Archaic Words In The KJB (Part 6)

16. Assay
Hebrews 11:29 KJB says, “By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.” This is referring to Moses and the Israelites escaping the Egyptians in the Exodus. Exodus 14:23 describes the Egyptians in this event, “And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.” Of course, they “were drowned”. The clear implication of Hebrews 11:29 is that whereas Moses and the Israelites actually passed through the Red sea, the Egyptians tried to (in following after them) as well, but were drowned. Thus, the KJB’s definition of “assay” is to try or to attempt. This is exactly what it means in English. The 1828 Webster Dictionary defines “assay” as, “To attempt, try or endeavor.” This word is so archaic, it’s found even in The Message Bible (2002) in Proverbs 17:3.

17. Assupim
Actually, the Interactive Bible.ca spelled it wrong. It’s actually spelled “Asuppim” with one “s” and two “p”’s. 1 Chronicles 26:15 KJB reads, “To Obededom southward; and to his sons the house of Asuppim.” It’s pretty obvious “Asuppim” is a name. The house of Asuppim is the house that belongs to the man or family that went by the name “Asuppim”. It’s pretty hard to update a name, since names are not archaic. No dictionary is needed to define a name here. And it happens to be so archaic that it’s found in the modern Orthodox Jewish Bible (2011) in 1 Chronicles 26:15.

18. Asswage
Job 16:6 KJB tells us, “Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?” This verse has a parallel structure in it (the first part is like the last part) that defines “asswaged” as “eased”. The KJB thus defines “asswage” as to calm or to ease. This is confirmed by the 1828 Webster Dictionary which defines “asswage” as “assuage”, which itself is defined as, “To soften, in a figurative sense; to allay, mitigate, ease or lessen, as pain or grief; to appease or pacify, as passion or tumult. In strictness, it signifies rather to moderate, than to quiet, tranquilize or reduce to perfect peace or ease.” It’s not an old word, for even The Conservative Bible (2010) retains it in Job 16:6.