'Life' in the Bible

There was war between Rehoboam [Abijam’s father] and Jeroboam all the days of Rehoboam’s life.

In his days, Hiel the Bethelite rebuilt Jericho. He laid its foundations with the loss of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates with the loss of his youngest son Segub, in accordance with the word of the Lord, which He spoke through Joshua the son of Nun.

Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me, and even more, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like the life of one of them.”

And Elijah was afraid and arose and ran for his life, and he came to Beersheba which belongs to Judah, and he left his servant there.

But he himself traveled a day’s journey into the wilderness, and he came and sat down under a juniper tree and asked [God] that he might die. He said, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

He said, “I have been very zealous (impassioned) for the Lord God of hosts (armies) [proclaiming what is rightfully and uniquely His]; for the sons of Israel have abandoned (broken) Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I, only I, am left; and they seek to take away my life.”

He said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts (armies), because the sons of Israel have abandoned (broken) Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I, only I, am left; and they seek to take away my life.”

But his servants said to him, “We have heard that the kings of the house (royal line) of Israel are merciful kings. Please let us put sackcloth around our loins and ropes on our necks [as symbols of submission], and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will spare your life.”

As the king passed by, the prophet called out to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the middle of the battle, and behold, a man turned aside and brought a man to me and said, ‘Guard this man; if for any reason he is missing, then your life shall be required for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’

He said to the king, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Because you have released from your hand the man [Ben-hadad] whom I had devoted to destruction, your life shall be required for his life, and your people for his people.’”

So Ahaziah again sent a captain of a third fifty with his fifty [fighting men]. And the third captain of fifty went up and came bowed down on his knees before Elijah, and begged him [for compassion] and said to him, “O man of God, please let my life and the lives of your servants, these fifty, be precious in your sight.

Behold, fire came down from heaven and consumed the first two captains of fifty with their fifties; but now let my life be precious in your sight.”

Now Elisha had said to the [Shunammite] woman whose son he had restored to life, “Prepare and go, you and your household, and stay temporarily wherever you can; for the Lord has called for a famine, and moreover, it will come on the land [and continue] for seven years.”

And [just] as Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had restored the dead to life, behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life appealed to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, “My lord, O king, this is the woman and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.”

Then they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings.Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside for himself and said, “If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, the one who lets him go shall forfeit his own life for that man’s life.”

I will add fifteen years to your life and save you and this city [Jerusalem] from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will protect this city for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.”’”

Jehoiachin changed his prison clothes [for palace garments] and he dined regularly in the king’s presence for the remainder of his life;

and his allowance, a continual one, was given to him by the king (Evil-meridach), a portion every day, for the rest of his life.

God replied to Solomon, “Because this was in your heart and you did not ask for riches, possessions or honor and personal glory, or the life of those who hate you, nor have you even asked for long life, but you have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself so that you may rule and administer justice to My people over whom I have made you king,

so that they may offer pleasing (sweet-smelling) sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.

Then Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be spared as my petition, and my people [be spared] as my request;

Then in his fury, the king stood up from drinking wine and went into the palace garden [to decide what he should do]; but Haman stayed to plead for his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that harm had been determined against him by the king.

Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! Yes, a man will give all he has for his life.

So the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand, only spare his life.”

“Why is the light given to him who is in misery,And life to the bitter in soul,

“Remember that my life is but breath [a puff of wind, a sigh];My eye will not see good again.

“I waste away and loathe my life; I will not live forever.Let me alone, for my days are but a breath [futile and without substance].

“[Though] I am blameless,I do not care about myself;I despise my life.

“I am disgusted with my life and loathe it!I will give free expression to my complaint;I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

‘You have granted me life and lovingkindness;And Your providence (divine care, supervision) has preserved my spirit.

“And your life would be brighter than the noonday;Darkness [then] would be like the morning.

Or speak to the earth [with its many forms of life], and it will teach you;And let the fish of the sea declare [this truth] to you.

“Who among all these does not recognize [in all these things that good and evil are randomly scattered throughout nature and human life]That the hand of the Lord has done this,

In whose hand is the life of every living thing,And the breath of all mankind?

“Why should I take my flesh in my teethAnd put my life in my hands [incurring the wrath of God]?

“From the [populous and crowded] city men groan,And the souls of the wounded cry out for help;Yet God [seemingly] does not pay attention to the wrong [done to them].

“Yet God draws away the mighty by His power;He rises, but no one has assurance of life.

“As God lives, who has taken away my right and denied me justice,And the Almighty, who has caused bitterness and grief for my soul,

As long as my life is within me,And the breath of God is [still] in my nostrils,

“For what is the hope of the godless, even though he has gained [in this world],When God takes his life?

“And now my soul is poured out within me;The days of affliction have seized me.

“I would count out to Him the number of my steps [with every detail of my life],Approaching His presence as if I were a prince.

“The Spirit of God has made me,And the breath of the Almighty gives me life [which inspires me].

He holds back his soul from the pit [of destruction],And his life from passing over into Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead).

“Then his soul draws near to the pit [of destruction],And his life to those who bring death (the destroyers).

‘God has redeemed my life from going to the pit [of destruction],And my life shall see the light.’”

To bring his life back from the pit [of destruction],That he may be enlightened with the light of the living.

