called a Rifle. Neither is the Rifle separately. Oxygen and

and not for leading us astray.

Hydrogen are two separate and distinct elements; but when they

Traditionalists, however, who say that death means life, do

are united, we call them Water. So also we have the case, and the

not hesitate to say also that to "fall asleep" means to wake up! A

works; but together they form what we call a Watch; neither is

friend vouches for a case, personally known to him, of one who

the Watch separately.

(though a firm believer in tradition) was, through a fall, utterly

The Hebrew is Nephesh Chaiyah, soul of life, or living soul.

unconscious for two weeks. Had he died during that period,

What it really means can be known only by observing how the

Traditionalists would, we presume, say that the man woke up

Holy Spirit Himself uses it. In this very chapter (Gen. 2:19) it is

and returned to consciousness when he died! But, if this be so,

used of the whole animate creation generally; and is rendered

what does it mean when it says,

"living creature".

Four times it is used in the previous chapter (Gen. 1.):

"I will behold thy face in righteousness:

In verse 20 it is used of "fishes", and is translated "moving

I shall be satisfied, when I Awake with thy likeness"?

creature that hath life".

In verse 21 it is used of the great sea monsters, and is

If death is waking up, what is the waking in this verse (Psalm

translated "living creature".

17:15)? Surely it is resurrection, which is the very opposite of

In verse 24 it is used of "cattle and beasts of the earth", and is

falling asleep in death. Indeed, this is why sleep is used of the

again rendered "living creature".

Lord's people. To them it is like going to sleep; for when they

In verse 30 it is used of "every beast of the earth, and every

are raised from the dead they will surely wake again according to

fowl of the air, and every living thing that creepeth upon the

the promise of the Lord; and they shall awake in His own

earth wherein there is (i.e. "to" which there is) life. Margin "Heb.

living soul".

And if we ask what life is, the answer from God is given in

Four times in chapter 9 it is also rendered "living creature",

Gen. 2:7:

and is used of "all flesh". See verses 10, 12, 15, 16.

Twice in Leviticus 11 it is used:

"The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground,

In verse 10 of all fishes, and is rendered "living thing".

And breathed into his nostrils the breath of life,

In verse 46 of all beasts, birds, and fishes, and is translated

And man became a living soul".

"living creature".

Only once (Gen. 2:7) when it is used of man, has it been

So that the body apart from the spirit cannot be the man; and

translated "living soul" - as though it there meant something

the spirit apart from the body is not the man; but it is the union

quite different altogether.

of the two that makes "a living soul". When two separate things,

The Translators could accurately have used one rendering for

having different names, are united, they often receive and are

all these passages, and thus enabled Bible students to learn what

known by a third name, different from both. Not that they are

God teaches on this important subject.

three separate beings, but two united in one, which makes a third

This then is God's answer to our question, What is life? The

tiling, and receives another or third name. For example, there is

teaching of Scripture is (as we have seen) that man consists of

the barrel, and there is the stock; but, together, they form and are

two parts: body and spirit; and that the union of these two makes