the atmosphere, as opposed to the higher regions of the sky (1-Thess 4:17; Rev. 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-Cor 14:9) is a proverb denoting to speak in vain, as to "beat the air" (1-Cor 9:26) denotes to labour in vain.