NOSE; NOSTRILS

noz, nos'-trilz ('aph, "nose," nechirayim, dual of nechir, "nostrils"): The former expression ('aph from 'anph, like Arabic 'anf) is often translated "face" (which see under the word) in the English Versions of the Bible. It is frequently referred to as the organ of breathing, in other words, as the receptacle of the breath or spirit of God: "Yahweh.... breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Genesis 2:7; compare Genesis 7:22); "My life is yet whole in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils" (Job 27:3). Therefore a life which depends on so slight a thing as a breath is considered as utterly frail and of no great consequence: "Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of?" (Isaiah 2:22; compare Wis 2:2).

In poetical language such a breath of life is ascribed even to God, especially with regard to the mighty storm which is thought to proceed from His nostrils (Exodus 15:8 2 Samuel 22:9 Psalm 18:8, 15).

The phrase, "a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day" (Isaiah 65:5), is equivalent to a perpetual annoyance and cause of irritation. A cruel custom of war, in which the vanquished had their noses and ears cut off by their remorseless conquerors, is alluded to in Ezekiel 23:25. As a wild animal is held in check by having his nose pierced and a hook or ring inserted in it (Job 40:24; Job 41:2 (Hebrew 40:26)), so this expression is used to indicate the humbling and taming of an obstinate person (2 Kings 19:28 Isaiah 37:29; compare Ezekiel 29:4; Ezekiel 38:4). But men, and especially women, had their noses pierced for the wearing of jewelry (Genesis 24:47 Isaiah 3:21 Ezekiel 16:12). In one passage the meaning is not quite clear, namely, in the enumeration of blemishes which disable a "son of Aaron" from the execution of the priest's office (Leviticus 21:18), where English Versions of the Bible translates "flat (margin "slit") nose." The Hebrew word is charum, which is a hapax legomenon. It corresponds, however, to the Arabic charam, charman (kharam, kharman), which means "to open," "to pierce the nose," especially the bridge of the nose. We may accept this meaning as the one intended in the passage.

Another dark and much discussed passage must still be referred to: "And, lo, they put the branch to their nose" (Ezekiel 8:17). The usual explanation (whereof the context gives some valuable hints) is that a rite connected with the worship of Baal (the sun) is here alluded to (see Smend and A.B. Davidson's commentaries on the passage). A similar custom is known from Persian sun-worship, where a bunch (baretsma) of dates, pomegranates or tamarisks was held to the nose by the worshipper, probably as an attempt to keep the Holy One (sun) from being contaminated by sinful breath (Spiegel, Eranische Altertamer, III, 571). Among modern Jews posies of myrtle and other fragrant herbs are held to the nose by the persons attending on the ceremony of circumcision, for the alleged reason of making the sight and smell of blood bearable. Another interpretation of the above passage would understand zemorah, in the sense of "male sexual member" (see Gesenius-Buhl, under the word; Levy, Nhb. Worterbuch, I, 544), and the whole passage as a reference to a sensuous Canaanite rite, such as is perhaps alluded to in Isaiah 57:8. In that case the 'appam, "their nose "of the Massoretic Text would have to be considered as tiqqun copherim (a correction of the scribes) for 'appi, "my face." Or read "They cause their stench (zemoratham) to come up to my face" (Kraetzschmar, at the place).

See BRANCH.

H. L. E. Luering

5156. nachir -- a nostril
... 5155, 5156. nachir. 5157 . a nostril. Transliteration: nachir Phonetic Spelling:
(nekh-eer') Short Definition: nostrils. ... dual nostrils. ...
/hebrew/5156.htm - 6k

5170. nachar -- a snorting
... 5169, 5170. nachar. 5170a . a snorting. Transliteration: nachar Phonetic Spelling:
(nakh'-ar) Short Definition: nostrils. nostrils, snorting ...
/hebrew/5170.htm - 5k

649. Appayim -- an Israelite
... NASB Word Usage Appaim (2). Appaim. Dual of 'aph; two nostrils; Appajim, an Israelite --
Appaim. see HEBREW 'aph. 648, 649. Appayim. 650 . Strong's Numbers
/hebrew/649.htm - 6k

639. aph -- a nostril, nose, face, anger
... before (2), breath (1), countenance (1), double (1), face (15), faces (4), forbearance*
(1), ground (1), nose (10), noses (1), nostril (1), nostrils (13), quick ...
/hebrew/639.htm - 6k

Of the Intestines in Man, and their Use.
... must be two tubes [1891] through the neck for food, and for breath, the upper of
which leads from the mouth to the belly, the lower from the nostrils to the ...
/.../lactantius/on the workmanship of god/chap xi of the intestines in.htm

