Hebrew word · H5314

נָפַשׁ

veyinafesh

be refreshed

The verb occurs only three times, always in the form meaning 'to take breath, catch one's breath, be refreshed'. It comes from the same root as nefesh, whose basic meaning is 'throat, breath', and from there 'life, living being, self'.

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

(Niphal) to take breath, refresh oneself

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Exodus 31:17

Range of meaning

The verb occurs only three times, always in the form meaning 'to take breath, catch one's breath, be refreshed'. It comes from the same root as nefesh, whose basic meaning is 'throat, breath', and from there 'life, living being, self'.

The three uses:

  • Exod 23:12: the ox and donkey rest, 'and the son of your slave woman and the foreigner may catch their breath'
  • 2 Sam 16:14: David and his men arrive worn out 'and got their breath back there'
  • Exod 31:17: God himself
Against the English

'Was refreshed' (KJV, BSB, WEB, YLT and most modern versions) is accurate. It loses the physical picture of breath returning and the link to nefesh. A fuller rendering is 'he paused for breath' or 'he drew breath again'.

Used elsewhere in the period

The ancient translations hesitated over the word. The Greek Septuagint renders the pair as 'he ceased and rested' (epausato kai katepausen), which drops the breath image. The Aramaic Targum Onqelos is generally understood to read 'he ceased and rested' as well. Medieval Jewish commentators such as Rashi explain the verb as human language used of God, chosen so that people could grasp it. Isaiah 40:28 states that YHWH 'does not faint or grow weary.'

From the study of Exodus 23:12

Range of meaning

Occurs only three times, always in the form meaning 'to be refreshed' (Niphal). It is related to nefesh ('throat, breath, life, living being'), so the sense is to take a breath, recover one's breath, revive after exhaustion. In 2 Sam 16:14, David and his people arrive exhausted while fleeing and 'got their breath back' there. In Exod 31:17, God stopped on the seventh day 'and was refreshed'.

Against the English

'Be refreshed' (KJV, BSB, WEB, ESV) is fine but mild. Modern 'refreshed' can suggest a pleasant pick-me-up. The Hebrew picture is a worn-out body recovering its breath and strength.

How it drifted

'Refreshed' has softened in English (refreshments, a refreshing change). The Hebrew picture is physical: someone who has been pushed to the limit getting their breath back.

Used elsewhere in the period

2 Sam 16:14; Exod 31:17. The LXX here is generally given as anapsychō, 'to cool off, revive, get one's breath back', a close match.

Where it appears

Exodus · 2

  1. Exodus 23:12 וְיִנָּפֵ֥שׁ so he may refresh himself

    For six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you must cease, so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the son of your maidservant may be refreshed, as well as the foreign resident.

    Here: A rare verb from the same root as nefesh, 'breath, life'. It means to get one's breath back, to recover after exhaustion. It is singular, with the slave-born son as its main subject and the outsider added after it.

  2. Exodus 31:17 וַיִּנָּפַֽשׁ׃ ס and he refreshed himself

    It is a sign between Me and the Israelites forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’”

    Here: A rare and bold verb from the same root as nefesh (breath, throat, life). It pictures someone pausing to get their breath back. Elsewhere it is used of a tired slave and resident foreigner (Exod 23:12) and of exhausted travellers (2 Sam 16:14).

2 Samuel · 1

  1. 2 Samuel 16:14 וַיִּנָּפֵ֖שׁ and he refreshed himself

    Finally, the king and all the people with him arrived, exhausted. And there he refreshed himself.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.