Hebrew Word Study – Frustration – ‘Aneph – Aleph Pei
Job 27:3 “All the while my breath is in me but the Spirit of God is in my nostrils.”
Translators have really played around with this verse. No one seems to know for sure whether to render this as the breath of God is in my nostrils or the Spirit of God is in my nostrils. Taking this literally Job seems to say that the Spirit of God is in his nose.
The most common and logical interpretation of this is that Job is saying that the living soul was breathed by God into man. This is consistent with the context and our theology but not really consistent with the Hebrew words used here. The word for my breath that we assume means his soul is nasham not nephesh which is you usual word for soul. Nasham is often rendered as the mind or one’s capacity to reason. Breath can be a rendering although it is quite rare. The first two words ki and kal are in a construct state so we could correctly render this as “Even though all my reasoning is within me, the Spirit or breath of God is in my nostrils.
Much of our understanding of this verse will lie in what we will do with the word ‘aneph which we render as nostrils. ‘Aneph is an onomatopoeia, that is a word that sounds like the thing it is describing. It sounds a little like a sneeze. Aneph is the word used for anger and in its semitic origins it is a snort. It derives from the camel snorting when he is frustrated or angry. Actually, anger is a hard word to understand in the Hebrew. It is also a hard word to understand in English. In the English is it best rendered as an expression of emotion or frustration. The root of this frustration is the inability to act, or to control a matter in such a way that is favorable to your desires.
Would you like Chaim Bentorah as your personal Hebrew teacher?
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Job is in the midst of suffering. He has lived a righteous life, he has always tried to serve God faithfully. God has always blessed him and answered his prayers and now all of a sudden the roof falls in and where is God? Why is God doing this to him, where are the miracles? Where is the answer to prayer? Job is saying: “While I still have my reasoning, I still understand that God is in control and His will is being done, yet, I am totally frustrated over what the Spirit of God is doing.”
I can really understand Job’s dilemma, At 73 years of age I am facing health problems, and financial problems. Now I can say: “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.” I can also say: “Though He slay, yet I will trust in Him.” But the truth of the matter is that the “Spirit of God is in my nostrils.” What God is doing has me totally frustrated, sometimes, it has me aneph He is running it to it’s extreme and I find what God is doing in my life is making me angry. Yes, I find myself getting angry with God, I find that I am mad at God. Oh, gasp Chaim, slay you malefactor. Is it right to be angry or mad at God? Of course not, but dog gone it, I sure can’t help it and I may as well be honest with Him about it. He knows it anyways. If I am translating Job 27:3 halfway correctly, Job was getting a little miffed at God too and he was honest about it.
The name Job means patience, and he was patient in his faith. He never wavered in his faith. He was married to God and that was that. Still, like Ruth Graham (wife of Billy Graham) once commented about her marriage to Billy Graham: “Divorce never crossed my mind, murder – yes, but not divorce.” So to, the idea of giving up his faith never crossed Job’s mind, frustration over what God was doing, yes, but he would never giving up on God.
I have to admit that I have been embracing Job 27:3 lately. All this time my breath is within me, my reasoning is telling me the life of Jesus Christ is within me and that He has my best interest at heart, but the Spirit of God is in my nostrils. What God is doing has me a little more than frustrated maybe even angry. Yet, I am like that little child who is angry over being forced to eat his vegetables rather than allowed to eat his ice cream. He doesn’t understand the long effects only the here and now and the here and now tells him he is forced to eat brussels sprouts when ice cream would be so much more enjoyable. I don’t understand the long term effects of my circumstances, nor am I happy about it, but one thing for sure, the Spirit of God may be on my nostrils, but my breath, my understanding is telling me that the life of Jesus Christ will always remain in me, no matter what the circumstance. Like Paul said that he learned to be content in whatever state he is in, I too am learning to be content in whatever State I am in. And believe me that is some statement to make when that State happens to be the State of Illinois.
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Thanks & Blessings, it means a lot to me!
Going through this period of testing, I can see how anger is as murder,
but we can’t murder G** only commit suicide [self-harm]. As it is, even
this Easter will be more meaningful—to see my culpability in the death
of CHRIST. And with the political upheaval in Russia, am reminded how
the world literally has no other hope than to place it in it’s leaders, the
young man [Egpr Cherniuk] in an interview with CBC said, while Alexei
remained alive, he felt free to enjoy life but now the news of death, EC
said he feels the weight of the world on his young shoulders.
I read Psalm 143, it seems that when we experience tragedy, it will not
only rob our lives of meaning, but it also leaves us destitute of all hope
or will to live if we’ve misplaced it on things that can be taken / shaken;
way Alexei Navalny went on hunger strike in prison when his personal
𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘰𝘮 vanished into thin air over night.
