waxed

At a Glance

An archaic Bible-English verb meaning “became” or “grew.”

Key Points

• Archaic translation-era word
• often appears in phrases like “waxed strong” or “waxed old”
• not a distinct doctrine or theological term
• best handled as a vocabulary/translation note.

Description

“Waxed” is an archaic English verb used in older Bible translations, where it commonly means “became,” “grew,” or “increased,” as in “waxed strong,” “waxed mighty,” or “waxed old.” Modern readers may mistakenly connect the word to wax as a substance, but that is not the intended meaning in these texts. Because the term reflects older English usage rather than a theological doctrine, it is better classified as an archaic translation term or vocabulary note than as a true theological entry.

Biblical Context

The word occurs in older English renderings of biblical narratives and descriptions of changing conditions, strength, age, or prominence. Its importance lies in helping readers understand translation language, not in introducing a separate biblical idea.

Historical Context

This usage belongs to earlier stages of English Bible translation, especially in older versions whose diction can be unfamiliar to modern readers. It is historically significant as part of biblical English, but it is not a technical theological label.

Jewish and Ancient Context

There is no special Jewish background attached to the English word itself. The underlying Hebrew or Greek often simply expresses becoming, growing, or increasing.

Primary Key Texts

• Older translations commonly use this word in passages such as Luke 1:80, Joshua 13:1, and Esther 9:4, where the sense is “grew,” “became,” or “increased.”

Secondary Key Texts

• Other occurrences may appear wherever older English versions describe a change in condition, age, or strength.

Original Language Note

The English word “waxed” usually translates ordinary Hebrew or Greek verbs meaning “become,” “grow,” or “increase,” rather than a special theological term.

Theological Significance

The term itself has no independent theological meaning. Its value is lexical: it reminds readers to read older Bible English according to its historical usage.

Philosophical Explanation

This is a case of semantic change in language. A word that once carried a common meaning can become misleading to later readers if modern assumptions are imposed on older texts.

Interpretive Cautions

Do not read the modern noun “wax” back into these passages. The verb is archaic Bible English and should be interpreted in context as “became” or “grew.”

Major Views

There is no doctrinal debate about the term itself; the only issue is proper understanding of older English usage.

Doctrinal Boundaries

This entry should not be treated as a doctrinal category or as evidence for a separate theological concept.

Practical Significance

Understanding this word helps readers follow older Bible translations accurately and avoid misunderstanding archaic phrasing.

Related Entries

• Older Bible English
• Translation notes
• Archaic words in Scripture

See Also

• became
• grew
• increased
• old English
• Bible translation