural breathing; to rest; as, to breathe a horse.

12. (v. t.) To put out of breath; to exhaust.

13. (v. t.) To utter without vocality, as the nonvocal consonants.

Thesaurus

Breathe (17 Occurrences)
... 6. (vt) To emit or utter by the breath; to utter softly; to whisper; as, to breathe
a vow. ... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. BREATH; BREATHE; BREATHING. ...
/b/breathe.htm - 15k

Breathing (25 Occurrences)
... 1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Breathe. 2. (n.) Respiration; the act of inhaling and exhaling
air. ... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. BREATH; BREATHE; BREATHING. ...
/b/breathing.htm - 17k

Breath (95 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) The act of breathing naturally or freely; the power or capacity to breathe
freely; as, I am out of breath. ... 4. (n.) Time to breathe; respite; pause. ...
/b/breath.htm - 38k

Ghost (123 Occurrences)
... Version (British and American) "quite at the last gasp." In the New Testament "to
give up the ghost" is the translation of ekpneo, "to breathe out" (Mark 15:37 ...
/g/ghost.htm - 39k

Inspire (3 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To breathe into; to fill with the breath; to animate. ...
7. (vi) To breathe; to blow gently. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/i/inspire.htm - 8k

Expire (14 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To breathe out; to emit from the lungs; to throw out from the mouth or
nostrils in the process of respiration; -- opposed to inspire. ...
/e/expire.htm - 10k

Pant (8 Occurrences)
... 1. (vi) To breathe quickly or in a labored manner, as after exertion or from eagerness
or excitement; to respire with heaving of the breast; to gasp. ...
/p/pant.htm - 9k

Puff (1 Occurrence)
... 8. (n.) To blow, as an expression of scorn; -- with at. 9. (n.) To breathe
quick and hard, or with puffs, as after violent exertion. 10. ...
/p/puff.htm - 8k

Breathes (6 Occurrences)
... Song of Songs 2:17 Until the day breathe, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved,
and be thou like a gazelle or a young hart upon the mountains of spices. ...
/b/breathes.htm - 7k

Breathed (16 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Breathe. Multi-Version Concordance
Breathed (16 Occurrences). Mark 15:37 Jesus cried out ...
/b/breathed.htm - 11k

Bible Concordance

Breathe (17 Occurrences)

Joshua 10:40 So Joshua struck all the land, the hill country, and the South, and the lowland, and the slopes, and all their kings. He left none remaining, but he utterly destroyed all that breathed, as Yahweh, the God of Israel, commanded.
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Joshua 11:11 They struck all the souls who were in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them. There was no one left who breathed. He burnt Hazor with fire.
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Joshua 11:14 The children of Israel took all the spoil of these cities, with the livestock, as spoils for themselves; but every man they struck with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them. They didn't leave any who breathed.
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Job 11:20 And the eyes of the wicked are consumed, And refuge hath perished from them, And their hope 'is' a breathing out of soul!
(See NAS RSV)

Job 31:39 If its strength I consumed without money, And the life of its possessors, I have caused to breathe out,
(YLT)

Psalms 12:5 Because of the spoiling of the poor, Because of the groaning of the needy, Now do I arise, saith Jehovah, I set in safety 'him who' doth breathe for it.
(YLT)

Psalms 27:12 Don't deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen up against me, such as breathe out cruelty.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Psalms 57:4 My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down among them that breathe out flames, the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
(DBY NAS)

Psalms 150:6 All that doth breathe doth praise Jah! Praise ye Jah!
(YLT RSV)

Proverbs 6:19 A false witness that breatheth out lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
(Root in JPS YLT RSV)

Song of Songs 2:17 Until the day be cool, and the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart Upon the mountains of Bether.
(See JPS RSV)

Song of Songs 4:6 Until the day be cool, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, And to the hill of frankincense.
(See JPS RSV)

Song of Songs 4:16 Awake, O north wind, and come, O south, Cause my garden to breathe forth, its spices let flow, Let my beloved come to his garden, And eat its pleasant fruits!
(YLT NAS)

Jeremiah 15:9 Languished hath the bearer of seven, She hath breathed out her spirit, Gone in hath her sun while yet day, It hath been ashamed and confounded, And their residue to the sword I give up before their enemies, An affirmation of Jehovah.
(Root in YLT NIV)

Ezekiel 21:31 And I will let loose my burning passion on you, breathing out on you the fire of my wrath: and I will give you up into the hands of men like beasts, trained to destruction.
(See NIV)

Ezekiel 37:9 Then said he to me, Prophesy to the wind, prophesy, son of man, and tell the wind, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Come from the four winds, breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Daniel 10:17 And how is the servant of this my lord able to speak with this my lord? as for me, henceforth there remaineth in me no power, yea, breath hath not been left in me.
(See NIV)

Subtopics

Breathe

Related Terms

Breathing (25 Occurrences)

Breath (95 Occurrences)

Ghost (123 Occurrences)

Inspire (3 Occurrences)

Expire (14 Occurrences)

Pant (8 Occurrences)

Puff (1 Occurrence)

Breathes (6 Occurrences)

Breathed (16 Occurrences)