Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  5000 Humanity  »  5125 Parts of the body and clothing  »  5140 breasts

On a woman, the bosom; on a man the upper part of the chest. Female breasts are primarily referred to as a means of feeding young and as a figurative description of Israel and God as nursing mothers. Beating of the breast is a sign of remorse. The breast is protected in physical and spiritual warfare.

Breasts as a symbol of fertility

Genesis 49:25

Breasts as the means of feeding young

See also

1 Samuel 1:23 until they are weaned; 1 Kings 3:20; Job 3:12; Psalm 22:9; Songs 8:1; Joel 2:16; Luke 11:27 “Nursing” includes breast-feeding.

Nursing mothers and their children experience acute distress

Luke 23:29 See also Job 24:9; Matthew 24:19 pp Mark 13:17 pp Luke 21:23 The implication is that children nursing at their mothers' breasts are completely vulnerable and defenceless.

Other creatures breast-feed their young

Lamentations 4:3

Female breasts are attractive

Songs 8:10 See also Proverbs 5:19; Songs 4:5; Songs 7:3,7-8

Breasts are a source of temptation

Proverbs 5:20

Undeveloped breasts are a sign of youth

Songs 8:8

The figurative breasts of Israel

Jerusalem as a breasted woman

Ezekiel 16:7

Jerusalem as a nursing mother

Isaiah 66:10-12

Jerusalem as a prostitute

Ezekiel 23:3 The two sisters are Samaria and Jerusalem. See also Ezekiel 23:8,21; Hosea 2:2 Gomer's unfaithfulness is likened to that of Israel.

Dry breasts are a sign of God's punishment

Hosea 9:14

God's care exceeds that of nursing mothers

Isaiah 49:15 See also Isaiah 49:23; Isaiah 60:16 The Gentiles will be used by God to provide nursing for Israel.

Beating of breasts

As a sign of grief

Nahum 2:7 See also Isaiah 32:12-13; Ezekiel 21:12; Ezekiel 23:34; Luke 23:48

As a sign of contrition

Luke 18:13 See also Jeremiah 31:19

Protection of the breast

The high priest's breastpiece

Exodus 25:7; Exodus 28:15-30; Exodus 29:5; Exodus 35:9,27; Exodus 39:8-21; Leviticus 8:8

Breastplates worn for protection in confrontations

Revelation 9:9,17

Figurative breastplates as spiritual armour

Ephesians 6:14 See also Isaiah 59:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:8

Animal breasts used in sacrificial offerings

Exodus 29:26-27; Leviticus 7:30-31; Leviticus 8:29; Leviticus 9:20-21; Leviticus 10:14-15; Numbers 6:20; Numbers 18:18

See also

1215  God, feminine descriptions
4480  milk
5199  womb
5237  breastplate
5428  nurse
5652  babies
5664  children
5718  mothers
5733  pregnancy
6239  prostitution
7239  Jerusalem
7320  breastpiece