Anciently a position of honour; so Deborah ("seen"), Genesis 24:59; Genesis 35:8; Ruth 4:16. (See DEBORAH.) Figuratively; Moses was "as a nursing father bearing the sucking child" (Numbers 11:12). So Isaiah 49:23. So Paul, "we were gentle" (so the Alexandrinus manuscript and the Ephraemi Rescriptus (C), epioi, but the Sinaiticus and Vaticanus 'infants,' neepioi) among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her own (Greek) children" (1 Thessalonians 2:7).