The Holy Spirit is mentioned several times in the Old Testament. The most notable references are found in Genesis 1:2, Psalms 33:6, Genesis 6:3 and Ezekiel 37:1–14. Around 93 times, the reference is to the Holy Spirit, sometimes under the name pneuma and sometimes explicitly as the pneûma tò Hagion (Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον). (In a few cases it is also simply used generically to mean wind or life.) It was generally translated into the Vulgate as Spiritus and Spiritus Sanctus.
In Genesis 1:2, the Holy Spirit is mentioned as being present at creation alongside God as “the Spirit of God.” In Genesis 6:3, God claims to have “breathed into” man the breath of life, and in Psalms 33:6, God says that the Holy Spirit has “carried” His word. Finally, Ezekiel 37:1–14 describes how God breathed life into dry bones and gave them flesh with His breath so that they could become living human beings again.
Where is the Holy Spirit mentioned in the Old Testament?
The Holy Spirit is a key figure in the Christian faith, often associated with the third person of the Trinity alongside God the Father and Jesus Christ. While the Holy Spirit is prominently mentioned in the New Testament, particularly in the accounts of Pentecost and the teachings of Jesus, there are also references to the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament.
In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit is often referred to as the “Spirit of God” or the “Spirit of the Lord.” The Holy Spirit is portrayed as God’s presence and power, working in the lives of individuals and guiding them in the ways of righteousness. Here are 10 Bible verses from the Old Testament that mention the Holy Spirit:
Genesis 1:2
“Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”
Exodus 31:3
“and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills.”
1 Samuel 10:6
“The Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person.”
Psalm 51:11
“Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.”
Isaiah 11:2
“The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord.”
Isaiah 61:1
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.”
Ezekiel 36:26-27
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”
Joel 2:28-29
“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”
Zechariah 4:6
“So he said to me, ‘This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.”‘
1 Chronicles 28:12
“He gave him the plans of all that the Spirit had put in his mind for the courts of the temple of the Lord and all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the temple of God and for the treasuries for the dedicated things.”
These verses from the Old Testament highlight the presence and work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers and in the fulfillment of God’s purposes. As Christians, we can draw strength and guidance from these passages as we seek to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in our own lives.
How Many Times Is The Holy Spirit Mentioned In The Old Testament
How many times does the phrase Holy Spirit occur in the Old Testament?
Around 93 times, the reference is to the Holy Spirit, sometimes under the name pneuma and sometimes explicitly as the pneûma tò Hagion (Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον).
Introduction
Many Christians are surprised to learn that the Holy Spirit isn’t just mentioned in the New Testament. In fact, He’s mentioned at least 10 times in the Old Testament, and His role as counselor, comforter and helper is present in many different ways throughout. Here He is helping God create the world (Genesis 1:2), guiding us into truth (Psalm 139:7-10) and giving us a heart of wisdom (Proverbs 1:23). Even when all of Israel had abandoned God, His Holy Spirit remained with them (Judges 14:6). The images of the Holy Spirit may be very different in the Old Testament than what we see fulfilled in Jesus Christ in the New Testament, but they still demonstrate His constant presence with God’s people.
1. Genesis 1:2
The Bible says that “the spirit of God” was hovering over the waters. So, the Holy Spirit is mentioned at the very beginning of time and creation.
2. Genesis 6:3
- Genesis 6:3
“And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.”
In this verse, the Holy Spirit is described as the breath of life that was breathed into man at creation. The Holy Spirit also describes Himself in this verse as “the word of God,” which is Jesus Christ.
He also says He is “the wind of God,” which I believe is His power that creates things and moves them around at will throughout all eternity, including us if we’re worthy enough to receive it!
3. Judges 14:6
Judges 14:6
“But Samson’s wife wept before him and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me.”
The Holy Spirit gave Samson his strength. Samson was given the strength to kill a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of an ass (Judges 14). He also destroyed the temple of Dagon at Gaza by pushing down pillars from its roof (Judges 16:26–30). Finally, he killed himself rather than being captured by his enemies (Judges 16:29–31).
4. Isaiah 11:2
In the book of Isaiah 11:2, the spirit of the Lord is mentioned as “the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.”
