“Ruach HaKodesh: The Hebrew Word for Spirit Is Feminine”


Many modern believers are surprised to learn that the Holy Spirit — or Ruach HaKodesh — is described in the Hebrew language with feminine grammar. This study explores how the Spirit of God has always been understood as feminine in ancient Hebrew and Syriac (Aramaic) traditions. From the wisdom literature to the early Christian view of the Holy Spirit, we uncover why many of the earliest followers of Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as She.

✨ The Holy Spirit Was Referred to as Feminine—Yes, She
When we go back to the earliest sources—Hebrew (Old Testament) and Aramaic/Syriac (early Christianity)—something remarkable stands out:

The Holy Spirit was often described with feminine grammar, motherly imagery, and nurturing roles. 

📜 In the Hebrew Bible:
The word "Ruach" (רוּחַ), meaning Spirit, is grammatically feminine in Biblical Hebrew.

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This affects how verbs and adjectives are used around it—many take feminine forms.

Examples:
Genesis 1:2 – “And the Spirit (Ruach) of God moved over the waters.”
➤ The Hebrew verb merachefet (מְרַחֶפֶת) is feminine.

Isaiah 11:2 – “And the Spirit of YHWH shall rest upon him.”
➤ Again, Ruach is feminine.

Proverbs 1:20; 8:1; 9:1 – Wisdom (Chokhmah - חָכְמָה) is also feminine and often linked with God’s Spirit.

A gentle female silhouette made of wind, hovering over water (inspired by Genesis 1:2)

📚 In Jewish Wisdom Literature:
Wisdom is portrayed as a woman calling out to mankind, guiding and correcting.
Early Jewish scholars often connected Wisdom (Chokhmah) with the Spirit of God.

🕊 In Rabbinic Thought:
God's Spirit (Shekhinah) is sometimes described in motherly, nurturing terms.

The Talmud and Midrash depict the Spirit hovering like a mother bird—a reflection of Genesis 1:2.

Did the Jews Think of the Spirit as a Female Person?
Not exactly. Here's the balance:

God is beyond gender, but uses both masculine and feminine imagery to help us understand His ways.

The Spirit’s feminine grammar and nurturing qualities show up often in Hebrew thought, but that doesn’t mean the Spirit was worshipped as a female deity.

A gentle female silhouette made of wind, hovering over water (inspired by Genesis 1:2)

✨ 🌿 In Early Syriac Christianity (Aramaic-Speaking Believers):
The feminine portrayal continued—and grew stronger.
Texts that speak of the Holy Spirit as “She”:
Odes of Solomon (2nd Century)

➤ “The Spirit opened her bosom… and gave the mixture to the generation…” (Ode 19)

Gospel of the Hebrews (2nd Century)
➤ Jesus says, “My Mother, the Holy Spirit, took me…”

Acts of Thomas (3rd Century)
➤ Describes the Spirit as a mother giving birth to spiritual life.

Aphrahat (c. 270–345 AD) and Ephrem the Syrian (c. 306–373 AD)
➤ Both refer to the Holy Spirit with motherly language, calling her a nurturing presence for believers.

🗣 Why Did They Use Feminine Language?
Linguistic Reason:
In Syriac (a dialect of Aramaic), the word for Spirit (Ruḥa) is feminine.

Theological Symbolism:
The Holy Spirit gives spiritual birth (John 3:5–6), comforts, and brings wisdom—all traits linked with the feminine.

✨🕰 What Changed?
By the 4th–5th centuries, Greek and Latin theology became dominant.
In Greek: Pneuma (Spirit) = Neuter
In Latin: Spiritus (Spirit) = Masculine
Over time, the church moved away from the feminine language, and Western translations (like the KJV) reflect this shift.

🔍 Final Thoughts:
✅ In Hebrew and Syriac—the languages of Yeshua (Jesus) and His earliest followers—the Spirit was referred to as She.
✅ Early believers saw the Holy Spirit as a nurturing, motherly presence, full of wisdom and comfort.
✅ Some Aramaic churches still preserve this feminine language today.

It’s one of those things that really makes you stop and think...
Have we forgotten something powerful and beautiful in how we describe God's Spirit?

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