What does the Hebrew word Ruach mean?

• A. A Hebrew word for bread and wine.
• B. A Hebrew word for breath, wind, or spirit.
• C. A Greek word for church assembly.
• D. A Latin word for forgiveness.

Answer: (B)

Ruach covers breath, wind, and spirit—the Hebrew word literally refers to the life-giving breath or moving air, and in biblical usage it also means the Spirit, often the Spirit of God. In everyday Hebrew, ruach can describe the wind blowing, the breath we release, or the inward life that animates a person. In Scripture, this term expands to refer to God’s empowering presence or influence—how God breathes life into creation, or how His Spirit equips and guides people for his purposes. Translations shift with context: sometimes ruach is breathed life, sometimes divine Spirit, sometimes wind. This is why the word is best understood as encompassing breath, wind, or spiritual presence, rather than something like bread and wine, a Greek term for church, or a Latin term for forgiveness.