The Hebrew that is translated as “spirit (or: Spirit) of God” (also: “wind of God”) in English was translated in the early 18th century Kalaallisut (Greenlandic) translation by Hans Egede as Guutip anersaava or “God’s breath.” He explained: “I cannot find no other word in the language suitable for articulating the idea of a spiritual being.” (Quoted in Flemming Nielsen in Elliott / Boer 2012, p. 113ff.)

Incidentally, the word anersaaq for “breath” that Egede had used has now morphed into meaning “spirit,” so the current translation (publ. 2000) has “Guutillu anersaavata” or “spirit of God,” using the same words.