“He does not prolong the life of the wicked,But gives the afflicted their justice.

“They die in youth,And their life ends among the cult prostitutes.

“He is the first [in magnitude and power] of the works of God;[Only] He who made him can bring near His sword [to master him].

Return, O Lord, rescue my soul;Save me because of Your [unfailing] steadfast love and mercy.

So that my enemy will not tear me like a lion,Dragging me away while there is no one to rescue [me].

Let the enemy pursue me and overtake me;And let him trample my life to the groundAnd lay my honor in the dust. Selah.

You will show me the path of life;In Your presence is fullness of joy;In Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

Arise, O Lord, confront him, cast him down;Save my soul from the wicked with Your sword,

From men with Your hand, O Lord,From men of the world [these moths of the night] whose portion [of enjoyment] is in this life—idle and vain,And whose belly You fill with Your treasure;They are satisfied with children,And they leave what they have left [of wealth] to their children.

He asked life of You,And You gave it to him,Long life forever and evermore.

Rescue my life from the sword,My only life from the paw of the dog (the executioner).

He refreshes and restores my soul (life);He leads me in the paths of righteousnessfor His name’s sake.

Surely goodness and mercy and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life,And I shall dwell forever [throughout all my days] in the house and in the presence of the Lord.

To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

Do not sweep my soul away with sinners,Nor [sweep away] my life with men of bloodshed,

The Lord is my light and my salvation—Whom shall I fear?The Lord is the refuge and fortress of my life—Whom shall I dread?

One thing I have asked of the Lord, and that I will seek:That I may dwell in the house of the Lord [in His presence] all the days of my life,To gaze upon the beauty [the delightful loveliness and majestic grandeur] of the LordAnd to meditate in His temple.

O Lord, You have brought my life up from Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead);You have kept me alive, so that I would not go down to the pit (grave).

For His anger is but for a moment,His favor is for a lifetime.Weeping may endure for a night,But a shout of joy comes in the morning.

For my life is spent with sorrowAnd my years with sighing;My strength has failed because of my iniquity,And even my body has wasted away.

For I have heard the slander and whispering of many,Terror is on every side;While they schemed together against me,They plotted to take away my life.

My soul makes its boast in the Lord;The humble and downtrodden will hear it and rejoice.

Who is the man who desires lifeAnd loves many days, that he may see good?

Let those be ashamed and dishonored who seek my life;Let those be turned back [in defeat] and humiliated who plot evil against me.

For without cause they hid their net for me;Without cause they dug a pit [of destruction] for my life.

Lord, how long will You look on [without action]?Rescue my life from their destructions,My only life from the young lions.

For with You is the fountain of life [the fountain of life-giving water];In Your light we see light.

Those who seek my life lay snares for me,And those who seek to injure me threaten mischievous things and destruction;They devise treachery all the day long.

Let those be ashamed and humiliated togetherWho seek my life to destroy it;Let those be turned back [in defeat] and dishonoredWho delight in my hurt.

O my God, my soul is in despair within me [the burden more than I can bear];Therefore I will [fervently] remember You from the land of the JordanAnd the peaks of [Mount] Hermon, from Mount Mizar.

Yet the Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime,And in the night His song will be with me,A prayer to the God of my life.

For the ransom of his soul is too costly,And he should cease trying forever—

For strangers have risen against meAnd violent men have sought my life;They have not set God before them. Selah.

Behold, God is my helper and ally;The Lord is the sustainer of my soul [my upholder].

He has redeemed my life in peace from the battle that was against me,For there were many against me.

They attack, they hide and lurk,They watch my steps,As they have [expectantly] waited to take my life.

For You have rescued my soul from death,Yes, and my feet from stumbling,So that I may walk before GodIn the light of life.

My life is among lions;I must lie among those who breathe out fire—The sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows,And their tongue a sharp sword.

They set a net for my steps;My very life was bowed down.They dug a pit before me;Into the midst of it they themselves have fallen. Selah.

Look! They lie in wait for my life;Fierce and powerful men [are uniting together to] launch an attack against me,Not for my wrongdoing nor for any sin of mine, O Lord.

You will prolong the king’s life [adding days upon days];His years will be like many generations.

Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,My lips shall praise You.

But those who seek my life to destroy itWill [be destroyed and] go into the depths of the earth [into the underworld].

Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint;Guard my life from the terror of the enemy.

Save me, O God,For the waters have threatened my life [they have come up to my neck].

May they be blotted out of the book of life [and their lives come to an end]And may they not be recorded with the righteous (those in right standing with God).

Let those be ashamed and humiliatedWho seek my life;Let them be turned back and humiliatedWho delight in my hurt.

For my enemies have spoken against me;Those who watch for my life have consulted together,

Let those who attack my life be ashamed and consumed;Let them be covered with reproach and dishonor, who seek to injure me.

Oh, do not hand over the soul of your turtledove to the wild beast;Do not forget the life of Your afflicted forever.

He leveled a path for His anger [to give it free run];He did not spare their souls from death,But turned over their lives to the plague.

Then we shall not turn back from You;Revive us and we will call on Your name.

Protect my life (soul), for I am godly and faithful;O You my God, save Your servant, who trusts in You [believing in You and relying on You, confidently committing everything to You].