Nourishes (1625) (ektrepho from ek = out or intensifying meaning + trepho = nourish, rear, feed) means to nourish up to maturity, to nourish in general, to nurture, to bring up from childhood, to raise a child to maturity by providing not just for physical and but also for emotional, soul needs (Eph 6:4-note). Ektrepho means to provide food for with the implication of a considerable period of time and the food being adequate nourishment. This word could mean that the man is to be the "breadwinner" or provider. Webster says that nourish (from Latin nutrire = to feed, nourish) means to nurture, to rear, to promote the growth of, to provide with the food or other substances necessary for growth and health The present tense pictures the continual process of nourishing leading up to an attained goal. Ektrepho is found in a secular Greek writing... “I have made the agreement and I will nurse (ektrepho) the infant slave Thermoutharion for the two years” Ektrepho is used 19 times in the Septuagint (LXX) (Ge. 45:7, 11; 47:17; 2 am. 12:3; 1 Ki. 11:20; 12:8, 10; 2 Ki. 10:6; 2 Chr. 10:10; Job 31:18; 39:3; Ps. 23:2; Prov. 23:24; Isa. 23:4; 49:21; Ezek. 31:4; Hos. 9:12; Jon. 4:10; Zech. 10:9) and 2 times in the NT, here and Ephesians 6:4. Here are a few examples of the uses in the Lxx. Genesis 45:7 "And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive (Lxx = ektrepho) by a great deliverance...11 "There I will also provide (Lxx = ektrepho) for you, for there are still five years of famine to come, lest you and your household and all that you have be impoverished."' 2 Samuel 12:3 "But the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb Which he bought and nourished (Lxx = ektrepho); And it grew up together with him and his children. It would eat of his bread and drink of his cup and lie in his bosom, And was like a daughter to him. Psalm 23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. (Lxx is rendered "he has nourished [Lxx = ektrepho] me by the water of rest.") Zechariah 10:9 "When I scatter them among the peoples, They will remember Me in far countries, and they with their children will live (Lxx = nourish "they shall nourish their children") and come back. "Copy and paste the address below into your web browser in order to go to the original page which will allow you to access live links related to the material on this page - these links include Scriptures (which can be read in context), Scripture pop-ups on mouse over, and a variety of related resources such as Bible dictionary articles, commentaries, sermon notes and theological journal articles related to the topic under discussion." http://www.preceptaustin.org/ephesians_528-30.htm#Nourishes