Archaic KJV Word
Promise
Modern equivalent: stated intention
What Was Lost
The self-fulfilling power. When God promised, the promise itself carried the power of fulfillment. Human promises are stated intentions; divine promises are creative acts. 'Has He said, and shall He not do it?' was not about God's reliability but about the nature of divine speech -- God's word accomplishes what it declares.
Closest Survivor in Modern English
promise (still used but carries 'might not happen' skepticism absent from the biblical word)
Peak Usage (1611)
KJV Hebrews 11:13 -- 'These all died in faith, not having received the promises'; 2 Peter 1:4 -- 'Exceeding great and precious promises'
Died still used but cheapened (~1900)
Hebrew davar/amar ('God's spoken word that creates what it declares') and Greek epaggelia ('authoritative announcement/pledge that carries self-fulfilling power') cheapened into 'stated intention that might not happen.'
What Replaced It
“pledge”
Human commitment that may fail; God's promise was self-fulfilling -- the word created what it declared
“commitment”
Intention requiring follow-through; God's promise was itself the guarantee of fulfillment
“offer”
Optional and conditional; divine promises were unilateral, unconditional sovereign declarations