Decay

dē̇ -kā ´: Although this word is still in good use in both its literal sense, of the putrefaction of either animal or vegetable matter, and its derived sense, denoting any deterioration, decline or gradual failure, the Revised Version (British and American) has replaced it by other expressions in Leviticus 25:35; Ecclesiastes 10:18; Isaiah 44:26; Hebrews 8:13; in some of these cases with a gain in accuracy of translation. In Nehemiah 4:10 ( כּשׁל , kāshal , "to be feeble," "stumble") the Revised Version (British and American) retains "is decayed"; in Job 14:11 ( חרב , ḥārēbh , "to be dried up") the American Standard Revised Version substitutes "wasteth," and in John 11:39 the American Standard Revised Version has "the body decayeth" instead of the more literal translation offensive to modern ears ( ὄζει , ózei , "emits a smell").