He struck him to the soul/ to murder
Kill him. Take his life.
("And Reuben heard, and delivered him from the hand of his brother, and said, We have not brought a soul" - Genesis 37:21 (Reuben Delivers Joseph from His Brother)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
הִכָּהוּ נֶפֶשׁ, הִכָּה אוֹתוֹ נֶפֶשׁ
Definition (Hebrew)
הָרַג אוֹתוֹ. נָטַל אֶת חַיָּיו.
("וַיִּשְׁמַע רְאוּבֵן וַיַּצִּלֵהוּ מִיָּדָם וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא נַכֶּנּוּ נָפֶשׁ"- בְּרֵאשִׁית לז כא (רְאוּבֵן מַצִּיל אֶת יוֹסֵף מֵאֶחָיו)