Question 1

What does "Nourish" mean in the King James Bible?

Accepted Answer

In the KJV, "Nourish" means "sustain." The comprehensive provision. When Joseph said 'I will nourish thee,' he meant total sustenance -- land, food, protection, economic support for the entire family through famine. Biblical nourishment was holistic caregiving, not vitamins and minerals.

Question 2

Why did the word "Nourish" disappear from modern English?

Accepted Answer

Narrowed from 'to sustain/support/maintain economically and physically' to primarily 'to provide nutrients to the body,' reducing comprehensive sustenance to dietary science. The word was at peak usage around 1611 and declined by still used but narrowed (~1900).

Question 3

What modern word replaced "Nourish"?

Accepted Answer

"Nourish" was replaced by: "feed" (though this merely caloric; nourish-as-sustain meant total provision -- food, shelter, protection, economic support); "support" (though this abstract and financial; nourish was concrete and personal -- taking someone into your care); "provide for" (though this transactional; nourish implied an ongoing, intimate relationship of provision).

What Does “Nourish” Mean in the Bible?

What Was Lost