the atmosphere, as opposed to the higher regions of the sky ( 1 Thessalonians 4:17 ; Revelation 9:2 ; 16:17 ). This word occurs once as the rendering of the Hebrew ruah ( Job 41:16 ); elsewhere it is the rendering of shamaiyim , usually translated "heavens."

The expression "to speak into the air" ( 1 Corinthians 14:9 ) is a proverb denoting to speak in vain, as to "beat the air" ( 1 Corinthians 9:26 ) denotes to labour in vain.

These dictionary topics are from
M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition,
published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely.