"to feed," is primarily used of a herdsman (from boo, "to nourish," the special function being to provide food; the root is bo---, found in boter, "a herdsman or herd," and botane, "fodder, pasture"); its uses are (a) literal, Matthew 8:30; in Matthew 8:33 , the RV corrects the AV, "they that kept," to "they that fed," as in Mark 5:14 (AV and RV); Luke 8:34; in Mark 5:11; Luke 8:32 , "feeding;" Luke 15:15; (b) metaphorical, of spiritual ministry, John 21:15,17 (see Note on No. 2). See KEEP.
"to act as a shepherd" (from poimen, "a shepherd"), is used (a) literally, Luke 17:7 , RV, "keeping sheep," for AV, "feeding cattle;" 1 Corinthians 9:7; (b) metaphorically, "to tend, to shepherd;" said of Christ, Matthew 2:6 , RV, "shall be Shepherd of" (for AV, "shall rule"); of those who act as spiritual shepherds under Him, John 21:16 , RV, "tend" (for AV "feed"); so 1 Peter 5:2; Acts 20:28 , "to feed" ("to tend" would have been a consistent rendering; a shepherd does not only "feed" his flock); of base shepherds, Jude 1:12 . See RULE.
Note: In John 21:15,16,17 , the Lord, addressing Peter, first uses No. 1, bosko (ver. 15), then No. 2, poimaino (ver. 16), and then returns to bosko (ver. 17). These are not simply interchangeable (nor are other variations in His remarks); a study of the above notes will show this. Nor, again, is there a progression of ideas. The lesson to be learnt, as Trench points out (Syn, xxv), is that, in the spiritual care of God's children, the "feeding" of the flock from the Word of God is the constant and regular necessity; it is to have the foremost place. The tending (which includes this) consists of other acts, of discipline, authority, restoration, material assistance of individuals, but they are cidental in comparison with the "feeding."signifies (a) "to make to grow, bring up, rear," Luke 4:16 , "brought up;" (b) "to nourish, feed," Matthew 6:26; 25:37; Luke 12:24; Acts 12:20; Revelation 12:6,14; of a mother, "to give suck," Luke 23:29 (some mss. here have thelazo, "to suckle"); "to fatten," as of fattening animals, James 5:5 , "ye have nourished (your hearts)." See BRING , A, No. 33.
"to feed, to fatten," is used (a) primarily of animals, Revelation 19:21; (b) of persons, to fill or satisfy with food. It is usually translated by the verb "to fill," but is once rendered "to be fed," in Luke 16:21 , of Lazarus, in his desire for the crumbs (he could be well supplied with them) that fell from the rich man's table, a fact which throws light upon the utter waste that went on at the table of the latter. The crumbs that fell would provide no small meal. See FILL SATISFY.
primarily denotes "to feed with morsels," as nurses do children; then, "to dole out or supply with food," Romans 12:20; 1 Corinthians 13:3 . Cp. psomion, "a fragment, morsel," John 13:26,27,30 ("sop").
to give to drink, is translated "I fed (you with milk)" in 1 Corinthians 3:2 . See DRINK , WATER.