רוּחַ378 H7307
Wind, breath, spirit; the Spirit of God; human disposition or mind; compass direction; spirit beings.
Few Hebrew words rival רוּחַ in semantic range and theological depth. From the concrete wind that parts the Red Sea (Exod 14:21) to the Spirit of God hovering over primordial waters (Gen 1:2), this feminine noun spans the physical and the numinous. Its Arabic cognate splits neatly between رِيح (wind) and رُوح (spirit/soul), a division Hebrew refuses to make — the same word serves for the east wind destroying Tarshish ships (Ps 48:7), the crushed spirit of the oppressed (Exod 6:9, where Hebrew קֹצֶר רוּחַ becomes Spanish angustia de espíritu), and the divine Spirit empowering Bezalel for artistry (Exod 31:3). This refusal to separate breath from spirit is itself a theological claim about the unity of created and divine vitality.
Senses
1. human spirit / disposition / mind — The human spirit, disposition, mind, mood, or inner life — the immaterial seat of emotions, will, and courage (145 occurrences). Includes 'shortness of spirit' (Exod 6:9, impatience/anguish), 'a new spirit' (Ezek 18:31), and 'a willing spirit' (Ps 51:12). Korean renders this as 심령/마음 (heart-mind), Swahili as roho (lowercase, human), and Hindi as मन/आत्मा — each language choosing from its own interior-life vocabulary. The broad application to jealousy, anger, patience, and courage confirms this as the seat of the whole inner person, not merely intellect. 145×
AR["الرُّوحُ", "الرُّوحِ", "الرّوحُ", "الرّوحِ", "الـ-رُّوحِ", "روحٌ", "روحٍ", "رُوحًا", "رُوحٌ", "رُوحٌ-"]·ben["আত্মা", "আত্মা-", "আত্মায়", "আত্মার", "ইসহাকের"]·DE["Geist", "des-Geistes"]·EN["are-a-spirit", "in-spirit", "spirit", "the-spirit"]·FR["esprit"]·heb["רוח"]·HI["अअतम", "अअतम-", "आत्मा", "आत्मा-का", "आत्मा-की", "आत्मा-के", "आत्मा-में", "आत्मा-वाला"]·ID["marah", "roh", "roh-", "semangat"]·IT["spirito"]·jav["Roh", "kula", "murka", "napas", "roh", "roh-", "semangat"]·KO["영", "영-", "영-의", "영-이", "영을", "영의-짧음", "영이", "영이니라", "영이라", "영혼-이", "통회하는"]·PT["espírito", "espírito-", "são-espírito"]·RU["дух", "дух-", "духа", "духом"]·ES["espíritu", "espíritu-"]·SW["kwa-roho", "roho", "wa-roho", "ya-roho"]·TR["nefes", "ruh", "ruh-", "ruhlu", "ruhlulara", "ruhun"]·urd["روح", "روح-کا", "روح-کی", "ہمت"]
Gen 26:35, Exod 6:9, Num 14:24, Num 27:18, Josh 2:11, Josh 5:1, 1 Sam 1:15, 1 Sam 16:14, 1 Sam 16:23, 1 Kgs 18:12, 2 Kgs 19:7, 1 Chr 12:19 (+38 more)
2. [split] wind (meteorological) — Physical wind, a natural movement of air (113 occurrences) — including the east wind (רוּחַ קָדִים) that dries seas and blasts crops, storm winds, gentle breezes, and the four winds as cosmic forces. Arabic رِيح, Korean 바람, Hindi हवा, and Swahili upepo all isolate this as a purely meteorological term. Key passages include Gen 8:1, where God sends a wind over the flood waters, and Job 1:19, where a great wind destroys Job's children's house. 0×