In other places in Old Testament Scripture, you’ll find that this same phrase is used to describe what Christians now call God’s Holy Spirit. For example:
- In Proverbs 8:11-12 (NIV), it says “My heart inclines toward your laws; I have known no way to gain wisdom except by hearing your commands.”
- In Job 32:8 (NIV), it says “It is but my breath that has escaped from me; all else belongs to you.”
5. Ezekiel 11:5
This verse mentions the Holy Spirit in Ezekiel 11:5.
God has sent a person to lead His people, the Holy Spirit. The bible says, “God’s Spirit moved on the face of the waters” (Gen 1:2). This was when God was creating heaven and earth and beginning humanity. In this verse, it shows us that there are three distinct persons in one Godhead (Father, Son & Holy Spirit). Note that they can share power while being distinct personalities at the same time!
It also showed us that all men were made in His image, which means everyone has their own unique personality but they still have some common characteristics such as morality or integrity; these are part of your identity as human beings created out of dust or clay by God Almighty Himself!
6. Ezekiel 36:27
In Ezekiel 36:27, the Lord God says to Ezekiel:
“I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”
This passage clearly shows that the Spirit of the Lord is upon Ezekiel (verse 2) and will be placed within him. In turn, this means he will know that God is a living presence among his people.
7. Job 26:13
Job 26:13 reads, “By His spirit He adorned the heavens; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent.” This verse is interesting because it is one of only three times in the Old Testament where God is said to have given life, as opposed to merely breathed into someone or created something out of nothing. It also shows that God’s breath (or spirit) was used in creating everything else—including mankind.
While this verse does not specifically mention Jesus Christ, it does show how important the Holy Spirit is in helping us get through hard times by providing comfort and guidance.
8. Psalm 51:11
The Holy Spirit is mentioned in the Old Testament. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, God’s eternal nature and personality. He is described as glorious beyond all measure, and He was active in creation when God spoke His words into being (Psalm 33:6). In Genesis 1:2, we find that “the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”
The Holy Spirit comforts us through our trials and tribulations (John 14:16-17), helps us in our time of need (Romans 8:26; Galatians 5:22) and teaches us about Jesus Christ (John 16:7-15).
9. Psalm 139:7-10
Psalm 139:7-10 reads:
‘Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. “If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,’ even darkness is not dark to you; night shines like day and darkness becomes as bright as midday.’
10. Proverbs 1:23
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7)
The holy spirit is a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of knowledge and godliness, a spirit of the fear of the Lord, counsel and might (Isaiah 11:2).
The Holy Spirit is mentioned 10 times in scripture, but his role as counselor, comforter and helper is present in many different ways throughout the Old Testament – and really, all of scripture!
The Holy Spirit is mentioned 10 times in scripture, but his role as counselor, comforter and helper is present in many different ways throughout the Old Testament – and really, all of scripture!
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He is God, who has come to us. He is our comforter. He gives us life. He helps us understand what we read in our Bibles because he brings understanding to our minds when we seek him out with our hearts open wide like a child before their parent! The apostle John says this about Jesus: “The same things that I write to you are those which it becomes you also for me to write.” We should trust that what we have learned about God from studying his Word will be true for you as well!
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Holy Spirit is mentioned 10 times in scripture, but his role as counselor, comforter and helper is present in many different ways throughout the Old Testament—and really, all of scripture! We saw all kinds of unique uses for the word breath or spirit: it was used to explain how things came into existence, such as God breathing life into man; it was used to explain how God gives people wisdom, power and even sin (the latter not so great); it describes God’s presence with us; and finally, it can describe what happens when someone takes their final breath.
It seems that most often in scripture, this word refers to God’s spirit, whether that be “a divine being” or “a force” behind things like creation. The only time this isn’t true would be in Job 26:13, which mentions other spirits besides those of humans (this could also refer back to Gen. 1, where we see a triune nature within God). So while there are only 10 instances where he explicitly names himself as “Holy Spirit” (or something similar), the words breath and spirit show up much more frequently throughout scripture. This shows us just how important this aspect of who Jesus Christ really is! It’s worth remembering that without these three parts within one being, there could never be an incarnation that could bring about redemption for humanity.