רֵחֶה (re.cheh)
re.cheh
millstone
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun recheh refers to the lower, stationary stone of a handmill used for grinding grain in ancient Israel. It appears only in the dual form, reflecting its nature as part of a pair with an upper movable stone. This everyday tool was essential for daily sustenance, turning wheat into flour through manual labor.
Its presence in Scripture often carries weighty symbolic meaning rather than just describing kitchen equipment. In Numbers 11:8, the manna is described as resembling fine flour ground on a recheh, emphasizing its purity and divine provision. Conversely, prophets like Jeremiah and Isaiah use the image of millstones to signify judgment or silence; the cessation of grinding sounds marks the end of joy and domestic life (Jeremiah 25:10).
Translators typically render this word simply as "millstone," capturing its concrete reality. The dual form is a key linguistic feature, reminding readers that this was never a single object but a functional unit requiring two stones to work together.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word recheh refers to the heavy, stationary lower stone of a handmill. In ancient Israel, this tool was essential for daily survival, turning grain into flour through steady, repetitive labor. Its dual form reminds us that it functioned only as part of a pair, working together with an upper stone to produce sustenance.
Scripture uses this everyday object to convey profound truths. In Deuteronomy 24:6, the law protects the poor by forbidding the taking of a millstone as collateral. This shows that God cares deeply about human dignity and basic needs, ensuring that no one loses their means of making bread.
At the same time, the silence of grinding stones in Jeremiah 25:10 signals deep sorrow and judgment. Yet even here, the image points to the fragility of life and the importance of trusting in God’s provision rather than our own strength. This word invites us to value simple, faithful labor and to rest in the One who feeds us.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a hand-mill3×
- the/ hand-mill1×
- in <the>/ hand-mill1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- רֵחַ֖יִם3×
- הָ/רֵחָ֑יִם1×
- בָ/רֵחַ֗יִם1×
Key Verses
-
Deuteronomy 24:6
No man shall take the mill or the upper millstone as a pledge, for he takes a life in pledge.
This verse highlights the millstone's critical role in daily survival by prohibiting it as collateral, showing God's concern for human dignity.
-
Jeremiah 25:10
Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the lamp.
The cessation of the millstone's sound here symbolizes the end of joy and domestic peace, marking a time of divine judgment.
-
Exodus 11:5
and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the mill, and all the firstborn of livestock.
Mentioning the female servant behind the mill underscores the universal reach of God's judgment, extending even to those performing humble labor.