Alleged Female Language about the Deity in the Hebrew Bible

Abstract

Abstract:There are a number of alleged examples of female language about the deity in the Hebrew Bible, but, to my knowledge, there has been no systematic critique of such instances. They include passages where the deity Yahweh is said to be described as a human or animal mother, and other passages where language that seems appropriate only to women (e.g., of birthing and of midwifery) is used in reference to the deity. Twenty-two such passages are assessed here, with the conclusion that there is not a single instance of such female language. There are indeed two cases where the deity may be compared to a woman, but they do not mean that the deity itself is viewed as in any sense female.