Suck
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Topical Encyclopedia
In the context of the Bible, the term "suck" primarily refers to the act of nursing or breastfeeding, a natural and essential process for the nourishment and growth of infants. This term appears in various passages, illustrating both literal and metaphorical meanings.

Old Testament References:

1. Genesis 21:7 · In the account of Sarah and Isaac, Sarah expresses amazement at nursing a child in her old age: "Who would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age." This passage highlights the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth and the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham and Sarah.

2. Exodus 2:7-9 · The account of Moses as a baby includes his sister suggesting to Pharaoh's daughter that a Hebrew woman nurse the child: "Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, 'Shall I go and call a nursing woman from the Hebrews to nurse the child for you?' 'Go ahead,' Pharaoh’s daughter told her. And the girl went and called the boy’s mother." This narrative underscores God's providence in preserving Moses for his future role as the deliverer of Israel.

3. 1 Samuel 1:23 · Hannah, the mother of Samuel, decides to wean her son before presenting him to the Lord: "Do what seems best to you," her husband Elkanah told her. "Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the LORD confirm His word." So Hannah stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him. This passage reflects the cultural and religious practices surrounding child-rearing and dedication to God.

New Testament References:

1. Matthew 24:19 · In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus speaks of the difficulties faced by nursing mothers during times of tribulation: "How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers!" This statement emphasizes the severity of the coming trials and the vulnerability of those caring for young children.

2. Luke 11:27 · A woman in the crowd praises Jesus by blessing His mother: "As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said, 'Blessed is the womb that bore You, and blessed are the breasts that nursed You!'" This exclamation acknowledges the honor of being the mother of the Messiah, while Jesus redirects the focus to spiritual obedience.

Metaphorical Usage:

The act of nursing is also used metaphorically in Scripture to describe spiritual nourishment and care. For example, in Isaiah 66:11-12, the imagery of a mother nursing her child is used to depict the comfort and abundance that God provides to His people: "So that you may nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breasts; you may drink deeply and delight in her glorious abundance."

Theological Implications:

The concept of nursing in the Bible often symbolizes God's provision, care, and the fulfillment of His promises. It serves as a reminder of the intimate and nurturing relationship between God and His people, as well as the importance of faith and reliance on divine sustenance. The imagery of nursing also highlights the value of life and the role of family in the biblical narrative, emphasizing the continuity of God's covenant through generations.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (v. t.) To draw, as a liquid, by the action of the mouth and tongue, which tends to produce a vacuum, and causes the liquid to rush in by atmospheric pressure; to draw, or apply force to, by exhausting the air.

2. (v. t.) To draw liquid from by the action of the mouth; as, to suck an orange; specifically, to draw milk from (the mother, the breast, etc.) with the mouth; as, the young of an animal sucks the mother, or dam; an infant sucks the breast.

3. (v. t.) To draw in, or imbibe, by any process resembles sucking; to inhale; to absorb; as, to suck in air; the roots of plants suck water from the ground.

4. (v. t.) To draw or drain.

5. (v. t.) To draw in, as a whirlpool; to swallow up.

6. (v. i.) To draw, or attempt to draw, something by suction, as with the mouth, or through a tube.

7. (v. i.) To draw milk from the breast or udder; as, a child, or the young of an animal, is first nourished by sucking.

8. (v. i.) To draw in; to imbibe; to partake.

9. (n.) The act of drawing with the mouth.

10. (n.) That which is drawn into the mouth by sucking; specifically, milk drawn from the breast.

11. (n.) A small draught.

12. (n.) Juice; succulence.

Greek
2337. thelazo -- to suckle
... to suckle. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: thelazo Phonetic Spelling:
(thay-lad'-zo) Short Definition: I give suck, suck Definition: (a) I give suck, ( ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2337.htm - 6k

2338. thelus -- female
... 2338 (from , "the breast") -- properly, a woman with nursing breasts ("one who gives
suck"); (figuratively) a mature female who exhibit "," glorifying God by ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2338.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew
3243. yanaq -- to suck
... 3242, 3243. yanaq. 3244 . to suck. Transliteration: yanaq Phonetic Spelling:
(yaw-nak') Short Definition: nurse. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/3243.htm - 6k

5763. ul -- to nurse, give suck
... 5762, 5763. ul. 5764 . to nurse, give suck. Transliteration: ul Phonetic
Spelling: (ool) Short Definition: nursing. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/5763.htm - 6k

