Question 1

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

Accepted Answer

In the KJV, "Trust" means "believe in." The body weight. Batach was a physical image -- you lean your entire body weight onto something and let it hold you. 'Trust in the Lord' was not 'believe God will come through' but 'throw yourself down onto God and let Him bear your full weight.' Lean not on your own understanding -- lean on Him, literally.

Question 2

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

Accepted Answer

Hebrew batach ('to throw yourself down upon/lean your full weight on/be securely supported') weakened to 'believe someone will do what they say.' Trust lost its physical, weight-bearing dimension. The word was at peak usage around 1611 and declined by still used but weakened (~1900).

Question 3

What modern word replaced "Trust"?

Accepted Answer

"Trust" was replaced by: "rely on" (though this calculated dependence; batach was throwing your full weight onto god without reservation); "count on" (though this expected reliability; batach was bodily surrender, not mental assessment); "have confidence in" (though this self-referential; batach was about the trustworthiness of the object, not the trust of the subject).

What Does “Trust” Mean in the Bible?

What Was Lost

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