ne.sha.mah denotes breath as life in people and creatures and, when attributed to God, as an active breath in the scenes described.

The term consistently denotes breath in clauses about the life present in humans and living creatures, its absence in death, and breath attributed to God as giving life, understanding, destruction, or natural effects.

1. Breath as life or active breath · dominant

   In Genesis 2:7 the construct form occurs in the clause about God breathing into the man's nostrils before he becomes living; Genesis 7:22 places it in the nostrils of everything on dry land that died. The absolute form marks what remains or does not remain in a person or living thing in 1 Kings 17:17 and Deuteronomy 20:16, while Isaiah 42:5 describes God giving it to people. Construct forms also attribute it to God in Job 33:4, where the APB renders the clause "the breath of the Almighty gives me life."

   Genesis 2:7Genesis 7:221 Kings 17:17Deuteronomy 20:16Isaiah 42:5Job 33:4

In the Anselm Project Bible: Across the verses, the APB uses expressions such as "breath of life," "no breath," "anything that breathes," and "the breath of the Almighty." These render the clauses' overall sense.