What Does El Shaddai Mean — Meaning Explained
El Shaddai means 'God Almighty' — emphasizing God's all-sufficiency and unlimited power to fulfill His promises.
El Shaddai means 'God Almighty' — emphasizing God's all-sufficiency and unlimited power to fulfill His promises.
"And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect." — Genesis 17:1 (KJV)
What "What Does El Shaddai Mean?" Actually Means
El Shaddai (אֵל שַׁדַּי) is the name by which God revealed Himself most often to the patriarchs. It combines El ('God') with Shaddai, traditionally rendered 'Almighty.' Some scholars connect Shaddai with a root meaning 'mountain,' picturing God as the immovable fortress; others connect it with 'sufficient,' picturing God as the all-supplying source. The name appears at moments when God's people needed to trust His power to overcome impossible circumstances — Abraham's old age, Jacob's exile, Israel's bondage. When God speaks as El Shaddai, He is declaring that nothing is too hard for Him and that He is enough for every need.
Anchor Verses (KJV)
Genesis 17:1
"And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect."
Genesis 35:11
"And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee."
Revelation 1:8
"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."
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