Christians: in Psalm 91, why was the term "Many Breasted One" changed to "Almighty?"?

Question

"He that dwells in the secret place of the Highest
He shall abide under the Shadow of the Many Breasted One.."

the original El Shaddai is translated to Many Breated One, which is associated with the Divine Feminine, and is generally accepted as a reference to a female presence. Why do you suppose it was changed to "Almighty?"

And do you think of the term "Almighty" as being male, female, neither, or both?

to Exodus 20:1-17; look it up, in the Hebrew bible,and check out the reference therto from another answerer.

I am not a Christian, as most of you know, and I ask this to see how amany dedicated Christians are aware of how much their book has been altered over the centuries to accomodate misogynistic patriarchy. So far, some...but not Mr Exodus 20:1-17.

to Chrisgaffery, you need to do more research, with all due respect. google the term and see what you find from the mainstream scholars

Answer 1

it was to get rid of the divine feminine so the could make women "slaves" to man. if their is both sides to God then you have a harder time convincing women that they are subservient.

Answer 2

i went and tried everything and now i know it's wrong and i don't do it because it's bad for me and my happiness. But now i don't judge others for the state they're in. I realize that we're all people and christian, buddhist, whatever is just a label you stick on your own forehead, maybe for social reasons, family etc. but in the end doesn't make you any closer to God than you would be without it. I also realized that to preach to people is pointless. People react to love no matter what the words are. It's only through cultivating the love and wellbeing of yourself and letting it overflow to others that we make some difference in the world. All the sermonizing about morality, accepting Jesus etc. is artificial. What is needed in this world is true openness and support of each other. But even if you take that as an idea it becomes stupid because people start thinking you have to accept murderers and child molesters. What i'm trying to say is that the problem was that religion is in everybodies heads. It's this abstract thing that governs us, but the world is not bounded by these ideas. They don't fit. The world is too complicated and amazing to fit into a book. We have to be masters of ourselves and stop hiding from life. Sacred texts are there to help us, not rule us. Oh yeah sorry, i shouldn't really be answering this because i'm not an atheist. Only a 'former christian'.

Answer 3

If you look up the reference in the Hebrew Bible you will only get the word "El Shaddai" not the meaning. To get the meaning one must go to a respected Hebrew Lexicon. You do not say which one you are using. I just looked this up in five different Hebrew lexicons in my library and none supported your translation. The only hint of such an idea comes from an incidental and remote etymological similarity to the Ugaritic name of a female deity as well as the incidental similarity to the Hebrew term for breast.

You do not say where you obtained your learning in biblical Hebrew. Biblical Hebrew is an incredibly difficult language to master. It takes many years. Those who have not invested the long, long hours involved in mastering this language should use some humility in making assertions that the Hebrew means something different than all Hebrew scholars claim. Usually such claims come from people who read something in a book by an author who heard from someone else that a given Hebrew word "really means" something else. Inevitably, none of the people in this chain of zealous ignorance know how to translate biblical Hebrew with any kind of proficiency. Internet sources are especially notorious for their poor scholarship. Any university professor would just laugh at you for suggesting such a translation because you had googled it on the internet! The reason NO translation of the Hebrew Scriptures translates El Shaddai as you suggest is that no credible Hebrew scholars give any credence to such a translation. I suggest you find a Hebrew scholar at a nearby university. Make an appointment to see him or her and ask them this question.

Answer 4

God, being a spirit, has no gender. He does, however, possess all the traits that humans associate with both genders. Though "many breasted one" has a feminine connotation, it is not altogether incorrect to understand this as an ability of provision.

However, in spite of the physical association with the feminine because of the human concept of "breasts and supply, "Shadday" remains to be a a masculine noun from the Hebrew, not a feminine noun as you state. The word is translated accurately that way in 48 instances in the King James Version of the text. Therefore, in spite of what you are suggesting, the meaning has not changed at all. The reference is to a masculine Deity.

Answer 5

Hi there Lady Morgana,

I'm sorry but you are wrong. "Shad" is Hebrew for breast, but the term El Shaddai comes from the root "Shadad", which means to be powerful or strong.

Also, if you were right, it wouldn't mean the "many breasted one," since there is no word there for "many" or "one." Rather it would mean "God of the breasts."

Just another argument for why this isn't right: Why have we not heard this more from Hebrew scholars? I just can't buy into a conspiracy that would include even the non-religious scholars.

So, this supposed mis-translation is just not very credible.

Answer 6

This Psalm is refering to the Church, the LOVE GOD has for the Church, that GOD has taken under HIS WING with the HOLY SPIRIT. The CHRUCH is the BRIDE OF CHRIST and the CHILDREN of MOTHER MARY.

El Shaddai means GOD ALMIGHTY. I do not know if this means "many breasted one, or breasted one" But i researched it and it seems to mean just "GOD ALMIGHTY" if it means this, it is probably to indicated sucklign many chlidren, as an intimate parenting activity like taking the young ones under HIS wing. It also may be a reference to MOTHER MARY taking care of HER many children and HER relationship to THE HOLY SPIRIT. But it is to "the woman" that the promise that she shall crush the head of the serpent, is given. You see a reference to the relationship between MOTHER MARY AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. You see a relationship between THE CHURCH as THE BRIDE OF CHRIST to CHRIST THE BRIDEGROOM.

We must see that JESUS has given us HIS FLESH for the LIFE OF THE WORLD. That in JESUS when we eat and drink of JESUS we have LIFE in us. And therefore MOTHER MARY THE NEW EVE is MOTHER OF ALL THE LIVING because we are united of the flesh to JESUS CHRIST by eating and drinking the BODY AND BLOOD of our LORD.

LOVE your neighbor as yourself.
Amen.

:responsorial edit: JESUS came as a man, because man is the head of woman, and JESUS is the BRIDEGROOM who is HEAD of the CHURCH who is the BRIDE.

:responsorial edit:GOD is indeed SPIRIT, we should worship IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH, however GOD in the person of JESUS came among us as the WORD MADE FLESH. Therefore JESUS is HOLY FLESH which comes down from HEAVEN and becomes THE BREAD OF LIFE.

Answer 7

You might like to read a book called "The Hebrew Goddess" by Raphael Patai, if you haven't. It's a great book.

I'm Jewish by the way, not Christian, so I won't answer your question directed for Christians only. I am curious why you are asking Christians this question since they generally don't have clue one about Hebrew whatsoever, and you're just going to get some nonsense answers, but *shrug!*.

In any case, do check out that book if you haven't already, I think you would really find it educational and fascinating.

Answer 8

To support a patriarchal, monotheistic religion. I consider 'Almighty', as an adjective, to be neutral.

Answer 9

The Word, "Almighty" comes from the Hebrew word, "שׁדּי" which is pronounced "shad-dah'ee." It's definition, according to Strong's Concordance, means "Almighty."

As far as God being feminine, if you read the Bible, Jesus refers to Him as Father. It would be wrong and stupid for me to refer to my mother as my father, wouldn't it? Or should He have prayed, "Our Mother which art in heaven..." I will not try and argue that God is a male. It would be a waste of time. Just read the Bible and see how it describes Him.

Answer 10

I made a note. I am going to check that out as soon as I sober up.

aen

Answer 11

These types of changes appear to originate from the monotheistic position of certain sects such as the Deuteronomists who felt themselves at liberty to correct the records.