AR["الرَّيحِ", "الرِّيحُ", "الرِّيحِ", "الرّيح", "الرّيحِ", "ريحًا", "ريحٌ", "ريحَ", "رِيحًا", "رِيحٌ", "رِيحٍ", "رِيحُ"]·ben["বাতাস", "বাতাসের", "বায়ু", "বায়ুর"]·DE["Geist", "der-Geist", "ein-Geist", "ein-Geist-", "einen-Wind", "wind"]·EN["a-breath", "a-wind", "a-wind-of", "breath", "the-wind", "wind", "wind-of"]·FR["esprit", "vent", "wind"]·heb["רוח"]·HI["वअयु", "वायु", "वायु-के", "वायु-को", "श्वास", "हवा", "हवा-का", "हवा-के"]·ID["angin", "nafas"]·IT["spirito", "vento"]·jav["angin"]·KO["바람", "바람-을", "바람-의", "바람-이", "바람으로", "바람의", "바람이", "영"]·PT["do-vento", "o-vento", "vento"]·RU["-ветра", "ветер", "ветра", "ветром", "дух"]·ES["el-viento", "viento", "viento-de"]·SW["kwa-hiyo", "pumzi", "upepo"]·TR["nefes", "ruh", "ruzgar", "ruzgarın", "rüzgar", "rüzgara", "rüzgarı", "rüzgarın", "rüzgâr", "rüzgârın"]·urd["هوا", "پر", "ہوا", "ہوا-کا", "ہوا-کی", "ہوا-کے", "ہوا-ہے"]
3. Spirit of God / Holy Spirit — The Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit — the divine agent of creation, prophecy, empowerment, and revelation (96 occurrences). Characteristically appears in construct with divine names: רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים (Gen 1:2), רוּחַ יהוה (Judg 3:10). Arabic رُوح الله, Korean 하나님의 영, Spanish Espíritu de Dios, and German Geist Gottes all capitalize or otherwise mark the divine referent. The semantic continuity with sense 2 (wind) is theologically intentional: God's Spirit moves like wind, unseen but powerful (cf. Ezek 37:9-10 where wind/breath/Spirit converge). 96×
AR["روحَ", "رُوح", "رُوحٌ", "رُوحٌ-", "رُوحَ", "رُوحُ", "رُوحُ-", "رُوحُ־"]·ben["আত্মা", "আত্মায়"]·DE["Geist-von", "Geist-von-", "der-Geist"]·EN["spirit-of", "spirit-of-"]·FR["esprit-de", "esprit-de-"]·heb["רוח"]·HI["अअतम", "अअतम-", "आत्मा", "आत्मा-", "आत्मा-से"]·ID["Roh", "Roh-", "roh", "roh-"]·IT["spirito-di", "spirito-di-"]·jav["Roh", "Roh-", "roh", "roh-", "roh-saking"]·KO["영", "영(접)", "영-", "영-의", "영으로", "영이"]·PT["Espírito-de-", "espírito", "espírito-de", "espírito-de-"]·RU["Дух-", "дух", "дух-", "духа", "духом"]·ES["Espíritu-de", "espíritu", "espíritu-de", "espíritu-de-"]·SW["Ruh", "roho", "roho-ya"]·TR["Ruh-u-", "ruh", "ruh-", "ruhu", "ruhu-", "ruhuyla"]·urd["روح", "روح-سے"]
Gen 41:38, Gen 45:27, Exod 28:3, Exod 31:3, Exod 35:31, Num 5:14, Num 5:14, Num 5:30, Deut 34:9, Judg 9:23, 1 Sam 16:13, 1 Sam 16:15 (+38 more)
