'Soul' in the Bible

And the male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”

But his soul longed for and clung to Dinah daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke comfortingly to her young heart’s wishes.

But Hamor conferred with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem [deeply] longs for your daughter [and sister]. Please give her to him as his wife.

And as her soul was departing, (for she died), she named him Ben-oni (son of my sorrow); but his father called him Benjamin (son of the right hand).

And they said to one another, “Truly we are guilty regarding our brother [Joseph], because we saw the distress and anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us [to let him go], yet we would not listen [to his cry]; so this distress and anguish has come on us.”

Now, therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the young man is not with us, since his life is bound up in the young man’s life,

“O my soul, do not come into their secret council;Let not my glory (honor) be united with their assembly [for I knew nothing of their plot];Because in their anger they killed men [an honored man, Shechem, and the Shechemites],And in their self-will they lamed oxen.

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement, by reason of the life [which it represents].’

Everyone who eats it will bear [the responsibility for] his wickedness, for he has profaned a holy thing of the Lord; and that person shall be cut off from his people [excluding him from the atonement made for them].

I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject nor separate itself from you.

if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul rejects My ordinances, so that you will not [obediently] do all My commandments, and in this way break My covenant,

I will destroy your high places [devoted to idolatrous worship], and cut down your incense altars, and heap your dead bodies upon the [crushed] bodies of your idols, and My soul will detest you [with deep and unutterable loathing].

But the land will be abandoned by them and will enjoy its Sabbaths while it lies desolate without them; and they will accept the punishment for their wickedness and make amends because they rejected My ordinances and their soul rejected My statutes.

But now our appetite is gone; there is nothing at all [in the way of food] to be seen but this manna.”

But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.

Only be very careful and diligently observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord has commanded you to love the Lord your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul [your very life].”

“The torrent Kishon swept the enemy away,The ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon.O my soul, march on with strength.

Hannah was greatly distressed, and she prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish.

But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman with a despairing spirit. I have not been drinking wine or any intoxicating drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord.

Hannah said, “Oh, my lord! As [surely as] your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood beside you here, praying to the Lord.

When Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner the captain of the army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?” And Abner answered, “By your life, O king, I do not know.”

When David had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was bonded to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself.

But David vowed again, saying “Your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your sight, and he has said, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, or he will be worried.’ But truly as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is hardly a step between me and death.”

So now, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, since the Lord has prevented you from shedding blood, and from avenging yourself by your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord, be as [self-destructive as] Nabal.

Then David said on that day, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites, let him go up through the [underground] water shaft to strike the lame and the blind, who are detested by David’s soul [because of their arrogance].” So [for that reason] they say, “The blind or the lame (Jebusites) shall not come into the [royal] house [of Israel].”

Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in huts (temporary shelters), and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Should I go to my house to eat and drink and lie with my wife? By your life and the life of your soul, I will not do this thing.”

The king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all of this?” And the woman answered, “As your soul lives, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything that my lord the king has said. Indeed, it was your servant Joab who commanded me; he put all these words in the mouth of your maidservant.

Then the king swore an oath and said, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my soul from all distress,

so that the Lord may fulfill His promise concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons are careful regarding their way [of life], to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and mind and with all their soul, you shall not fail to have a man (descendant) on the throne of Israel.’

I will take you [Jeroboam], and you shall reign over whatever your soul desires; and you shall be king over Israel (the ten northern tribes).

Then he stretched himself out upon the child three times, and called to the Lord and said, “O Lord my God, please let this child’s life return to him.”

The Lord heard the voice of Elijah, and the life of the child returned to him and he revived.

And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha replied, “As the Lord lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the Lord lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho.

Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Lord lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.

When she came to the mountain to the man of God, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi approached to push her away; but the man of God said, “Let her alone, for her soul is desperate and troubled within her; and the Lord has hidden the reason from me and has not told me.”

The mother of the child said, “As the Lord lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So Elisha arose and followed her.

The king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord and to keep His commandments, His testimonies, and His statutes with all his heart and soul, to confirm the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant.

Before him there was no king like Josiah who turned to the Lord with all his heart and all his soul and all his might, in accordance with all the Law of Moses; nor did anyone like him arise after him.

if they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, and pray facing their land which You have given to their fathers and toward the city which You have chosen, and toward the house which I have built for Your Name;

They entered into a covenant (solemn agreement) to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and soul;

Then the king stood in his place and made a covenant before the Lord—to walk after (obey) the Lord, and to keep His commandments, His testimonies, and His statutes with all his heart and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant written in this book.

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

“My soul refuses to touch them;Such things are like loathsome food to me [sickening and repugnant].

“Therefore I will not restrain my mouth;I will speak in the anguish of my spirit,I will complain in the bitterness of my soul [O Lord].

“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.

“But his body [lamenting its decay] grieves in pain over it,And his soul mourns over [the loss of] himself.”

“They conceive mischief and bring forth wickedness,And their inmost soul prepares deceit and fraud.”

Whereas another dies with a bitter soul,Never even tasting pleasure or good fortune.

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

The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked,And His soul hates the [malevolent] one who loves violence.

Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious and merciful to me,For my soul finds shelter and safety in You,And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge and be confidently secureUntil destruction passes by.

For God alone my soul waits in silence;From Him comes my salvation.

For God alone my soul waits in silence and quietly submits to Him,For my hope is from Him.

My soul (my life, my inner self) longs for and greatly desires the courts of the Lord;My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.

When my anxious thoughts multiply within me,Your comforts delight me.

Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul,And all that is [deep] within me, bless His holy name.

Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul,And do not forget any of His benefits;

Bless the Lord, all you works of His, in all places of His dominion;Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul!

Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul!O Lord my God, You are very great;You are clothed with splendor and majesty,

Let sinners be consumed from the earth,And let the wicked be no more.Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul.Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)

His feet they hurt with shackles;He was put in chains of iron,

For He satisfies the parched throat,And fills the hungry appetite with what is good.

Return to your rest, O my soul,For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

Kaph.My soul languishes and grows weak for Your salvation;I wait for Your word.

Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul;Like a weaned child [resting] with his mother,My soul is like a weaned child within me [composed and freed from discontent].

For the enemy has persecuted me,He has crushed my life down to the ground;He has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have been long dead.

I reach out my hands to You;My throat thirsts for You, as a parched land [thirsts for water]. Selah.

Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)Praise the Lord, O my soul!

The soul of the wicked desires evil [like an addictive substance];His neighbor finds no compassion in his eyes.

Like cold water to a thirsty soul,So is good news from a distant land.

He who is satisfied loathes honey,But to the hungry soul any bitter thing is sweet.

a man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God has not given him the power or capacity to enjoy them [all those things which are gifts from God], but a stranger [in whom he has no interest succeeds him and] enjoys them. This is vanity and it is a [cause of] great distress.

“Tell me, O you whom my soul loves,Where do you pasture your flock,Where do you make it lie down at noon?For why should I be like one who is veiledBeside the flocks of your companions?”

“I said ‘So I must arise now and go out into the city;Into the streets and into the squares [places I do not know]I must seek him whom my soul loves.’I sought him but I did not find him.

“The watchmen who go around the city found me,And I said, ‘Have you seen him whom my soul loves?’

“Scarcely had I passed themWhen I found him whom my soul loves.I held on to him and would not let him goUntil I had brought him to my mother’s house,And into the chamber of her who conceived me.”

“Until the day breaksAnd the shadows flee away,[In my thoughts] I will go my way to the mountain of myrrhAnd to the hill of frankincense.

(The Shulammite Bride)“Awake, O north wind,And come, south wind [blow softly upon my garden];Make my garden breathe out fragrance, [for the one in whom my soul delights],Let its spices flow forth.Let my beloved come into his gardenAnd eat its choicest fruits.” Cross references: Song of Solomon 4:7 : John 14:18; Eph 5:27 Song of Solomon 4:8 : 2 Cor 11:2, 3 Song of Solomon 4:10 : John 15:9; Rom 8:35 Song of Solomon 4:13 : John 15:5; Eph 5:9 Song of Solomon 4:15 : John 4:10; 7:37, 38 end of crossrefs

“I opened for my beloved,But my beloved had turned away and was gone.My heart went out to him when he spoke.I searched for him, but I could not find him;I called him, but he did not answer me.

(The Shulammite Bride)“Hurry, my beloved and come quickly,Like a gazelle or a young stag [taking me home]On the mountains of spices.”

“I hate [the hypocrisy of] your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts.They have become a burden to Me;I am weary of bearing them.

The Lord will consume the glory of Assyria’s forest and of its fruitful garden, both soul and body,And it will be as when a sick man wastes away.

In the night my soul longs for You [O Lord],Indeed, my spirit within me seeks You diligently;For [only] when Your judgments are experienced on the earthWill the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

“What shall I say?For He has spoken to me, and He Himself has done it;I will wander aimlessly all my years because of the bitterness of my soul.

“Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold;My Chosen One in whom My soul delights.I have put My Spirit upon Him;He will bring forth justice to the nations.

As a result of the anguish of His soul,He shall see it and be satisfied;By His knowledge [of what He has accomplished] the Righteous One,My Servant, shall justify the many [making them righteous—upright before God, in right standing with Him],For He shall bear [the responsibility for] their sins.

“Why do you spend money for that which is not bread,And your earnings for what does not satisfy?Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,And let your soul delight in abundance.

“Incline your ear [to listen] and come to Me;Hear, so that your soul may live;And I will make an everlasting covenant with you,According to the faithful mercies [promised and] shown to David.

“Is a fast such as this what I have chosen, a day for a man to humble himself [with sorrow in his soul]?Is it only to bow down his head like a reedAnd to make sackcloth and ashes as a bed [pretending to have a repentant heart]?Do you call this a fast and a day pleasing to the Lord?

I will rejoice greatly in the Lord,My soul will exult in my God;For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,He has covered me with a robe of righteousness,As a bridegroom puts on a turban,And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

For I [fully] satisfy the weary soul, and I replenish every languishing and sorrowful person.”

And I will bring Israel [home] again to his pasture and he will graze on [the most fertile lands of] Carmel [in the west] and Bashan [in the east], and his soul will be satisfied on the hills of Ephraim and Gilead.

“I weep for these things;My eyes overflow with tears,Because a comforter,One who could restore my soul, is far away from me.My children are desolate and perishing,For the enemy has prevailed.”

My soul has been cast far away from peace;I have forgotten happiness.

My soul continually remembers themAnd is bowed down within me.

O Lord, You have pleaded my soul’s cause [You have guided my way and protected me];You have rescued and redeemed my life.

Behold (pay close attention), all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die.

The person who sins [is the one that] will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the sin of the father, nor will the father bear the punishment for the sin of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be on himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on himself.

‘Speak to the house of Israel, “Thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I will profane My sanctuary, the pride of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and the delight of your soul; and your sons and your daughters whom you have left behind [in Jerusalem] will fall by the sword.