Ruach can mean:
• wind
• breath
• spirit
The Greek pneuma has a similarly broad range.
Context determines whether the reference is to:
• wind
• human spirit
• divine Spirit
• spiritual beings
Creation
Genesis 1:2 speaks of the Ruach Elohim over the waters.
Genesis and later texts also connect breath/spirit with life.
Human Life
Ecclesiastes 12:7 says the spirit returns to God who gave it.
Other passages use ruach for:
• disposition
• courage
• inner life
• breath of life
Holy Spirit
The same basic word is used for God's Spirit.
This does not mean every occurrence of ruach refers to the revelation, empowerment, transformation, and redemption.">Holy Spirit.
Yeshua
John 3 uses wordplay involving pneuma, which can mean both wind and spirit.
Biblical Anthropology
"Spirit" should not automatically be treated as synonymous with the complete conscious person.
Biblical anthropology employs overlapping terms such as:
• body
• flesh
• soul/nephesh
• spirit/ruach
• heart
wind
by resemblance breath, i.e. 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)
Lexical Sources
STRONG'SStrong’s Hebrew and Greek Lexicon
wind
by resemblance breath, i.e. 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)
View original lexicon entry
{
"strongs": "H7307",
"language": "hebrew",
"lemma": "רוּחַ",
"transliteration": "rûwach",
"pronunciation": "roo'-akh",
"part_of_speech": "",
"glosses": [
"air, anger, blast, breath, [idiom] cool, courage, mind, [idiom] quarter, [idiom] side, spirit(-ual), tempest, [idiom] vain, (whirl-) wind(-y)."
],
"definitions": [
"wind",
"by resemblance breath, i.e. 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)"
],
"administrator_commentary": "",
"source": {
"dataset": "Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Lexicon",
"provider": "Open Scriptures",
"url": "https://github.com/openscriptures/strongs",
"license": "CC BY-SA"
},
"version": 1,
"updated_at": "2026-08-05T10:41:47-05:00",
"strong": "H7307"
}
a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze
by analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit
a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze
by analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit
View original lexicon entry
{
"strongs": "G4151",
"language": "greek",
"lemma": "πνεῦμα",
"transliteration": "pneûma",
"pronunciation": "",
"part_of_speech": "",
"glosses": [
"ghost, life, spirit(-ual, -ually), mind"
],
"definitions": [
"a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze",
"by analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit"
],
"administrator_commentary": "",
"source": {
"dataset": "Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Lexicon",
"provider": "Open Scriptures",
"url": "https://github.com/openscriptures/strongs",
"license": "CC BY-SA"
},
"version": 1,
"updated_at": "2026-08-05T10:42:02-05:00",
"strong": "G4151"
}