That Before his Birth in Time Christ was Always Called God by the ...
... And so the prophet Isaiah says, "Cease ye from the man whose breath is in his nostrils,
for it is He in whom he is reputed to be;" or as it is more exactly and ...
/.../cassian/the seven books of john cassian /chapter v that before his.htm

The Holy Spirit is no Less the Author of Spiritual Creation or ...
... As the Lord liveth, Who thus judgeth me, and the Almighty, Who hath brought my soul
to bitterness (for the Spirit of God which is in my nostrils)." [1091] He ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter vii the holy spirit 2.htm

On the Interior Man
... [Matt.13:16]. The nostrils are the breath of faith and of the strength of
the good; in Job: and the Holy Spirit is in my nostrils. ...
/.../eucherius/the formulae of st eucherius of lyons/vi on the interior man.htm

A Further vindication of the Scripture Narrative of the Creation ...
... It says that "God made man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils
the breath of life, and man became a living soul." [6452] Now, although it ...
/.../tertullian/against hermogenes/chapter xxxi a further vindication of.htm

And He Said they Often Appeared as the Lord Revealed the Devil to ...
... From his mouth proceed burning lamps and hearths of fire are cast forth. The smoke
of a furnace blazing with the fire of coals proceeds from his nostrils. ...
/.../athanasius/select works and letters or athanasius/life of antony section 24.htm

I am Told, to Take Another Point, that one of his Followers ...
... Why should he knit his brow and draw in and wrinkle up his nostrils, and weigh out
his hollow words, and simulate among the common crowd a sanctity which his ...
/.../32 i am told to.htm

But Perhaps Some one is Alarmed at Hearing us Discourse of the ...
... mystery, for he says in the person of the Lord speaking to him, "Wilt thou draw
forth the dragon with a hook, and wilt thou put thy bit in his nostrils?" Phil. ...
/.../16 but perhaps some one.htm

Psalm CXXXV.
... have eyes, and will not see" (ver.16); "they have ears, and will not hear; neither
is there any breath in their mouth" (ver.17); "they have nostrils, and will ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm cxxxv.htm

David's Song of victory
... he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, And fire out
of his mouth devoured: Coals were kindled by it. He bowed ...
/.../select masterpieces of biblical literature/vi davids song of victory.htm

Nostrils (22 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia NOSE; NOSTRILS. noz, nos'-trilz ('aph,
"nose," nechirayim, dual of nechir, "nostrils"): The former ...
/n/nostrils.htm - 17k

Nose (23 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) The prominent part of the face or anterior extremity of the head containing
the nostrils and olfactory cavities; the olfactory organ. ... NOSE; NOSTRILS. ...
/n/nose.htm - 19k

Blast (28 Occurrences)
... "With the blast of thy nostrils the waters were piled up" (Exodus 15:8), referring
to the east wind (Exodus 14:21; compare 2 Samuel 22:16 and Psalm 18:15). ...
/b/blast.htm - 20k

Breath (95 Occurrences)
... (YLT RSV NIV). Genesis 2:7 Yahweh God formed man from the dust of the ground, and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. ...
/b/breath.htm - 38k

Glowing (14 Occurrences)
... (DBY). 2 Samuel 22:9 Smoke went up out of his nostrils. Fire out of his mouth
devoured. ... (See RSV). Psalms 18:8 Smoke went out of his nostrils. ...
/g/glowing.htm - 11k

Flamed (4 Occurrences)
... Flamed (4 Occurrences). 2 Samuel 22:9 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils,
And fire out of his mouth devoured: Coals were kindled by it. (See JPS RSV). ...
/f/flamed.htm - 7k

Exorcism
... A ring to which was attached a kind of root mentioned by Solomon was placed at the
nostrils of the demoniac and the demon was drawn out through the nostrils. ...
/e/exorcism.htm - 14k

Devouring (20 Occurrences)
... (See JPS). 2 Samuel 22:9 Smoke arose up in His nostrils, and fire out of His
mouth did devour; coals flamed forth from Him. (See RSV). ...
/d/devouring.htm - 12k

Blazed (9 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). 2 Samuel 22:9 Smoke went up out of his nostrils. Fire out of his mouth
devoured. ... (See NIV). Psalms 18:8 Smoke went out of his nostrils. ...
/b/blazed.htm - 8k

Coals (28 Occurrences)
... 2 Samuel 22:9 Smoke went up out of his nostrils. Fire out of his mouth devoured. ...
(WEB JPS RSV NIV). Psalms 18:8 Smoke went out of his nostrils. ...
/c/coals.htm - 14k

What is the breath of life? | GotQuestions.org

Does God love me? | GotQuestions.org

Does God have a soul? | GotQuestions.org

Nostrils: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus