Ecc 12:7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
(the context of this verse is relating to the death of a man)
This word spirit here in most translations and versions is "ruach", as in Ruach Ha Kodesh (Spirit The Holy), "The Holy Spirit".
Ruach is defined as: wind; by resemblance breath, that is, a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions): - air, anger, blast, breath, X cool, courage, mind, X quarter, X side, spirit ([-ual]), tempest, X vain, ([whirl-]) wind (-y).
As we can see, Ruach is essentially the same as the "Breath" of God and is only figuratively speaking of life. Another element included in this definition is; "spirit, but only of a rational being, existing in the sky". This is where we get the idea, in a Hebraic sense, of a Nephesh, as opposed to a Neshama. All creatures and things that have the breath of life have a Neshama, at least, but a Nephesh is an expression used for a rational being - a human. It does imply a wind or movement of air in the sky, however, as when the Holy Spirit comes down from heaven on Pentecost - Shavuot. But none of this implies a rationality or consciousness after death occurs.
On a side note, some "Jews", no, not all, will say that Gentiles do not have a Nephesh and are therefore not much different from animals. This is a minority prejudiced view only.
All of this brings up an interesting debate! When I first started in Hebrew Roots I believed in the Trinity; Father, Son, Holy Spirit. I don't believe in a Trinity any more. Why? Because the Ruach Ha Kodesh is not a "person", not a "Godhead" of a Trinity. Yehovah/Yeshua is ONE! Now, I am unable to understand how two distinct figures, Yehovah and Yeshua, combine to be ONE, but this is what the Bible says! Yeshua IS Yehovah in flesh!
This also brings up a point about the King James Version. Like most American Protestants, I grew up with a KJV only perspective. However, the beloved KJV has so many linguistic errors it is not at all funny anymore. Not to be "punny", but one grave error it makes is to use the word, "ghost". There is no such thing as "The Holy Ghost"! There is no apparition involved. No one is being possessed by the Holy "Ghost". The word "ghost" is an entirely pagan usage that does not belong in the Word!
Now, I will look at the actual study I intended for this entry. The ESV will be used only because the ABP, BSEP, and NASB are all the same words, essentially.
(ESV)
Gen 7:15 They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life.
...
Gen 7:22 Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died.
[Notes/Conclusion: Ruach and Neshama are used here for "breath". Both the animals and the humans simply died. At this point in the study there has been no reasonable affirmation of "life after death". So far, you would really have to make up a man-made doctrine to declare we have consciousness and go to heaven or hell at death. However, I'll keep an open mind and keep searching the biblical text. One young fellow told me once that because of the verse in Ecclesiastes, ALL people go to heaven (return to God) at death. Do you begin to see how man creates what he wants to have happen and establishes an incorrect doctrine?]
The Observer
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