שַׁד (shad)
shad
breast
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 15 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun shad refers simply to the breast, specifically that of a woman, though it can also describe the udder or breast of an animal. In the Old Testament, this word appears in fifteen verses, most notably within the poetic imagery of Song of Solomon and the prophetic laments of Isaiah and Job. It serves as a concrete term for the physical body part associated with nourishment and maternal care.
Its usage ranges from literal descriptions of nursing to metaphorical expressions of comfort or vulnerability. In Song of Solomon, it functions within intimate poetic language celebrating physical beauty, while in Job and Isaiah, it often appears in contexts of mourning or divine judgment where the source of life is withheld or lamented. The word carries no inherent sexual connotation outside of its natural biological function; it is primarily anatomical.
Translators consistently render shad as "breast" or "bosom," depending on the context and the English idiom of the time. The term remains straightforward in meaning, grounding abstract concepts of comfort or nourishment in tangible human experience. Its presence in both love poetry and prophetic literature shows how ancient writers used familiar physical realities to express deep emotional and spiritual states.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word shad simply means breast, grounding our understanding of care in physical reality. In ancient Israel, this body part represented the primary source of life and sustenance for a child. When Scripture uses this term, it often points to the deep, biological bond between mother and infant, highlighting how God designed human relationships to be rooted in tangible nourishment and protection.
While the word appears in intimate poetry like Song of Solomon, its broader biblical usage emphasizes comfort and divine provision. In Isaiah, the prophet invites the weary to nurse from comforting breasts, using this image to describe God’s tender care for Jerusalem. It is a reminder that spiritual sustenance is not abstract; it is as real and necessary as physical milk. This imagery invites us to trust in a Provider who offers rest and satisfaction to those who seek Him.
Even in contexts of loss or judgment, the absence of this nourishment signals profound grief. Yet, the consistent thread is that God values the intimacy of care. Whether describing the vulnerability of an orphan or the peace of a faithful woman, the word reminds us that we are created for connection. We can find hope in knowing that the Creator who designed these bonds also offers His own comforting presence to our weary souls.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 15 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- breasts4×
- and/ breasts2×
- from/ breasts1×
- from/ [the] breast of1×
- from/ [the] breast1×
- breasts/ your1×
- breasts/ my1×
- and/ breasts/ my1×
- and/ [the] breast of1×
- a breast1×
- [the] breasts of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שָׁדַ֖יִם2×
- וְ/שָׁדַ֖יִם2×
- שָּׁ֝דַ֗יִם1×
- שָׁדָ֑יִם1×
- שָׁדַ֛יִ/ךְ1×
- שָׁדַ֖/י1×
- שַׁ֔ד1×
- שְׁדֵ֣י1×
- מִ/שֹּׁ֣ד1×
- מִ/שֹּׁ֖ד1×
- מִ/שָּׁדָֽיִם\׃1×
- וְ/שֹׁ֥ד1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 66:11
that you may nurse and be satisfied at the comforting breasts; that you may drink deeply, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.”
This verse uses the word to invite the exiled community into a state of deep satisfaction and delight in God's glory, framing divine comfort as maternal nourishment.
-
Job 3:12
Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breast, that I should nurse?
Job’s lament questions why he was received by the knees or nursed at the breast, highlighting the word’s association with the initial moment of receiving life and care.
-
Song of Solomon 8:10
I am a wall, and my breasts like towers, then I was in his eyes like one who found peace.
The speaker describes her breasts like towers to symbolize strength and integrity, showing how the term can represent personal virtue and stability in love poetry.
-
Genesis 49:25
even by the God of your father, who will help you, by the Almighty, who will bless you, with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies below, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb.
Jacob blesses Joseph with 'blessings of the breasts,' linking this physical source of life to the abundant fertility and provision God promises to His people.