3. natural wind (meteorological phenomenon) — Split from sense 135002. Criteria: Physical air movement: storm winds, east wind, gentle breezes, the four winds as natural forces 89×
AR["الرَّيحِ", "الرِّيحُ", "الرِّيحِ", "الرّيح", "الرّيحِ", "ريحاً", "ريحًا", "ريحٌ", "رِيحًا", "رِيحٌ", "رِيحٍ", "رِيحُ"]·ben["বাতাস", "বাতাসের", "বায়ু", "বায়ুর"]·DE["Geist", "der-Geist", "ein-Geist", "wind"]·EN["a-breath", "a-wind", "breath", "the-wind", "wind", "wind-of"]·FR["esprit", "wind"]·heb["רוח"]·HI["वायु", "वायु-के", "श्वास", "हवा", "हवा-का", "हवा-के"]·ID["Angin", "angin", "nafas"]·IT["spirito", "vento"]·jav["angin"]·KO["바람", "바람-을", "바람-의", "바람-이", "바람으로", "바람은", "바람을", "바람의", "바람이", "영"]·PT["Vento-de", "do-vento", "o-vento", "vento"]·RU["-ветра", "ветер", "ветра", "ветром", "дух"]·ES["Viento-de", "el-viento", "viento"]·SW["kwa-hiyo", "pumzi", "upepo", "upepo-wa"]·TR["nefes", "ruh", "ruzgar", "ruzgarın", "rüzgar", "rüzgara", "rüzgarı", "rüzgarın", "rüzgâr", "rüzgârın"]·urd["پر", "ہوا", "ہوا-کا", "ہوا-کو", "ہوا-کی", "ہوا-کے", "ہوا-ہے"]
4. breath / life-breath — Physical breath, the breath of life, the vital force animating living creatures (15 occurrences). Gen 6:17 and 7:15 speak of 'the breath of life' (רוּחַ חַיִּים) in all flesh. At death, the רוּחַ returns to God who gave it (Eccl 12:7). Arabic نَفَس (breath) and Hindi साँस/प्राण mark this as distinct from wind or spirit proper. The overlap with sense 1 (spirit) and sense 3 (divine Spirit) is precisely the point: life-breath, human spirit, and divine Spirit form a continuous theological spectrum. 15×
AR["بِ-رِيحِ", "روحي", "روحَها", "رُوحٌ", "رُوحَ", "رُوحُ", "رُوحُكُمْ", "رُوحِي", "رِيحِ", "نَفَسُ", "وَبِرُوحِ"]·ben["-দ্বারা", "আত্মা", "আমার-নিঃশ্বাস", "ও-নিঃশ্বাসে", "তাদের-শ্বাস", "তোমাদের-আত্মা", "প্রাণ", "বাতাস", "শ্বাস"]·DE["Geist", "Odem", "breath-von", "der-Geist-", "ihr-Geist", "im-Geist", "mein-Geist", "und-durch-Geist-"]·EN["The-breath", "and-by-breath-of", "breath", "breath-of", "by-breath-of", "my-breath", "of-ruthless-ones", "the-breath-of", "their-breath", "your-breath"]·FR["breath-de", "dans-esprit", "esprit", "et-dans-esprit", "mon-esprit-moi", "vent"]·heb["ב-רוח", "ו-ב-רוח", "רוח", "רוחי", "רוחכם", "רוחם"]·HI["आत्मा", "उनकी-सांस", "और-से-श्वास", "तुम्हारी-आत्मा", "प्राण", "प्रान", "फूंक", "मेरी-साँस", "वायु-की", "साँस", "साँस-से", "सांस"]·ID["Nafas", "nafas", "nafas-mereka", "nafasku", "napas", "napas-mu", "oleh-nafas", "roh"]·IT["breath-di", "e-in-spirito", "in-spirito", "soffio-di", "spirito", "spirito-mio"]·jav["Napas", "ambekan", "ambekan-kawula", "angin", "lan-kalayan-napas", "napas", "napas-kawula", "napas-nipun", "napas-panjenengan", "nganggo-angin"]·KO["그들-의-영-을", "기운-으로", "나의-기운이", "나의-숨-을", "너희의-영이", "바람-의", "숨-이", "영", "영이", "입김의-", "호흡-이라"]·PT["Fôlego-de", "Meu-hálito", "do-vento", "e-pelo-sopro-de", "espírito", "fôlego", "fôlego-de", "há-fôlego", "meu-fôlego", "pelo-sopro-de", "seu-fôlego", "sopro-de", "vosso-sopro"]·RU["Дыхание", "дух", "дух-ваш", "дух-их", "дух-мой", "духа", "дыхание", "дыхание-моё", "дыхания", "и-дыханием", "от-дуновения"]·ES["El-aliento-de", "Mi-aliento", "aliento", "aliento-de", "espíritu", "espíritu-de", "mi-aliento,", "por-el-soplo-de", "su-espíritu", "viento-de", "vuestro-espíritu", "y-por-aliento-de"]·SW["Pumzi-ya", "kwa-pumzi-ya", "na-kwa-pumzi-ya", "pumzi", "pumzi-ya", "pumzi-yangu", "pumzi-yao", "pumzi-yenu", "roho-ya", "upepo-wa"]·TR["Nefesi", "nefes", "nefesi", "nefesiiniz", "nefesimi", "nefesiyle", "ruh", "ruhlarını", "ruhu", "ruhum", "ruhunun", "ve-soluğuyla"]·urd["اور-روح-سے", "اُن-کی-روح", "اپنی-سانس", "تمہاری-روح", "دم", "روح", "رُوح-میری", "سانس", "ہوا", "ہوا-سے"]
4. divine wind (instrument of God's action) — Split from sense 135002. Criteria: Wind as God's direct agent: Gen 8:1 (God sends wind over flood waters), wind that dries seas, theologically significant wind events 24×
AR["الرِّيحِ", "الرّيحِ", "ريحَ", "ريحُ", "رُوحِهِ", "رِيحًا", "رِيحٌ", "رِيحَ", "رِيحَهُ", "رِيحُ", "رِيَاحٍ", "وَ-رِيحٌ", "وَ-رِيحَ", "وَ-رِيحُ"]·ben["এবং-বাতাস", "তাঁর-আত্মার", "তাঁর-বাতাস", "বাতাস", "বাতাস-", "বাতাসের", "বায়ু", "বায়ুর"]·DE["Geist", "Wind-von", "Wind-von-", "ein-Geist-", "einen-Wind", "sein-Geist", "und-Wind-von", "und-ein-Geist-", "und-ein-Wind"]·EN["a-wind", "a-wind-", "a-wind-of", "and-a-wind", "and-a-wind-of", "and-wind-of", "his-wind", "the-wind", "wind", "wind-of", "wind-of-", "winds"]·FR["esprit", "et-esprit", "et-un-vent", "et-vent-de", "son-esprit", "vent", "vent-de", "vent-de-"]·heb["ו-רוח", "רוּחַ", "רוח", "רוח-", "רוחו", "רוחות"]·HI["अपनी-आत्मा-की", "अपनी-वायु", "और-वायु", "और-हवा", "पवन", "वअयु", "वायु", "वायु-को", "साँस", "हवा", "हवा-"]·ID["Angin", "angin", "angin-", "angin-Nya", "dan-angin", "penjuru-angin"]·IT["e-spirito", "e-un-vento", "e-vento-di", "il-suo-spirito", "spirito", "vento", "vento-di", "vento-di-"]·jav["Lan-angin", "angin", "angin-", "angin-angin", "angin-ipun", "lan-angin", "lan-kang-medharaken", "napas-ipun", "saha-angin"]·KO["그-바람의", "그리고-바람", "그리고-바람-이", "그의-바람을", "바람", "바람-을", "바람들에서", "바람을", "바람이"]·PT["E-vento", "Vento", "e-vento", "e-vento-de", "o-vento", "seu-vento", "sopro-Seu", "vento", "vento-de", "vento-de-", "ventos"]·RU["ветер", "ветер-", "ветров", "духа-Своего", "духом-Своим", "и-ветер"]·ES["Viento", "Y-viento", "su-viento", "viento", "viento-de", "vientos", "y-viento-de"]·SW["Mmisri", "kwa-mwovu", "na-upepo", "pumzi-yake", "upepo", "upepo-wa", "upepo-wake", "za-pepo"]·TR["ruhunun", "rüzgar", "rüzgar-", "rüzgardan", "rüzgarı", "rüzgarını", "rüzgâr", "rüzgârı", "rüzgârı-", "ve-rüzgar", "ve-rüzgâr"]·urd["اور-ہوا", "اپنی-ہوا", "هوا", "ہوا", "ہوا-", "ہوا-سے", "ہوا-کو", "ہواؤں"]