5966. ala -- perhaps to sip up
... perhaps to sip up. Transliteration: ala Phonetic Spelling: (aw-lah') Short Definition:
suck. ... root Definition perhaps to sip up NASB Word Usage suck (1). suck up. ...
/hebrew/5966.htm - 5k

4711. matsats -- to drain out
... to drain out. Transliteration: matsats Phonetic Spelling: (maw-tsats') Short Definition:
suck. ... root Definition to drain out NASB Word Usage suck (1). milk. ...
/hebrew/4711.htm - 5k

4680. matsah -- to drain, drain out
... suck, wring out. A primitive root; to suck out; by implication, to drain, to squeeze
out -- suck, wring (out). 4679, 4680. matsah. 4681 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/4680.htm - 6k

5936. aluqah -- a leech
... horse-leech. Feminine passive participle of an unused root meaning to suck; the
leech -- horse-leech. 5935, 5936. aluqah. 5937 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/5936.htm - 5k

4198. mazeh -- sucked out, empty
... Usage wasted (1). burnt. From an unused root meaning to suck out; exhausted --
burnt. 4197, 4198. mazeh. 4199 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/4198.htm - 5k

4985. mathoq -- to become or be sweet or pleasant
... be made, take sweet. A primitive root; to suck, by implication, to relish, or
(intransitively) be sweet -- be (made, X take) sweet. 4984, 4985. mathoq. 4986 ...
/hebrew/4985.htm - 6k

Library

The Bed and Its Covering
... give!" It will suck, suck, suck to all eternity, and still cry, "Give, give!"
and though you give it all, it has not gotten enough. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/the bed and its covering.htm

The Chaff Driven Away
... It shelters no man's roof. No man careth for it. Let it die, why doth it stand
there to suck nourishment from the soil and yield none again. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/the chaff driven away.htm

1 John iv. 17-21
... milk which is their right: and however impetuously the suckling rushes at the teats,
yet that is better for the mother than that it should not suck nor exact ...
/.../ten homilies on the epistle of john to the parthians/homily ix 1 john iv.htm

A Song of Zion Redeemed
... Thou shalt also suck the milk of the nations, And shalt suck the breast of kings:
And thou shalt know that I the LORD am thy saviour, And thy redeemer, the ...
/.../various/select masterpieces of biblical literature/ix a song of zion.htm

Matt. xxiv. 16-18.
... "Woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck," [2778] to the one ...
how could she that gives suck be able to overlook that which she had borne? ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily lxxvi matt xxiv 16-18.htm

My Children have Been Slain
... 5. The suckling falls, from its mother and gasps,"because it cannot suck, nor
can she give suck:"they breathe out their spirit and die. ...
/.../ephraim/hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/hymn x my children have.htm

Of the Union of the Blessed Spirits with God, in the vision of the ...
... these divine promises shall be fulfilled in an excellent manner: I will lead her
into the wilderness, and I will speak to her heart, [171] and give her suck. ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter xi of the union.htm

The Ignorance and the Infirmity of an Infant.
... grow larger, and yet, even when most diminutive, run about, and recognize their
mothers, and require no external help or care when they want to suck, but with ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 69 xxxviii the ignorance and.htm

This Only Begotten Word of God Reigns, from Ages which had no ...
... to the belief of the Middle Ages, are disembodied souls which clothe themselves
again in their buried bodies, steal at night into houses, and suck from the ...
/.../pamphilius/the life of constantine/chapter ii this only begotten.htm

V. ...
... but the milk: like them, striving for the breasts and milk, so be ye also eager
for the word; endeavor for it, have an appetite for it, that ye may suck in the ...
/.../the epistles of st peter and st jude preached and explained/chapter ii v .htm

Thesaurus
Suck (22 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To draw liquid from by the action of the mouth; as, to suck an orange;
specifically, to draw milk from (the mother, the breast, etc.) with the mouth; as ...
/s/suck.htm - 14k

Breasts (39 Occurrences)
... Job 3:12 Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck? ... Assemble
the elders. Gather the children, and those who suck the breasts. ...
/b/breasts.htm - 18k

Vampire
... These bats are destitute of molar teeth, but have strong, sharp cutting incisors
with which they make punctured wounds from which they suck the blood of horses ...
/v/vampire.htm - 7k

Suckle (5 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) A teat. 2. (vt) To give suck to; to nurse at
the breast. 3. (vi) To nurse; to suck. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/s/suckle.htm - 8k

