Genesis 2:7 and the "soul"

[Omyo12]

I’m wonder what it means by “and the man became a living soul.”

Many say this means the human soul is a special creation.

However, what about Genesis 1:20?

Genesis 2:7
then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living nephesh.

Genesis 1:20
And God said, ‘Let the waters bring forth swarms of living nephesh, and let birds fly over the earth on the face of the expanse of the heavens.’

does this mean animals are “souls” or does this mean that in Genesis 2:7, the man became a living creature?

 

[crosstalksister]

We were made in God’s image. Animals were not. That is where the difference is found

 

[Verbum]

Hi Omyo,

My French Bible de Jérusalem translates nephesh as “être vivant” (living being). “Anima” (Latin) can also mean that :

3. Meton., a creature endowed with anima, a living being: ova parere solet genu’ pennis condecoratum, non animam, Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 5, 10, 18: hi (deos) fibris animāque litant, Stat. Th. 2, 246 ; Vulg. Gen. 2, 7; ib. Josh. 11, 11; ib. Luc. 9, 56; ib. Act. 2, 43

Verbum

 

[COPLAND_3]

This is what I wrote in my commentary

7 And God formed the man of dust of the earth, and breathed upon his face the breath of life, and the man became a living soul.

Humans and animals are alike by the generation of the bodies because we all come from the earth, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind.” (Gen 1:24) But we are unlike animals by the creation of our souls, while the souls of animals are generated by the elements, the souls of humans are produced by God. The souls of animals die with their body, the souls of humans are immortal. CCC 362 CCC 703

litteralchristianlibrary.wetpaint.com/page/Gen.+Chapter+2

 

[Omyo12]

Thanks everyone.

I ask because I’m attempting my own translation
I’ll take years so by the time I finish I’ll hopefully figure out what to do from there…

I’m still novice in Hebrew so I’m just doing Genesis 1 then I’ll start on the Gospel of John (I’m much more comfortable with Greek, by the time I finish the NT and LXX Deuterocanon, I’ll hopefully have learned enough Hebrew)

So, for now, how should I translate nephesh?? I want to keep it consistent but true to the faith

 

[Dan_Parker]

Thanks everyone.

I ask because I’m attempting my own translation
I’ll take years so by the time I finish I’ll hopefully figure out what to do from there…

I’m still novice in Hebrew so I’m just doing Genesis 1 then I’ll start on the Gospel of John (I’m much more comfortable with Greek, by the time I finish the NT and LXX Deuterocanon, I’ll hopefully have learned enough Hebrew)

So, for now, how should I translate nephesh?? I want to keep it consistent but true to the faith

How you translate nephesh depends upon whether or not you intend for your translation to be literal which is good for a study bible or meant for those who just want to read the bible in their own vernacular.

I prefer literal when possible. I would prefer that nephesh always be rendered soul in English with a footnote as to the meaning. For example, look how these two Catholic bibles render nephesh:

NAB 1 Kings 17:21 Then he stretched himself out upon the child three times and called out to the LORD: “O LORD, my God, let the** life breath **return to the body of this child.”

NJB 1 Kings 17:21 He stretched himself on the child three times and cried out to Yahweh, ‘Yahweh my God, may **the soul **of this child, I beg you, come into him again!’