נָפַח

nâphach /naw-fakh'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto puff, in various applications (literally, to inflate, blow hard, scatter, kindle, expire; figuratively, to disesteem)
KJV usageblow, breath, give up, cause to lose (life), seething, snuff.
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Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word nâphach, represented by H5301, is a primitive root meaning to puff. It appears 12 times across 12 unique verses in the Bible. Its applications are varied, ranging from the literal acts of inflating or blowing hard to figurative concepts like expiring or showing disesteem. The definitions include to blow, breath, give up, cause to lose (life), seething, and snuff.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H5301 is used to describe powerful actions of both God and man. In the creation account, it is the verb used for God imparting life, as He breathed into man's nostrils the breath of life Genesis 2:7. This same life-giving power is seen in Ezekiel's vision of the dry bones, where the command is to breathe upon the slain that they may live Ezekiel 37:9. The term also denotes divine judgment, as when God blows upon a meager harvest Haggai 1:9 or blows upon the people in the fire of His wrath Ezekiel 22:21. It is also used for the physical act of a smith who bloweth the coals Isaiah 54:16 and to describe a seething pot Jeremiah 1:13.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand upon the concepts of breath, life, and divine action:

  • H5397 nᵉshâmâh (a puff, i.e. wind, angry or vital breath, divine inspiration, intellect. or (concretely) an animal): This word for breath is directly paired with H5301 in the creation of humanity Genesis 2:7.
  • H5315 nephesh (properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality... soul...): This term describes the result of God's breath, a living soul Genesis 2:7. It is also used when a languishing woman has given up the ghost Jeremiah 15:9.
  • H7307 rûwach (wind; by resemblance breath... spirit...): This word for wind or spirit is commanded to act as the breath that brings life to the slain in Ezekiel's prophecy Ezekiel 37:9.
  • H2416 chay (alive; hence... life...): This term specifies the quality of existence granted by God's breath, making man a living soul Genesis 2:7.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H5301 is significant, demonstrating God's direct and powerful involvement with creation.

  • Sovereignty over Life and Death: The act of breathing life into Adam Genesis 2:7 and the command to breathe life into the dead Ezekiel 37:9 establish God as the ultimate source of life. The term is also used to signify the end of life, as in giving up the ghost Jeremiah 15:9 or causing a life to be lost Job 31:39.
  • Instrument of Divine Judgment: God's breath is not only creative but also an agent of His wrath. He blows upon the people in a furnace to melt them Ezekiel 22:20-21 and blows away their insufficient harvest as a rebuke Haggai 1:9.
  • Human Expression and Action: The word is used to describe human labor, such as the smith who bloweth the coals in the fire Isaiah 54:16. It also captures the human emotion of contempt, as when the people snuffed at the Lord's altar Malachi 1:13.

Summary

In summary, H5301 is a dynamic verb that illustrates the power of breath in both literal and figurative senses. It portrays God's intimate power to create life, His forceful execution of judgment, and His sovereignty over human endeavors. From the initial spark of life in humanity to the fires of a blacksmith and the finality of death, nâphach conveys a sense of active, forceful, and consequential action.

Grammatical Forms

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 12 occurrences, inflected in 10 grammatical forms.

  • Qal Consecutive Perfect 1st Singular common gender 2×
  • Qal Participle Passive Singular Masculine Absolute 2×
  • Hiphil Consecutive Perfect 2nd Plural Masculine 1×
  • Hiphil Perfect 1st Singular common gender 1×
  • Pual Perfect 3rd Singular Masculine 1×
  • Qal Consecutive Imperfect 3rd Singular Masculine 1×
  • Qal Imperative 2nd Singular Feminine 1×
  • Qal Infinitive Construct 1×
  • Qal Participle Singular Masculine Absolute 1×
  • Qal Perfect 3rd Singular Feminine 1×
Singular
One.
Plural
More than one.
Masculine
Masculine grammatical gender.
Feminine
Feminine grammatical gender.
common gender
Either gender — the form does not distinguish.
1st
First person — the speaker ("I"/"we").
2nd
Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd
Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Perfect
A completed act whose results continue.
Passive
The subject is acted upon.
Imperative
A command or entreaty.
Infinitive
The verb as a noun — "to do".
Participle
A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.
Qal
The simple, basic stem — plain action in the active voice.
Pual
The passive of the intensive (Piel) stem.
Hiphil
The causative stem — the subject causes the action.
Consecutive Imperfect
Imperfect with vav — carries narrative forward ("and he…").
Consecutive Perfect
Perfect with vav — continues a sequence into the future.
Absolute
The independent form of a noun (not bound to another).
Construct
Bound to a following noun — "the X of…".

Theographic Context

Biblical Distribution

Appears in 12 verses across 7 books. Most frequent in Job (3 verses).

1
Genesis
3
Job
1
Isaiah
2
Jeremiah
3
Ezekiel
1
Haggai
1
Malachi

Verse Explorer

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