Bible Dictionary
TEAT
“Teat” is an older rendering of words that ordinarily mean breast or bosom. In the cited passages, the language is either figurative of Israel’s immoral alliances or describes mourning by striking the breasts.
Definition
Teat is an older English rendering of words whose ordinary sense is breast or bosom. In the relevant passages, modern versions replace the term with “breast” or “bosom.” The words may occur in poetic parallelism or in descriptions of bodily mourning.
Biblical Usage
In Ezekiel, the language of breasts is figurative of Israel’s inclination to tolerate and participate in the idolatry of neighboring peoples. In Isaiah, striking the breasts means mourning and grieving in the conspicuous manner associated with Oriental women.
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>tet (shadh (Isa 32:12), dadh (Eze 23:3,11)): In all these passages the Revised Version (British and American) has replaced the word by "breast" or "bosom," both of which occasionally stand in poetical parallelism. The above passages in Ezekiel are to be understood figuratively of the inclination of Israel to connive at, and take part in, the idolatry of their neighbors. To "smite upon the breasts" (Isa 32:12, where the King James Version translates wrongly "lament for the teats") means "to mourn and grieve in the ostentatious way of oriental women."</p><p>See PAP.</p>