48. ii. As man's life varies according to his state, by "spirit" is meant the varying affection of life in man. As, 1: The life of wisdom:
Bezaleel was filled with the spirit of wisdom, intelligence, and knowledge (Exod. 31:3).
Thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom (Exod. 28:3).
Joshua was filled with the spirit of wisdom (Deut. 34:9).
Nebuchadnezzar said of Daniel [in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. The queen said] that an excellent spirit of knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom was in him (Dan. 4:8; 5:12).
They that erred in spirit shall know intelligence (Isa. 29:24).
2. The excitation of life:
Jehovah hath stirred up the spirit of the king of Media (Jer. 51:11).
Jehovah hath stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people (Haggai 1:14).
I will put a spirit in the king of Assyria, that he may bear a rumor, and shall return into his own land (Isa. 37:7).
Jehovah hardened the spirit of Sihon the king (Deut. 2:30).
That which cometh up upon your spirit shall not be at all (Ezek. 20:32).
3. Freedom of life:
[It is said of] the four living creatures (which were cherubs) seen by the prophet, Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went (Ezek. 1:12, 20).
4. Life in fear, pain or grief and anger:
That every heart may melt, and all hands be let down, and every spirit be faint (Ezek. 21:7).
My spirit hath failed upon me; my heart is amazed in the midst of me (Ps. 142:3; 143:4).
My spirit is consumed (Ps. 143:7).
As for me Daniel, my spirit was grieved (Dan. 7:15).
The spirit of Pharaoh was troubled (Gen. 41:8).
Nebuchadnezzar said, My spirit was troubled (Dan. 2:3).
I went in sadness in the heat of my spirit (Ezek. 3:14).
5. A life of various evil affections:
Provided that in his spirit there is no guile (Ps. 32:2).
Jehovah hath mingled a spirit of perversities in the midst thereof (Isa. 19:14).
He said to the foolish prophets that go away after their own spirit (Ezek. 13:3).
The prophet is a fool, the man [that hath a] spirit is mad (Hos. 9:7).
Take ye heed to your spirit, and deal not treacherously (Mal. 2:16).
The spirit of whoredoms hath led them astray (Hos. 4:12).
The spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them (Hos. 5:4).
When the spirit of jealousy hath passed upon him (Num. 5:14).
A man who wandereth in spirit and chattereth a lie (Micah 2:11).
A generation whose spirit was not steadfast with God (Ps. 78:8).
Jehovah hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep (Isa. 29:10).
Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble; as for your spirit, fire shall devour you (Isa. 33:11).
6. Infernal fire:
I will cause the unclean spirit to pass out of the land (Zech. 13:2).
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, and he afterwards joineth to himself seven spirits worse than himself, and they enter in and dwell there (Matt. 12:43-45).
Babylon is become the hold of every foul spirit (Rev. 17:2).
7. Besides the infernal spirits themselves by whom men are troubled:
Matt. 8:16; 10:1; 12:43-45; Mark 1:3-27; 9:17-29; Luke 4:33, 36; 6:17, 18; 7:21; 8:2, 29; 9:39, 42, 55; 11:24-26; 13:11; Rev. 13:15; 16:13, 14.