Ruach רִיחַ

Ruach (Hebrew רִיחַ, Strong's H7306) is a Hebrew verb meaning “to smell”. It occurs 11 times in 11 verses of the Old Testament.

Definition

From the STEPBible Brief Lexicon of Hebrew (based on the abridged Brown-Driver-Briggs), STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0.

Translated as

Verses

Every verse with Ruach, with the English words that translate it highlighted (KJV or BSB; other translations show the KJV here).

Genesis

• Genesis 8:21
  And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.When the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, He said in His heart, “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from his youth. And never again will I destroy all living creatures as I have done.
• Genesis 27:27
  And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed:So he came near and kissed him. When Isaac smelled his clothing, he blessed him and said: “Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed.

Exodus

• Exodus 30:38
  Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people.Anyone who makes something like it to enjoy its fragrance shall be cut off from his people.”

Leviticus

• Leviticus 26:31
  And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours.I will reduce your cities to rubble and lay waste your sanctuaries, and I will refuse to smell the pleasing aroma of your sacrifices.

Deuteronomy

• Deuteronomy 4:28
  And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.And there you will serve man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell.

Judges

• Judges 16:9
  Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.While the men were hidden in her room, she called out, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” But he snapped the bowstrings like a strand of yarn seared by a flame. So the source of his strength remained unknown.

1 Samuel

• 1 Samuel 26:19
  Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the Lord have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the Lord; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go, serve other gods.Now please, may my lord the king hear the words of his servant: If the LORD has stirred you up against me, then may He accept an offering. But if men have done it, may they be cursed in the presence of the LORD! For today they have driven me away from sharing in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’

Job

• Job 39:25
  He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.At the blast of the horn, he snorts with fervor. He catches the scent of battle from afar— the shouts of captains and the cry of war.

Psalms

• Psalm 115:6
  They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell;

Isaiah

• Isaiah 11:3
  And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:And He will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what His eyes see, and He will not decide by what His ears hear,

Amos

• Amos 5:21
  I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.“I hate, I despise your feasts! I cannot stand the stench of your solemn assemblies.

Notes

1. Definition and verse list from STEPBible's tagged Hebrew Old Testament (TAHOT) and Greek New Testament (TAGNT) and Brief Lexicons, STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0.
2. English renderings from the public-domain KJV with Strong's numbers (eBible.org) and the Berean Standard Bible interlinear (public domain).