Trow (Hastings' Dictionary)
The En^. verb to ' trow ' is the same in origin as 'true' and 'trust.' Its earliest meaning is to believe or trust, as Archbp. Hamilton's Cate- chism, XXV, ' He that trowis and fermtly beleillis in the sone of God, liais evirlastand lyfe, in tliis warld in hoip, and in the warld to cum in deid ' ; eUso p.
XXX, ' Thai suld trow the artikillis of thair Crede ' ; and Mandeville, Travels, 13, ' Jcsit Christiis nascetur de Virr/ine Mnna, et ego credo in eum, that is to say, Jesu Christ shall be born of the Virgin Mary, and I trow in him.' But through degeneration the word came to signify no more than t/dnk or suppose, as Lk 8" Kliem. 'Who is this (trow ye) that he commaundeth both the windes and the sea, and they obey hini ? ' ; Ac 8^ Rhem.
' Trowest thou that thou understandest the things which thou readest?' This is the meaning in Lk 17', the only occurrence of the word in AV, ' Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not' (ou SoKu ; edd. and RV omit). J. HASTINGS.
This topic also has an entry in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Both articles offer independent scholarly perspectives.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Trow
Trow tro: An obsolete verb meaning "to believe"; compare "trust" and the German trauen. It occurs only in Lu 17:9, the King James Version "Doth he thank that servant. ...? I trow not," as a translation of ou doko, "I believe not." The words ou doko, however, are not part of the original text, but are a later gloss to supply an answer to the question, and hence, "I trow not" is omitted by the Revised Version (British and American). ⇒See the definition of trow in the KJV Dictionary
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia