טְחוֹן (te.chon)
te.chon
grinding
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun teḥōn refers specifically to a hand mill or grinding mill in biblical Hebrew. It describes the stone device used for crushing grain into flour, a daily necessity in ancient households. The word appears only once in the entire Old Testament, located in Lamentations 5:13.
In this solitary occurrence, the term illustrates the depth of Judah’s suffering. The text notes that young men were forced to handle teḥōn, performing the exhausting labor of grinding grain. This image conveys total humiliation and loss of dignity, as those who should have been free were reduced to backbreaking servitude.
The rarity of the word highlights its symbolic weight. By focusing on such a mundane task, the lament emphasizes how completely daily life had collapsed for the people. The presence of teḥōn serves as a concrete marker of national devastation rather than just military defeat.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word teḥōn describes a hand mill, the daily tool used to grind grain into flour. In Lamentations 5:13, this ordinary object becomes a symbol of profound loss. The text records that young men were forced to carry these heavy stones, laboring under burdens meant for those with weaker frames.
When we read this, we see how completely the social order collapsed. Those who should have been free were reduced to exhausting servitude. This image reminds us that faith is not just about grand spiritual moments but also about the dignity of daily work and rest.
Even in times of deep sorrow, God sees the weight we carry. The lament does not leave us in despair but invites us to trust in a God who remembers His people. We find hope knowing that He cares about the details of our lives, including our struggles and our need for relief.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a mill1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- טְח֣וֹן1×
Key Verses
-
Lamentations 5:13
The young men carry millstones. The children stumbled under loads of wood.
This verse uses the term to show how young men were forced into humiliating labor, highlighting the total collapse of social dignity.