Psalm 143:7 | Answer me quickly, O LORD; my spirit fails.
Do not hide YOUR Face From me—or I will be like those
who go down to the Pit.
GOD knows with man nothing is off limits when we’re free falling. . .
into a pit of deep darkness.
Job 40:10-14 [NKJ] Then adorn yourself with majesty & splendor, and
array yourself with glory & beauty. ¹¹ Disperse the 𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 of your wrath,
look on everyone who is proud, and humble him. ¹² Look on everyone
who is proud & bring him low, tread down the wicked in their place. ¹³
Hide them in the dust together, bind their faces in hidden darkness. ¹⁴
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂.
GOD wants us to want nothing but HIMSELF:
Grant Horner said: “Worship is what we give our attention to,” when
no one is looking, which finally makes sense of Matthew 12:42 [ESV]
The Queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this
generation & condemn it, for she came from the ends of the
Earth to hear wisdom of Solomon, and now ONE greater than
Solomon is here.
She spared no expense to learn about GOD.
And now even with the internet making the Bible & teachings freely
available, there is even less excuse to not pour one’s attention into
learning of GOD & HIS ways.
I am thankful GOD is speaking thru Chaim, sharing the wisdom and
truth for life’s circumstances. GOD bless
P.S. There is another passage in Psalms which says we do not know
how GOD will multiply HIS blessings to us, so keep sowing seeds as
JESUS did, “HE emptied HIMSELF” to save us and even now is giving
us the same opportunity to sow into the red [Philippians 2:7-8]
Me too Chaim, me too.
Thank you so much for your honesty!! Praying for your continued ministry!! Is that book done yet? I am enjoying the 23rd Psalm right now but looking forward to the next one.
I feel you, I joined the Marine Corps at 18, and NEVER went back to Illinois, may The LORD be your strength… Love you brother!
Shalom,
David in Vegas
Ooohhh. I’ve thought to reply before but refrained…but this one SO resonates. Thank you for being real. I relate to deep hurt and injustice that causes violent anger, I also understand the heavy work to keep the heart soft while in the midst of pain. May His Love and Grace abound.
During my also recent frustrating experience I had a short dream in which I asked God for direction and then I blasted wind from my right nostril. Such a bizarre and highly unlikely visual! Funny how the short dreams lead to long search journeys. I found in the study where God expelled breath from His nostrils and it was comforting to me. When Moses was stuck in an impossible situation HE blasted the waters apart via His nostrils. The conclusion I came to was Psalm 18 He avenges and delivers, He does recompense and vengeance. Right and left nostrils.
Here are some of the supporting references if interested produced from word search blast of/from nostril:
Ezekiel 15:8 at the blast of Your nostrils the waters piled up Psalm 18:15 at Your rebuke the blast of Your breath from Your nostrils the bottom of the sea….
Strongs 5170 nahghar nah rat nahrow
Job 39:20 the glory of His nostrils is terrible Jeremiah 8:16 the snorting of His horses
Strongs 6227 gahshahn kal smoke out of nosyruo, smoke in nose against oppression, many examples ie. 2 Samuel 22:16 the blast of the breath of His nostril and verse 8 the blast of smoke from His nostrils; Job 41:20
Every morning as I read your word for the day, I am struck by its relevance to my life in the present. Today is no exception; I feel frustrated, particularly in not understanding what God is up to, just as Job was and you are. All I can do is abide in Jesus and pray for you, me and the rest. Thank you, you provide a life line with these word studies.
The comment about Ruth Graham made me laugh out loud! Thanks for that!
Thank you for sending me this study. I will be turning 80 in May and I understand what you mean. I am looking for what I can learn in the experience and I am learning so much. I am learning so much I didn’t know I needed to or could. I haven’t been receiving your studies for a long time. This was wonderful.
I love this study. Nasham and Neshamah seem cognate tp me. In Watchman Nee’s classic book “The Spiritual Man” he lists the organs of the soul (nephesh) as the mind, the emotions, and Volition. This teaching by Watchman (Shomer) Nee helps me to understand the use of these words and easily validates and confirms your insights in this study. Thank You for your insightful gifts. I use them daily in my own studies.
Thank you, made me chuckle a little too, as the last sentence for me at age 72 would be the UK!!
Thank you! This lesson really hit home for me as I’m 81 years old and have serious health problems. I spent time in the hospital and then a nursing home facility. My insurance didn’t pay for everything and my bank account is low.
It is my belief that it is okay to get mad at God. Infact I believe that He welcomes it because at least He has your attention. The only thing that we should never do is turn around and walk away from God. I don’t get mad at God however because my sins were numerous and so I feel that I deserve what I get.and so I humble myself before Him. He on the other hand still answers my prayers and shows me that He loves me!