Animals are souls. Genesis 1:21,24 (KJV), 21 “And God created great whales, and every living creature (nephesh) that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. … 24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature (nephesh) after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.”
Man is a soul. Genesis 2:7 (KJV), “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Please note, man became a soul; he did not receive a soul. Thus, Genesis 2:7 tells us what a soul is. Body + Breath of Life = Living Soul.
“Soul” in the Old Testament is Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance Hebrew word #5315, nephesh. Animals, people, and even God are “souls” or nephesh.
Nephesh is translated in different ways by most Bible translators. These differences hide the original meaning of the Hebrew text.
However, the Rotherham Bible is an especially accurate, word-for-word translation. Consider Rotherham’s translation of Genesis 1:20-25, “And God said, Let the waters swarm with an abundance of living soul, and, birds, shall fly over the earth, over the face of the expanse of the heavens. And God created the great sea-monsters, and every living soul that moveth with which the waters swarmed after their kind and every winged bird-after its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them…And God said, Let the land, bring forth, living soul, after its kind, tame-beast and creeping thing and wild-beast, of the land, after its kind. And it was so…And God saw that it was good.” This shows all the earthly animals are souls.
God calls Himself a soul in Leviticus 26:11-12, “And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.”
If a being’s body can decay and die, then that same soul can end existence and die. When the body dies and loses the breath of life, the soul ceases to be. Ezekiel 18:4 (NKJV), “Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die.”
While all people are guaranteed a resurrection, the Bible is silent on the animals (See Romans 5:18). So, let us cherish each moment we have with our beloved pets. And when they die, claim the promise in Psalm 119:76, “Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant.”
Additional Resources:
Christian Questions Podcast
Episode #1227: “Where Do the Human Soul and Spirit Go When We Die? (Part I)”
Defining what the human soul is and is not, and its destiny at death
Preview Video
CQ Rewind Show Notes
Episode #1228: “Where Do the Human Soul and Spirit Go When We Die? (Part II)”
Defining what the human spirit is and is not, and its destiny at death
Preview Video
CQ Rewind Show Notes
Blog Post: What is the difference between the soul and the spirit?
For children, parents and Bible class teachers:
Animated CQ Kids video: “What is the soul?”
