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problem, but if we leave it to mean man, all is harmony. A glance at
Deuteronomy 20:17,18 will strengthen this view, for it immediately goes
on to enumerate those who were to be utterly destroyed, namely, the
Canaanites, and the reason given is 'that they teach you not', etc.
(3)
'So Joshua ... utterly destroyed all that breathed' (Josh.
10:40). This is parallel with No. 2.
(4) and (5) 'There was not any left to breathe ... and all the ...
cattle, the children of Israel took for a prey unto themselves: but
every man they smote with the edge of the sword ... neither left they
any to breathe' (Josh. 11:11,14). Here the meaning of neshamah is
obvious. None were left that 'breathed', yet all the cattle were
spared.
(6)
'The blast (neshamah) of the breath (ruach) of His nostrils' (2
Sam. 22:16). The reference here is to God, and needs no comment.
(7)
'He smote all the house of Jeroboam, he left not to Jeroboam any
that breathed' (1 Kings 15:29). This is the fulfilment of the word of
Ahijah, given in 1 Kings 14:10,14, where the actual descendants of
Jeroboam are in view.
(8)
'There was no breath left in him' (1 Kings 17:17).
The widow's
son is referred to here.
(9)
'By the blast of God they perish' (Job 4:9).
(10)
'Whose spirit came from thee' (Job 26:4).
Spoken to men.
(11) 'All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my
nostrils' (Job 27:3).
(12) 'There is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty
giveth them understanding' (Job 32:8). This and the following passages
we shall have to consider more fully; for the present we pass them by.
They have no reference to the beast, but very intimately connect man
with God.
(13) 'The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty
hath given me life' (Job 33:4).
(14) 'If He gather unto Himself His spirit and His breath' (Job
34:14).
(15)
'By the breath of God frost is given' (Job 37:10).
(16) 'At the blast (neshamah) of the breath (ruach) of Thy nostrils'
(Psa. 18:15).
(17) 'Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord' (Psa. 150:6).
In Psalm 148 the heavens, angels, and all His hosts, sun, moon and
stars, waters, dragons and all deeps, cattle and creeping thing, as
well as man, are all called upon to praise the Lord, but 'everything
that hath breath' does not occur there. In Psalm 150, however, man
alone is in view throughout, and we force the lower creation