ἐκτρέφω G1625
nourish, bring up, rear, feed and care for
This verb means to nourish, bring up, or rear from childhood. Paul uses it in Ephesians 5:29 of husbands nourishing their wives as Christ does the church, and in 6:4 of bringing up children in the Lord. The word emphasizes ongoing care and nurture rather than mere feeding. Classical usage included rearing children, bringing up animals, and even plants nourishing their roots.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Referring to nurturing care and nourishment, this sense applies to both spousal care (Eph 5:29) and child-rearing (6:4). The verb emphasizes the ongoing process of feeding and fostering growth, not merely providing a single meal. Paul's use in 5:29 connects natural self-care with the care husbands should show wives, while 6:4 focuses on the comprehensive nurture of children. 2×
AR["رَبّوهُم", "يُغَذّيهِ"]·ben["পালন-কর", "পোষণ-করে"]·DE["ernaehren"]·EN["bring-up", "nourishes"]·FR["ἐκτρέφει", "ἐκτρέφετε"]·heb["גַּדְּלוּ", "מְזַן"]·HI["पअलो", "वोह-पोशित-करत-है"]·ID["besarkanlah", "memelihara"]·IT["ektrephei", "ektrephete"]·jav["ngopeni"]·KO["양육하라", "양육한다"]·PT["a-nutre", "criai-os"]·RU["воспитывайте", "питает"]·ES["criadlos", "la-alimenta"]·SW["anaushawishi", "waleleni"]·TR["besler", "buyutun"]·urd["پالتا-ہے", "پرورش-کرو"]
Related Senses
H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)H8085 1. Qal: hear, perceive aurally (921×)H0859a 1. you (2nd person masculine singular pronoun) (743×)H0398 1. eat (consume food) (697×)H4191 1. die (Qal: natural/general death) (645×)G3708 1. see, perceive visually (419×)G0191 1. hear, perceive sound (360×)H???? 3. (352×)G3708 2. behold, look (exclamatory) (256×)H7272 1. foot (body part) (236×)H8354 1. drink, consume liquid (209×)H3205 1. Qal active: bear/give birth (female subject) (204×)H3205 2. Qal active: beget/father (male subject) (198×)H2421 1. Qal: live, be alive (177×)H8085 2. Qal: listen, heed, pay attention (172×)H2416a 1. alive, living (state/attribute) (146×)H2416e 1. life, lifespan, lifetime (145×)G2198 1. be alive, have life (133×)H8193 1. lip, lips (body part) (123×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐκτρέφω, bring up from childhood, rear up, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐκτεθραμμένοι σκύμνοι λεόντων true-bred.., Refs 5th c.BC+; of plants, τὸ ἐκτρέφον τὴν ῥίζαν Refs 5th c.BC+:—middle, rear up for oneself, τινά Refs; ἤνεγκα κἀξέσωσα κἀξεθρεψάμην, says the παιδαγωγός, Refs 5th c.BC+:—passive, εἴ σοί τις υἱός ἐστιν ἐκτεθραμμένος Refs 5th c.BC+ __II middle, of pregnant animals, nourish, [ζῷα] μεγάλα ἐντὸς ἐκθρέψωνται Refs 5th c.BC+:—active, bring to birth, τὰ κυήματα Refs 4th c.BC+