Thanks, Sundoulos.

I know that "spirit" is often literally "breath", but I also know that "longsuffering" is often literally "long of nostril" or something. So, couldn't spirit-- literally breath-- mean spirit after all?

My husband suggested that it may have to do with what constitutes a thing as a thing. For instance, a man has the spirit of a man. A beast has the spirit of a beast. It is constituted differently, and that difference is spoken of as "spirit". Could this also be the explanation? In that case, ... couldn't cells have spirits? The spirit of an amoeba...

Are there other possible explanations?



[Edited on 4-6-2004 by a mere housewife]

__________________
Heidi
Indianapolis, Indiana

After two days, he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.
Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.