ruach · smell

What it means

ruach (רוּחַ) is a Hebrew word of the Bible that means “smell”.

Perceive a scent; figuratively, take delight in.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. To smell something.
2. To take pleasure in something.

From Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906)

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• smell ×5
• delight ×2
• smelled ×2
• he smells ×1
• when it smells ×1

Related words

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

• Genesis×2
• Exodus×1
• Leviticus×1
• Deuteronomy×1
• Judges×1
• 1 Samuel×1
• Job×1
• Psalms×1
• Isaiah×1
• Amos×1

• Genesis 8:21

  And YHWH smelled the pleasing aroma, and YHWH said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of the human being, for the inclination of the heart of the human being is evil from his youth; and I will never again strike every living thing, as I have done.

• Genesis 27:27

  So he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him and said, “See, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that YHWH has blessed.

• Exodus 30:38

  Whoever makes any like it to smell it shall be cut off from his people.”

• Leviticus 26:31

  And I will make your cities a ruin and lay waste your sanctuaries, and I will not smell your pleasing aroma.

• Deuteronomy 4:28

  There you will serve gods, the work of the hands of human beings, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell.

• Judges 16:9

  Now the ambush was waiting for her in the room. And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he snapped the bowstrings as a strand of tow snaps when it smells fire. So his strength was not known.

• 1 Samuel 26:19

  Now please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If YHWH has incited you against me, may he smell an offering; but if it is human beings, cursed be they before YHWH, for they have driven me out today so that I may not join the inheritance of YHWH, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’

• Job 39:25

  At every horn he says, ‘Aha!’ and from afar he smells the war, the thunder of the commanders and the acclamation.

• Psalms 115:6

  they have ears, but do not hear; they have a nose, but do not smell;

• Isaiah 11:3

  And his delight will be in the fear of YHWH; and he will not judge by what his eyes see, nor decide by what his ears hear;

• Amos 5:21

  I hate, I reject your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.