EL SHADDAI

INTRODUCTION

Genesis 1:26 KJV 1900

26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Hebrew (Old Testament) 132 I. אָדָם

132 I. אָדָם (ʾā·ḏām): n.masc.; ≡ Str 120; TWOT 25a—1. LN 9.1–9.23 person, human, i.e., a single human being of either sex (Ps 49:21[EB 20]), see also 134; 2. LN 9.1–9.23 humankind, mankind, a class of being created by God without regard to sex, with a focus as a class of creature, distinct from animals, plants, or even spiritual beings (Ge 1:26); 3. LN 87.58–87.75 unit:

Genesis 1:27 KJV 1900

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Galatians 3:28 TPT

28 And we no longer see each other in our former state—Jew or non-Jew, rich or poor, male or female—because we’re all one through our union with Jesus Christ with no distinction between us.

God is not a respecter of persons.

Acts 10:34 TPT

34 Peter said, “Now I know for certain that God doesn’t show favoritism with people but treats everyone on the same basis.

So from these texts we can see that the expression of God cannot be limited to one gender; gender is a function of purpose, not of value.

THE NURTURING (MOTHER’S HEART) OF GOD

Genesis 17:1 NLT

1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life.

Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Hebrew (Old Testament) 445 IV. אֵל

445 IV. אֵל (ʾēl): n.masc.; ≡ Str 410; TWOT 93a—LN 76 power, i.e., the ability to do a certain physical event, whether to harm or defend (Ge 31:29; Dt 28:32; Ne 5:5; Pr 3:27 Q; Mic 2:1+), see also 446

Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Hebrew (Old Testament) 8724 שַׁדַּי

8724 שַׁדַּי (šǎd·dǎy): n.pr. [oth n.masc.]; ≡ Str 7706; TWOT 2333—1. LN 12.1–12.42 (title) the Almighty, i.e., a title for the true God, often with a focus on the power to complete promises of blessing and prosperity (Ge 49:25; Nu 24:4, 16; Ru 1:20, 21; Job 5:17; 6:4, 14; 8:3, 5; 11:7; 13:3; 15:25; 21:15, 20; 22:3, 17, 23, 25, 26; 23:16; 24:1; 27:2, 10, 11, 13; 29:5; 31:2, 35; 32:8; 33:4; 34:10, 12; 35:13; 37:23; 40:2; Ps 68:15[EB 14]; 91:1; Isa 13:6; Eze 1:24; Joel 1:15+); 2. LN 12.1–12.42 unit: אֵל שַׁדַּי (ʾēl šǎd·dǎy) God Almighty, i.e., a title for the one true God (Ge 17:1; 28:3; 35:11; 43:14; 48:3; Ex 6:3; Eze 10:5+)

Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Hebrew (Old Testament) 8716 שַׁד

8716 שַׁד (šǎḏ): n.masc.; ≡ Str 7699; TWOT 2332a—LN 8.37 breast, i.e., the area of the body on the front between the neck and abdomen, usually with special reference to the mammary gland on a female human (Ge 49:25; Job 3:12; Ps 22:10[EB 9]; SS 1:13; 4:5; 7:4[EB 3],8[EB 7],9[EB 8]; 8:1, 8, 10; Isa 28:9; 32:12; La 4:3; Eze 16:7; 23:3, 21, 34; Hos 2:4[EB 2]; 9:14; Joel 2:16+), note: also used of animals, in a different position on the body, cf. also 8718

Matthew 23:37 (NLT)

37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me.

Isaiah 66:10–13 NLT

10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem! Be glad with her, all you who love her and all you who mourn for her. 11 Drink deeply of her glory even as an infant drinks at its mother’s comforting breasts.” 12 This is what the Lord says: “I will give Jerusalem a river of peace and prosperity. The wealth of the nations will flow to her. Her children will be nursed at her breasts, carried in her arms, and held on her lap. 13 I will comfort you there in Jerusalem as a mother comforts her child.”

MOTHERHOOD SURPASSES CHILDBIRTH ALONE

Romans 16:13 NLT

13 Greet Rufus, whom the Lord picked out to be his very own; and also his dear mother, who has been a mother to me.