Nursing (14 Occurrences)
... 59; Genesis 35:8 Exodus 2:7, 9 2 Kings 11:2 2 Chronicles 22:11 Isaiah 49:23) the
word-noun or verb-renders some form of the verb yanaq, "to suck." The feminine ...
/n/nursing.htm - 13k

Giving (611 Occurrences)
... and stoning another. (BBE). Matthew 24:19 And wo to those with child, and
to those giving suck in those days; (YLT). Matthew 24:38 ...
/g/giving.htm - 34k

Nurse (23 Occurrences)
... 59; Genesis 35:8 Exodus 2:7, 9 2 Kings 11:2 2 Chronicles 22:11 Isaiah 49:23) the
word-noun or verb-renders some form of the verb yanaq, "to suck." The feminine ...
/n/nurse.htm - 17k

Breast (71 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Job 3:12 Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breast, that I should suck? ...
Assemble the elders. Gather the children, and those who suck the breasts. ...
/b/breast.htm - 31k

Milk (66 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 60:16 You shall also suck the milk of the nations, and shall nurse from royal
breasts; and you shall know that I, Yahweh, am your Savior, and your ...
/m/milk.htm - 34k

Viper's (3 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Viper's (3 Occurrences). Job 20:16 He shall suck cobra
venom. The viper's tongue shall kill him. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS). ...
/v/viper's.htm - 7k

Resources
What is the significance of unleavened bread? | GotQuestions.org

Should a Christian be involved with cosplay? | GotQuestions.org

Suck: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Suck (22 Occurrences)

Matthew 24:19
And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
(KJV ASV DBY YLT RSV)

Mark 13:17
But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
(KJV ASV DBY YLT RSV)

Luke 11:27
And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.
(Root in KJV WEY ASV DBY YLT RSV)

Luke 21:23
But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
(KJV ASV DBY YLT RSV)

Luke 23:29
For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
(KJV ASV DBY YLT RSV)

Genesis 21:7
And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY YLT RSV)

Genesis 33:13
And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and that the flocks and herds with me have their young: and if they overdrive them one day, all the flocks will die.
(See JPS DBY YLT RSV)

Deuteronomy 32:13
He made him ride on the high places of the earth. He ate the increase of the field. He caused him to suck honey out of the rock, oil out of the flinty rock;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Deuteronomy 33:19
They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness: for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV)

1 Samuel 1:23
And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY YLT)

1 Kings 3:21
And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY YLT)

Job 3:12
Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breast, that I should suck?
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY YLT NAS RSV)

Job 20:16
He shall suck cobra venom. The viper's tongue shall kill him.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Job 39:30
His young ones also suck up blood. Where the slain are, there he is."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)

Psalms 78:71
From following the ewes that have their young he brought him, To be the shepherd of Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
(See JPS DBY YLT NAS)

Isaiah 40:11
He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and will gently lead those that have their young.
(See JPS DBY YLT)

Isaiah 60:16
You shall also suck the milk of the nations, and shall nurse from royal breasts; and you shall know that I, Yahweh, am your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Isaiah 66:11
That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Isaiah 66:12
For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV)

Lamentations 4:3
Even the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY YLT RSV)

Ezekiel 23:34
Thou shalt even drink it and suck it out, and thou shalt break the sherds thereof, and pluck off thine own breasts: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
(KJV DBY)

Joel 2:16
Gather the people. Sanctify the assembly. Assemble the elders. Gather the children, and those who suck the breasts. Let the bridegroom go forth from his room, and the bride out of her chamber.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Subtopics

Suck

Related Terms

Suck (22 Occurrences)

Suckest (1 Occurrence)

Outdoors (1 Occurrence)

Lifting (157 Occurrences)

Wheel (20 Occurrences)

Wert (5 Occurrences)

Paps (4 Occurrences)

Bare (250 Occurrences)

Borne (172 Occurrences)

Carried (327 Occurrences)

Breasts (39 Occurrences)

Loud (222 Occurrences)

Company (287 Occurrences)

Spake (704 Occurrences)

Spoke (799 Occurrences)

Thus (1271 Occurrences)

Despise (64 Occurrences)

Despised (96 Occurrences)

Stretching (84 Occurrences)

Breast (71 Occurrences)

Kiss (39 Occurrences)

Crowd (166 Occurrences)

Hast (1968 Occurrences)

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