But let us further examine the context of the particular Genesis passage. When God breathes into man's nostrils, God's breath is "neshemah." At no other point has God endowed creation with "neshmah." However, with man, God does, and man becomes "a chay nephesh." Thus, we immediately see the differentiation between mans' "nephesh" and that of the beasts'.
Thanks for the reply.
Looking at Strongs, the very next time that "neshemah" is used is Gen 7:22...
Gen 2:7
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath H5397 of life; and man became a living soul.
Gen 7:22
All in whose nostrils was the breath H5397 of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.
That "all" having "neshemah" is all creatures. Here are the verses in context.
Gen 7:21
And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man:
Gen 7:22
All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.
Gen 7:23
And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.
So "neshemah" is shared by man and beast.
The wisest man on earth (besides Christ) confirms this saying...
Ecc 3:18
I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and
that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
Ecc 3:19
For
that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them:
as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea,
they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
Ecc 3:20
All go unto one place;
all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
Ecc 3:21
Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
You might say that verse 21 is differentiating man breath from beast breath. It is not. Solomon just said they are the same, and he is QUESTIONING, and CASTING DOUBT ON the idea that the breath/spirit of man goes up while the breath/spirit of beasts goes down.
We know this because he just said "all go to one place" and that place is "dust".
So apparently, back then, like today, folks were trying to say there was a difference between the fate of man and beast after death, and Solomon says there is not.
This may shock you. It does not shock me.
I know that we are just data, a memory in God's mind, and He can put us back together again just from memory. He does not need any spiritual component to do so, and, in fact, there is no spiritual component to man. Soul is not spiritual. Spirit in man is not spiritual but simply "breath".