נְשָׁמָה (H5397) — Hebrew Lexicon

נְשָׁמָה

𐤍𐤔𐤌𐤄

nᵉshâmâh

H5397 noun

SILEX Entry

Root נשם to breathe, exhale, blow

Definition

Breath; specifically, the act or process of breathing as the marker of animate life. In extension, living being; in specialized contexts, often denotes vital breath—what distinguishes the living from the dead. In poetical and some prose texts, may refer to (human or animal) life-force, distinguishing the living from inanimate matter. Can figuratively denote the living creature itself, understood as one possessing breath; rarely used to represent conscious intellect. In some contexts, particularly in later or poetic passages, used to express the idea of the animating force or capacity for life, occasionally with implications of divine bestowal of life.

Semantic Range

breath, act of breathing, vital breath, animating force, living being (as one who breathes), capacity for life, divine gift of life

Root / Etymology

Root: נ־ש־מ (נשם). Derived from the root נָשַׁם meaning 'to breathe' or 'to blow.' The noun נְשָׁמָה builds on this root idea, signifying 'breath' or 'breathing.' The actual lexical meaning emphasizes the result of the action ('breath' or 'that which breathes') more than the act itself.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Across the Hebrew Bible, נְשָׁמָה primarily refers to the physical breath that marks living beings; for example, Genesis 2:7 describes YHWH breathing the 'breath of life' (נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים) into the first human. The term is regularly connected to both humans and animals, as in Genesis 7:22, where it marks all creatures possessing the 'breath of life.' It is distinct from רוּחַ, which, while also meaning 'spirit' or 'wind,' often encompasses broader semantic fields including 'spirit,' 'wind,' 'direction,' or the immaterial seat of emotion and will. נְשָׁמָה, by contrast, is rarely used for intellect or personality traits and is not the standard term for 'soul' or 'spirit' in later religious thought. In poetic literature, such as Psalms and Job, נְשָׁמָה can express gratitude to the deity for the gift of life, but without developing the anthropological or theological nuances found in later tradition. English translations often use 'breath' or 'life,' but occasionally render it 'soul' or 'spirit' (following the KJV), which narrows or distorts the term’s ancient sense; these renderings can obscure the original, more physical or animating nuance.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from נָשַׁם; a puff, i.e. wind, angry or vital breath, divine inspiration, intellect. or (concretely) an animal; blast, (that) breath(-eth), inspiration, soul, spirit.

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Root Family

נשם (n-š-m) — to breathe, exhale, blow

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H5396	נִשְׁמָא	your vital breath
H8074	שָׁמֵם	vital breath

Word Forms

9 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H5397-03`	נְשָׁמָֽה	neshamah	`HNcfsa`	breath	vital breath	7
`H5397-04`	נִשְׁמַ֣ת	nishemat	`HNcfsc`	the breath	breath-of	4
`H5397-02`	מִ/נִּשְׁמַ֖ת	minishemat	`HR/Ncfsc`	by the breath	from breath-of	4
`H5397-08`	וְ/נִשְׁמַת	venishemat	`HC/Ncfsc`	and the breath	and breath-of	3
`H5397-01`	הַ/נְּשָׁמָה֙	haneshamah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	that breathed	the life-breath	2
`H5397-05`	נִשְׁמָתִ֣/י	nishemati	`HNcfsc/Sp1cs`	my breath	my vital breath	1
`H5397-09`	וְ֝/נִשְׁמָת֗/וֹ	venishemato	`HC/Ncfsc/Sp3ms`	and his breath	and his vital breath	1
`H5397-06`	וּ/נְשָׁמָ֖ה	uneshamah	`HC/Ncfsa`	and-breath	and life-breath	1
`H5397-07`	וּ/נְשָׁמ֖וֹת	uneshamot	`HC/Ncfpa`	and the souls	and vital breaths	1

Occurrences in Scripture

24 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H5397-04`	Genesis 2:7	נִשְׁמַ֣ת	nishemat	`HNcfsc`	the breath	breath-of
`H5397-04`	Genesis 7:22	נִשְׁמַת	nishemat	`HNcfsc`	breath	breath-of
`H5397-03`	Deuteronomy 20:16	נְשָׁמָֽה	neshamah	`HNcfsa`	breath/soul	vital breath
`H5397-01`	Joshua 10:40	הַ/נְּשָׁמָה֙	haneshamah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	that breathed	the life-breath
`H5397-03`	Joshua 11:11	נְשָׁמָ֑ה	neshamah	`HNcfsa`	who breathed	vital breath
`H5397-03`	Joshua 11:14	נְשָׁמָֽה	neshamah	`HNcfsa`	breathing	vital breath
`H5397-02`	2 Samuel 22:16	מִ/נִּשְׁמַ֖ת	minishemat	`HR/Ncfsc`	at the blast	from breath-of
`H5397-03`	1 Kings 15:29	נְשָׁמָ֛ה	neshamah	`HNcfsa`	that breathed	vital breath
`H5397-03`	1 Kings 17:17	נְשָׁמָֽה	neshamah	`HNcfsa`	breath	vital breath
`H5397-03`	Isaiah 2:22	נְשָׁמָ֖ה	neshamah	`HNcfsa`	breath	vital breath
`H5397-04`	Isaiah 30:33	נִשְׁמַ֤ת	nishemat	`HNcfsc`	the breath	breath-of
`H5397-03`	Isaiah 42:5	נְשָׁמָה֙	neshamah	`HNcfsa`	breath	vital breath
`H5397-07`	Isaiah 57:16	וּ/נְשָׁמ֖וֹת	uneshamot	`HC/Ncfpa`	and the souls	and vital breaths
`H5397-02`	Psalms 18:16	מִ֝/נִּשְׁמַ֗ת	minishemat	`HR/Ncfsc`	from the blast	from breath-of
`H5397-01`	Psalms 150:6	הַ֭/נְּשָׁמָה	haneshamah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	that has breath	the life-breath
`H5397-04`	Proverbs 20:27	נִשְׁמַ֣ת	nishemat	`HNcfsc`	spirit	breath-of
`H5397-02`	Job 4:9	מִ/נִּשְׁמַ֣ת	minishemat	`HR/Ncfsc`	by the breath	from breath-of
`H5397-08`	Job 26:4	וְ/נִשְׁמַת	venishemat	`HC/Ncfsc`	and spirit	and breath-of
`H5397-05`	Job 27:3	נִשְׁמָתִ֣/י	nishemati	`HNcfsc/Sp1cs`	my breath	my vital breath
`H5397-08`	Job 32:8	וְ/נִשְׁמַ֖ת	venishemat	`HC/Ncfsc`	and the breath	and breath-of
`H5397-08`	Job 33:4	וְ/נִשְׁמַ֖ת	venishemat	`HC/Ncfsc`	and the breath	and breath-of
`H5397-09`	Job 34:14	וְ֝/נִשְׁמָת֗/וֹ	venishemato	`HC/Ncfsc/Sp3ms`	and his breath	and his vital breath
`H5397-02`	Job 37:10	מִ/נִּשְׁמַת	minishemat	`HR/Ncfsc`	from the breath of	from breath-of
`H5397-06`	Daniel 10:17	וּ/נְשָׁמָ֖ה	uneshamah	`HC/Ncfsa`	and-breath	and life-breath

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