Gen 8:1, Exod 10:13, Exod 10:13, Exod 10:19, Exod 14:21, Exod 15:8, Exod 15:10, Num 11:31, Ps 11:6, Ps 107:25, Ps 135:7, Ps 147:18 (+12 more)
5. direction / quarter / side — A compass direction, quarter, or side — derived metaphorically from the four winds as spatial markers (6 occurrences). Ezek 42:16-20 uses רוּחַ for each of the four sides of the temple complex. Korean 방향, Hindi दिशा, and Swahili upande all translate with dedicated directional vocabulary, confirming this as a distinct spatial sense rather than a meteorological one. 6×
AR["جِهَاتٍ", "جِهَةَ", "جِهَةِ", "رِيَاح"]·ben["দিক", "দিকে"]·DE["Geist"]·EN["side-of", "sides", "winds"]·FR["esprit"]·heb["רוח", "רוחות"]·HI["दिशा", "दिशाओं", "दिशाओं-में"]·ID["arah", "sisi"]·IT["spirito"]·jav["arah", "sisih"]·KO["방향들", "방향의"]·PT["lado", "lados", "ventos"]·RU["стороне", "сторону", "стороны"]·ES["lado-de", "lados", "vientos"]·SW["upande-wa", "za-upepo"]·TR["yöne", "yönünde", "yönüne", "yönünü"]·urd["رخ", "سمتوں", "سمتوں-میں"]
6. spirit beings / spirits — Spirit beings — supernatural entities such as angels, demons, or unclean spirits (3 occurrences). Num 16:22 and 27:16 address God as 'the God of the spirits (רוּחֹת) of all flesh,' while Prov 16:2 speaks of God weighing spirits. Arabic أَرْوَاح (plural spirits) and Korean 영들 mark the plural-entity reading. Though rare in the Hebrew Bible compared to later Jewish and Christian usage, this sense establishes the category of non-human spiritual beings. 3×
AR["أرْواحٍ", "الْأَرْوَاحِ", "الْـ-أَرْوَاحِ"]·ben["আত্মাগুলি", "আত্মাগুলির"]·DE["Geist", "der-Geister"]·EN["spirits", "the-spirits"]·FR["esprit", "le-esprits"]·heb["ה-רוחת", "רוחות"]·HI["आत्माओं-की", "आत्माओं-के", "आत्माओं-को"]·ID["roh-roh"]·IT["il-spiriti", "spirito"]·jav["para-roh", "roh", "roh-roh"]·KO["그-영들-의", "영들-의", "영들을"]·PT["espíritos", "os-espíritos"]·RU["духи", "духов"]·ES["espíritus", "los-espíritus"]·SW["roho", "roho-za", "wa-roho"]·TR["-ruhların", "ruhları", "ruhlarının"]·urd["روحوں-کا", "روحوں-کو", "روحوں-کے"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
רוּחַ378 n.f. Gn 41:8 (less often m. Nu 11:31) breath, wind, spirit;—abs. ר׳ Gn 8:1 +, ר֑וּחָה Je 52:23; cstr. רוּחַ Gn 6:17 +; sf. רוּחִי v 3 +, רוּחֲךָ ψ 104:30 +, etc.; pl. רוּחוֹת v 4 +, רֻחוֹת Je 49:36, רוּחֹת Nu 16:22; 26:16 (v. Brרוה in OT, JBL xix (1900), 132 ff., full statement of all passages);— †1. breath of mouth or nostrils (33 times): a. רוּחַ פִּיו Jb 15:30 breath of his mouth, cf.…